Lacson Pushes Transparency, Geo-Tagging to Counter Ghost Infra Projects

Lacson Pushes Transparency, Geo-Tagging to Counter Ghost Infra Projects

November 18, 2021 - To put a stop to ghost projects and other forms of corruption that have hounded the country's infrastructure programs, Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson will institute a geo-tagging system in the first 100 days of his term, if he wins the presidential election in 2022.

Lacson said the geo-tagging system will also show his seriousness in imposing a zero-tolerance policy against erring contractors - and their benefactors.

"Integrity in our infrastructure spending must be built on transparency and accountability. I will institute a geo-tagging system to provide an open data visualization platform containing all public infrastructure projects. Lahat ng proyekto — kahit ghost projects pa — makikita ng publiko (All projects, even ghost projects, will be visible to the public)," Lacson - the presidential standard bearer of Partido Reporma - said at the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry's 47th Philippine Business Conference and Expo.

"We will impose zero tolerance to erring contractors and their benefactors," he added.

According to Lacson, spending on infrastructure provides the best value for government’s money even as he stressed the public must see tangible gains such as easing of traffic, reduction of transport costs, and connecting of people.

He said he will sustain and continue infra spending for priority projects - such as those on transport systems for our food supply chain, inter-island connectivity, regional food terminals and health facilities - by realistically setting targets which are time-bound and implementable.

Another priority will be to start building climate-resilient infrastructure, as well as stopping the practice of "preventive maintenance" by demolishing roads that are not damaged.

These will all dovetail with his efforts to invest in and implement a National Broadband Program to connect, unify and automate all government processes for "efficient business transactions, increased revenue collections, and eradication of corruption in all levels of our bureaucracy."

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Lacson to Waive Bank Secrecy Rights on First Day of Presidency

Lacson to Waive Bank Secrecy Rights on First Day of Presidency

November 18, 2021 - In order to set the tone for a disciplined and corruption-free bureaucracy, Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson vowed on Thursday to waive his rights under the Bank Secrecy Law and encourage his fellow public servants to do the same - all in Day 1 of his presidency, if he wins the 2022 election.

Lacson, standard bearer of Partido Reporma, said this will also show his brand of "leadership by example" to restore the trust of people in their leaders.

"My first 100 days in office will also lay the foundation for a clean government. To ensure our people that 'leadership by example' will set the tone of my administration, I will lead the way by signing a waiver of my rights under the Bank Secrecy Law and encourage all the members of the cabinet, down to the rank and file to do the same," he said at the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry's 47th Philippine Business Conference and Expo.

"This will happen on my first day in office, not in the first 100 days. This will signal our commitment to restoring the trust of our people in their public officials," added Lacson, who has filed bills in the Senate excluding all public servants - from the President down - from the Bank Secrecy Act.

Lacson also said he will spend the rest of his first 100 days in office in providing a more efficient lifeline for the health and economic sectors, and laying the foundation for a clean government.

"Hence, in my first 100 days, I will ensure that we will fully fund our existing gaps that will lead to the full implementation of the Universal Health Care Act, to provide not just free vaccines to all Filipinos but also free testing and treatment backed by data-driven contact tracing that will enable us to stop all 'lockdowns,'" he said.

This means harnessing and preparing resources to make newly developed COVID-19 pills such as "molnupiravir" and other anti-viral drugs that are scientifically proven to be effective against the Coronavirus both accessible and affordable.

"We will do these efforts in partnership with our local executives and the private sector," he said.

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Ping Lacson: Budget Reform Advocacy for Village Empowerment

Ping Lacson: Budget Reform Advocacy for Village Empowerment

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Villager’s Near Airport Supports LACSON-SOTTO 2022 in Pasay City

Villager’s Near Airport Supports LACSON-SOTTO 2022 in Pasay City

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Barangay Leaders Supports LACSON-SOTTO 2022 in Muntinlupa

Barangay Leaders Supports LACSON-SOTTO 2022 in Muntinlupa

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Supporters of LACSON-SOTTO 2022 in Malampaya Construction Workers

Supporters of LACSON-SOTTO 2022 in Malampaya Construction Workers

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FAST TALK kasama si Sen. Ping Lacson! #SerbisyongMaliksi #BuklodFilipinoPartylist

 FAST TALK kasama si Sen. Ping Lacson! #SerbisyongMaliksi #BuklodFilipinoPartylist

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SEN PING LACSON- Near Death Situation

 SEN PING LACSON- Near Death Situation

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Lacson: PITC Has P8.523-B in Unliquidated Army Funds

 Lacson: PITC Has P8.523-B in Unliquidated Army Funds

November 17, 2021 - At least P8.523 billion in funds of the Philippine Army remains unliquidated or unaccounted for with the Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC), Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson disclosed Tuesday.

Lacson cited figures from the 2020 Commission on Audit report that showed the PITC received some P15.927 billion from 2007 to 2020 from the Philippine Army alone, with total unliquidated balances in the amount of P8.523 billion.

"Every year, nag-scrounge tayo sa pondo para sa modernization, pati revised modernization program ng AFP, ang sabi natin cause for delay ang funding gaps kasi di napopondohan. Yet we find out from the COA report may unliquidated balances of P8.5 billion just for the Philippine Army (Every year, we scrounge for funds for the AFP's modernization, even for the AFP's revised modernization program. The cause of delay was due to the funding gaps. Yet we find out from the COA report that there are unliquidated balances of P8.5 billion, just for the Philippine Army)," he said at his interpellation of the Department of National Defense's budget for 2022.

"Hindi biro-biro ang amounts involved (The amounts involved are no joke)," he added.

Worse, he said the PITC failed to deliver, as records showed its deliveries were virtually zero - at 0.01 percent in 2019 and 0.22 percent in 2020.

Yet, he said the PITC gained some P640 million from the Army's P15.9-billion "deposit" due to the four-percent service fee that the PITC charges.

Because of these, Lacson - who chairs the Senate defense committee and is the presidential standard bearer of Partido Reporma - said it is time the DND and AFP do their own procuring.

"I think the DND and the AFP are more capable of procuring... Mas mabuti (It would be better) if they do the procurement themselves, instead of depositing these amounts to the PITC," he said. "The data would show that transferring the procurement to the PITC isn’t working."

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Supporters and Volunteers of LACSON-SOTTO 2022 in Kitaotao, Bukidnon

 Supporters and Volunteers of LACSON-SOTTO 2022 in Kitaotao, Bukidnon

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Lacson Flags P5-B for Farm-to-Market Roads Using Bayanihan 2 Funds

Lacson Flags P5-B for Farm-to-Market Roads Using Bayanihan 2 Funds

November 16, 2021 - What is the connection between farm-to-market roads and the government's response to the Covid pandemic?

Senator and Partido Reporma presidential standard bearer Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson asked this on Monday as he noted P5 billion intended for the government's Covid-19 response was used to cover funding requirements for the implementation of farm-to-market road projects under the Agriculture Stimulus Package of Bayanihan 2.

"We noticed releases under Bayanihan 2 focused on farm-to-market roads worth P5 billion. Can you explain the connection between these farm-to-market road releases and the government's Covid response? Parang hindi ko ma-connect (I cannot seem to make the connection)," he said in his interpellation of the DA's budget.

Sen. Cynthia Villar, who was sponsoring the DA's budget, replied it could be for improving logistics - triggering laughter inside the Senate session hall.

"We laugh about this but this is no joking matter. This is the national budget of the Republic of the Philippines," Lacson noted.

Also, Lacson questioned the net 17-percent increase in the DA's funding for Agri-Machinery, Equipment, Facilities, and Infrastructure program from P11.3 billion to P13.32 billion - with the bulk of the increase for farm-to-market roads from P4.98 billion under the National Expenditure Program to P6.95 billion under the House version of the budget bill.

When asked about such increases, the DA denied being looped into the details of the projects.

Lacson noted that it is a "perennial problem" for agencies like the DA getting added funds for projects like farm-to-market roads but not being consulted about them.

"There are other priorities when they prepared the budget to answer the budget call. They were tedious in preparing the budget. Now, all of a sudden, at the snap of a finger, nawala ang budget, nalipat kung saan (with the funds being transferred elsewhere). This is a perennial problem," he said.

Meanwhile, Lacson reiterated his call for proper funding for research and development, noting DA Secretary William Dar is also an advocate of research.

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