Senate leaders on Wednesday denied claims that the 2026 national budget contains a P17.9 billion pork barrel allocation.
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson rejected the allegations of ‘Senate pork,’ which he said is meant to destabilize the Senate while Senate Finance Committee chairperson Senator Sherwin Gatchalian disputed assertions that increased local government funding is discretionary.
Lacson said the amount cited by ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio refers to institutional budget realignments intended to raise subsistence allowances for uniformed personnel rather than funds controlled by senators.
He explained that the adjustments cover additional subsistence support for members of the Philippine National Police, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, the Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Philippine Coast Guard.
“Rep. Tinio is either too lazy to do his research, or he is malevolently destabilizing the Senate to take the heat off the House of Representatives,” Lacson said.
These funds, according to Lacson, were taken from the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF) and redirected for a defined purpose, emphasizing that no individual senator stood to personally benefit.
In a separate statement, Gatchalian dismissed Tinio’s claim of P17.9 billion in Senate pork for local government units as baseless and grossly misleading.
The increase in the Local Government Support Fund, according to the Senate finance chief, is a transparent investment aimed at strengthening local governments and improving service delivery at the community level.
He said such funding supports essential projects such as health centers, classrooms, and disaster preparedness programs rather than discretionary spending.
Gatchalian also rejected claims that cuts to the MPBF reduce benefits for government workers, citing explanations from the Department of Budget and Management that the fund serves as a contingency reserve.
He said the MPBF is not a direct salary or benefits allocation but a standby fund for unforeseen personnel-related requirements.
The senator maintained that all Senate budget adjustments complied with constitutional mandates and were crafted to ensure public funds reach communities where they are most urgently needed.
