Senatorial candidate Panfilo Lacson is endorsing the administration’s initiative to digitalize government transactions.
He believes this effort will reduce graft and corruption while enhancing the efficiency of public services.
Lacson reiterated his advocacy for allocating unused appropriations, which average P350 billion a year from 2016 to 2023, to local government units. This funding could support projects and programs devised by their local development councils.
Lacson highlighted that Panay Island, currently one of the five top-performing regions in agriculture, has the potential to become the leading region if it receives adequate funding from the national budget.
This is especially possible now that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order 82, which strengthens regional and local development councils.
He noted that downloading these funds could significantly benefit northern Iloilo, where local fishermen struggle as their abundant catch of Indian oil sardines spoils due to a lack of facilities such as cold storage and processing plants. With the right infrastructure, they could potentially export their catch, he explained.
Meanwhile, the former senator compared the 90-day senatorial campaign to an extended job interview, where candidates present themselves to the electorate, who must choose wisely.