Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson has described the so-called "Leadership Fund," also referred to as "Allocables," as being "worse than the pork barrel," arguing that the practice should be discontinued because it allows lawmakers to influence the national budget even before congressional deliberations begin.
Speaking on the issue, Lacson confirmed that during the preparation of the 2025 national budget, senators were allegedly offered a ₱500-million Leadership Fund by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
According to Lacson, the allocations were already included in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) submitted by the Executive to Congress, allowing lawmakers to have designated funding even before the budget entered the legislative process.
He stressed that members of Congress should not participate in the preparation of the national budget, saying that responsibility belongs solely to the Executive Branch.
"Hindi dapat paki-dip ng fingers sa mga congressmen, mga senators sa budget preparation. Because that is within the domain of the executive, down to the local levels, mga LGUs. Dapat walang pakialam," Lacson said.
The senator explained that the role of lawmakers begins during the authorization phase, when Congress deliberates on and amends the proposed budget.
"Ang pakialam ng congressmen and senators ito sa tinatawag na authorization phase, meaning legislation. Doon pwede mag-amend, AKA insertion," he said.
Lacson warned that if legislators already have allocations embedded in the NEP before Congress begins deliberations, the practice resembles a new version of the controversial pork barrel system.
"Kasi kung doon pa lang sa NEP, eh, naka-insert na, eh, parang ito yung, parang sabihin na natin, ito yung descendant ng pork barrel. We just outlawed way back in 2014, di ba? Outlawed na yan eh, declared ng Constitution," he said.
He attributed the creation of the alleged Leadership Fund to former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan and the late Undersecretary Catalina Cabral, saying the mechanism appeared in the 2025 budget.
However, Lacson noted that the allocation is no longer included in the proposed 2026 National Budget.
His remarks came a day after several senators took turns denying that they had benefited from the alleged Leadership Fund.
Lacson maintained that the practice undermines the constitutional separation of powers in the budget process and reiterated that lawmakers should only exercise their authority during congressional budget deliberations, not during the Executive's preparation of the NEP.
