Sa kabila ng matagumpay nating mga ipinaglaban sa proposed 2026 National Budget, mas mabigat pa rin ang mga nakita nating item na hindi katanggap-tanggap.

Humihingi ang Judiciary ng ₱28.31 billion reconsideration — pero ang ibinigay lang ay ₱1.46 billion. 5.15% lang po ito. Isang co-equal branch na may napakalaking papel ang Hudikatura, pero kulang-kulang ang suporta. The Judiciary deserves not just respect in words — but support in resources.

We are also dismayed by the cut in the additional budget for the Commission on Human Rights. Taon-taon na lang, underfunded ang CHR. Hindi dapat kinukuripot ang pangangalaga sa ating dignidad at karapatang pantao.

Pagdating naman sa Unprogrammed Appropriations, I firmly believe that it’s time to stop having this in the national budget.

Unang rason: Unprogrammed Appropriations have no definite source of financing. Walang tiyak na pagkukunan na koleksyon ng buwis o utang para dito. Kung wala palang pera ay bakit magbabalak na gumasta?

Pangalawang rason: The practice of having Unprogrammed Appropriations is tantamount to undue delegation of legislative power to the Executive. Only the legislature has the power to appropriate. In the past, billions have been authorized to be released without adequate congressional scrutiny and sufficient safeguards. Naging pugad tuloy ito ng mga ghost, sub-standard and overpriced projects. Also, some UA items came in lump-sums, with no specificity or itemization, with no prior determination of, say, real projects and actual recipients. Only the Executive knows how unprogrammed funds are being used, and we in Congress and the public find out only after the fact. This abdication of the congressional power of the purse must be discontinued.

Pangatlong rason: Nagiging kumbenyenteng parkingan ang Unprogrammed Appropriations ng mga dapat naman ay programado at obligado nang mga gastusin. This practice has created persistent false hopes and mass deception among the affected sectors and agencies, who have been made to budgetary support when no real funding actually exists. Kung wala nang UA, mapipilitan ang Ehekutibo at Kongreso na talagang pondohan ang mga ito, sapagkat may mandato at prayoridad sa ilalim ng mga batas o kontrata. Prime examples of these are the “revised AFP modernization program”, “prior years’ LGU shares”, “support to foreign-assisted projects” and “budgetary support to GOCCs.”

I also expressed disappointment on the rejection of the proposed amendments to the Special Provisions on Unprogrammed Funds, as proposed by Representative Tinio, that would have provided additional safeguards against abuses of unprogrammed funds. Kung ipinipilit pa rin ang unprogrammed appropriations, bakit nireject pati ang additional safeguards at accountability mechanisms para dito?

Therefore, my stand against the Unprogrammed Appropriations is a constitutional imperative and a moral obligation on my part.

This Representation votes NO vote to House Bill No. 4058.