Ejercito: Not all amendments or insertions are bad

Not every amendment or insertion is harmful, as some will improve or supplement government projects that will serve Filipinos, Senator JV Ejercito said Monday.

Ejercito made the statement during the Senate budget hearing of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), which has a proposed budget of P197 billion.

“We conduct budget hearings so that legislators might want to improve, enhance, or supplement the budgets of agencies that will improve their programs,” Ejercito said, underscoring that the National Expediture Program is “not perfect.”

“Not all amendments or insertions are bad because if it will improve, enhance, or supplement the programs that are effective, then that will be very important. That's part of our job to make sure that we will function better,” he added.

Ejercito’s statement came after Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson revealed that “almost all” senators in the 19th Congress inserted at least P100 billion worth of items into the 2025 General Appropriations Act.

“Siguro hindi lang naintindihan because of the issues. Tuloy, natatakot na yung iba. Pag sinabing amendment or insertion masama [Maybe some people don’t understand because of the issues. As a result, they’re afraid. There is a bad connotation when we say amendment or insertion],” Ejercito said.

Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said making insertions is part of the regular budget process.

According to a “24 Oras” report, budget insertions were allegedly added to the National Expenditure Program (NEP) through a so-called "small committee,” the Bicameral Conference Committee, and the contractors bidding for the government projects.

The issue of budget insertion surfaced following the revelations surrounding the alleged anomalous flood control projects.

Former Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo earlier linked Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero, former senators Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. and Nancy Binay, and now-resigned Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co in the anomalous flood control projects.

The senators have denied Bernardo’s claims. — BM, GMA Integrated News