Proposal to cut up to P400B out of proposed budget 2026

My hypothesis on the ongoing corruption scan-dalin the country: As the size of the budget goes up yearly, the extent of corruption and waste also increases at a proportional rate (if not at higher proportion) as the overall budget expansion.

- BIENVENIDO S. OPLAS, JR.

The reason why I make this hypothesis — it is an unproven theory — is because the budget deficit and the public debt keep rising. Meaning past spending did not result in higher productivity of our people and government institutions that are supposed to “outgrow the debt.”

If past spending on public physical infrastructure (roads, bridges, irrigation canals, etc.) and social infrastructure (education, healthcare, monthly cash, free seeds, etc.) were not wasted or inefficient, the resulting productivity increase would have allowed our economy to grow faster, with revenues larger to control the deficit and pay back the debt. This did not happen.

See also recent reports in BusinessWorld on the subject: “Corruption issues hurting US investor interest in the Philippines — Romualdez” (Oct. 10), “Analysts call for more transparency in bicameral committee meetings for budget bill” (Oct. 13), “House approves P6.793-trillion budget bill on final reading” (Oct. 14), “Flood control scam derails S&P credit rating upgrade for Philippines” (Oct. 15), and, “Corruption scandal to slow Philippine growth, says Recto” (Oct. 15).