MANILA — Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday questioned why President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. would veto budget insertions that he allegedly requested, following former congressman Zaldy Co’s claims linking the President to the 2025 flood control funding controversy.
In a series of videos, Co alleged that Marcos requested P100 billion worth of projects in the 2025 General Appropriations Act.
Gatchalian, however, noted that it is standard practice for the President to allocate funds for priority projects at the start of the budget process through the National Expenditure Program (NEP), which sets the foundation for Congress’ budget deliberations.
“Pag sa dulo, nasisira ang buong budget lalo na kung malaki ang amount,” Gatchalian said, emphasizing that large allocations at the end of the process could disrupt the entire budget.
The senator also questioned why small amounts were allocated to secondary road projects in Valenzuela, as listed in Co’s claims, especially since the President later vetoed some of those projects.
“Doon sa listahan ni Zaldy, ilan doon na-veto nang Pangulo. Nagtataka ako, kung nag-insert siya, bakit naman ivi-veto rin ‘yung in-insert niya?” Gatchalian asked. He added that several of Co’s statements “do not align with the normal budget process.”
Gatchalian further explained that while budget insertions and amendments are part of Congress’ regular work, they gain a negative reputation when projects are allegedly pre-assigned to specific contractors. “Aminado tayo, inabuso talaga,” he said.
To address this, the Senate panel has agreed to no longer allow budget insertions during the bicameral conference, noting that such new projects are often not discussed during regular sessions.
The senator emphasized that the ongoing Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigation into the flood control corruption scandal highlights the need for accountability, as millions of pesos in government funds were allegedly diverted by corrupt politicians and contractors.