Identify project proponents, refine budget process - Poe

Metro Manila, Philippines - The budget process must be amended in the wake of anomalies on flood control deals, former Sen. Grace Poe, former finance committee head, said after she met the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) on Tuesday, Sept. 23.

In a chance interview, Poe said lawmakers who will propose amendments to certain budget items must be identified.

Testimonies in congressional hearings have identified a number of lawmakers who supposedly pocketed multimillion-pesos in flood control funds.

READ: Alcantara tags Villanueva, Estrada, Revilla, Co in flood control mess

“Noong 2013, nagkaroon ng pagbabago rin dahil may mga napakulong. Ano ang naging eleksyon noong panahon na iyon? Naging line item na iyong mga budget. Dati lump sum per department. Pero ngayon ang nakikita kong pagbabago dito ay lahat ng amendments, dapat may nakalagay na pangalan ang proponent na sino ang nagtulak nito,” she said, pertaining to the pork barrel scam.

[Translation: In 2013, there were also changes because some individuals were imprisoned. What was the lesson during that time? Budgets became line items. Previously, they were lump sums per department. But now, the change I’m seeing is that all amendments must include the name of the proponent who pushed for it.]

Poe said the commission wanted to identify lawmakers who introduced infrastructure projects that were declared as finished and paid but were actually non-existent, and poorly built structures.

She said she can only explain the 2025 budget process as the supposed non-existent projects were from previous years before she chaired the finance committee.

In the 19th Congress, Poe led the panel from May 2024 to May 2025, while Education Secretary and former Sen. Sonny Angara was committee head from 2022 to mid 2024.

“Sinabi ko naman sa kanila na well sa 2025 sa COA, wala pa. ‘Di pa nga tapos yung taon. Ang pwede ko lang mabigay sa inyo yung proseso,” Poe said.

[Translation: I told them that, well, for 2025 at the Commission on Audit, there’s nothing yet. The year isn’t even over. The only thing I can give you is the process.]

“I told them that I wasn’t the chairman of the budget during those times in question with the ghost (flood) control projects,” she added.

Poe said she herself is saddened by the alleged involvement of government officials, including lawmakers, in the pocketing of public funds.