Marcos Urged To Delay Release Of Budget 'Pork'

Until After 2025 Midterm Polls

- CECILLE SUERTE FELIPE

To prevent the use of billions in public funds from being used by politicians for the 2025 elections, President Marcos can classify all Congress-introduced amendments in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) as "for later release" or FLR, former Senate President Franklin Drilon said yesterday.

In a statement, Drilon made the proposal as he noted that Marcos' vetoes of some items in the 2025 national budget were largely "cosmetic," barely touching the "pork barrels" of legislators, principally lodged in the bloated appropriation for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

"In my opinion, the pork barrel of the congressmen has not been fixed. There is still a big pork barrel left in the GAA," Drilon said in a radio interview. "There is not much change. The pork barrel is still big in the DPWH."

"The 2025 budget is considered an election-year budget. Hence, we must be vigilant. The budget should not be a tool in aid of the 2025 elections," Drilon said.

Delaying the release of the controversial appropriations, he said, could "prevent the budget from being perceived as a tool for election-related spending."

He said this would ensure compliance with the Omnibus Election Code, which prohibits the release, disbursement or expenditure of public funds for public works, as well as the delivery of construction materials, starting March 28 or 45 days before election day.

The FLR mechanism is a practice Budget and Management during the previous administration. Under this approach, Congress-introduced amendments that are not part of the executive’s National Expenditure Program (NEP) are classified as FLR, requiring compliance with specific conditions before funds are released.

By subjecting Congressintroduced amendments to the FLR classification, Drilon argues, the public will be assured that government funds will not be used as leverage for election purposes.