Lacson Confirms ₱355-M Budget Insertion for Bulacan Flood Projects in 2025 GAA

Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson confirmed that a ₱355 million budget insertion was included in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) for flood management projects in Bulacan, matching earlier claims made by a district engineer. According to Lacson, the funds were not present in either the National Expenditure Program (NEP) submitted by the Department of Budget and Management, nor in the version of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) approved by the House of Representatives.

The budget addition appears to have been inserted during Senate deliberations or during the bicameral conference committee’s proceedings. Lacson’s team discovered the allocation while reviewing budget amendments, and found that the House version lacked the ₱355 million, which was later reflected in the Senate or bicam version. At this time, the specific lawmaker or author of this insertion has not been definitively identified.

The amount was flagged in relation to five separate flood management projects in Bulacan under the 2025 GAA. During a recent hearing of the House Infrastructure Committee, DPWH District Engineer Brice Hernandez had alleged that Senator Jinggoy Estrada inserted the ₱355 million into the budget for Bulacan. Lacson said he will coordinate with the House Appropriations Committee and former Senate Finance Committee Chair Grace Poe to trace who filed the amendment.

Senator Lacson emphasized that the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee will continue its evidence‐based investigation, not only into this insertion but also into other budget insertions totaling around ₱142 billion. He noted, however, the challenge of determining responsibility without clear records indicating which legislator proposed which amendment.

A follow‐up hearing is scheduled for September 18, 2025, when the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee will further examine the flood management projects connected to this ₱355 million insertion.