Same old

It looks like the 2026 national budget will be passed on time.

- ALEX MAGNO

But no one seems to be happy with it.For most, what has been approved at the bicameral committee is the same old corruption-prone budget. Only the funds of the corruption-prone DPWH were trimmed.

Despite all the brave soundbites about cleaning up the national budget to inhibit corruption, the forces of patronage politics appear to have won the day. There was much ado about live streaming the bicameral conference committee deliberations, but that only served as a stage for some politicians to grandstand. Many of the controversial decisions appear to have been reached on the sidelines, away from camera range.

Seventy-two medical organizations issued a strong statement condemning the allocation of medical assistance to indigent patients, a fund brokered by politicians. The item was not only approved by the bicameral committee, it was increased. So were a couple of other subsidy items preferred by the politicians.

In the end, the “unprogrammed” funds that most senators condemned was not only passed, it was increased. These funds are the most vulnerable to political intervention - and therefore corruption.

Watchdog groups complained about repeated budgetary entries. We were promised a cleaner national budget, but those responsible for drafting it did not put in enough work. Many expenditure items are recurring. Funding was provided projects that were supposed to have been completed.