Here’s a bombshell that’s bound to shake up the political landscape: Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson has revealed that at least five Cabinet secretaries were allocated billions of pesos in the highly contentious 2025 national budget. But here’s where it gets controversial—these allocations, known as ‘allocables,’ were supposedly reserved for lawmakers to fund projects in their districts, not for high-ranking government officials. So, what’s going on here?
In a recent statement, Lacson disclosed that these findings are based on documents he obtained from the late Maria Catalina Cabral, former Undersecretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Among the officials allegedly involved is ex-DPWH chief Manuel Bonoan, whose allocables for 2025 alone reportedly totaled a staggering P30.5 billion, divided into multiple tranches. And this is the part most people miss—Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin was also reportedly listed with an allocation of P8 billion, raising eyebrows across the board.
During a radio interview on dwIZ, Lacson questioned the very premise of Cabinet secretaries receiving allocables. ‘Why should Cabinet secretaries get allocables? I thought these were meant for lawmakers to request projects for their districts,’ he remarked, highlighting a glaring inconsistency in the system.
The documents further suggest that several undersecretaries also received allocables and/or non-allocables, adding another layer of complexity to the issue. Lacson expressed astonishment at the sheer scale of these allocations, particularly the P8 billion entry attributed to the Executive Secretary. ‘How did one ‘ES’ get allocables?’ he asked, underscoring the need for transparency and accountability.
These revelations could lead to the Cabinet secretaries being summoned by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to explain their involvement in potentially anomalous flood control projects. However, this will only happen once the documents—including Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs) dated December 27, 2024—are authenticated by either the DPWH or the Department of Budget and Management.
Lacson received the documents from Cabral’s lawyers shortly before her tragic death on December 19, when she reportedly fell from a slope on Kennon Road. According to Lacson, Cabral had even expressed willingness to testify about the SAROs before her untimely passing, adding a somber layer to this already complex story.
These disclosures come on the heels of Batangas 1st District Rep. Leandro Leviste’s claims that high-ranking officials, including Cabinet secretaries, were listed as proponents in the controversial 2025 infrastructure budget insertions. Leviste’s allegations are also based on documents he purportedly received from Cabral on September 4.
Here’s the million-peso question: Are these allocables a legitimate part of the budgeting process, or do they represent a misuse of public funds? And if the latter, who should be held accountable? This scandal raises critical questions about transparency, accountability, and the ethical use of taxpayer money. What’s your take? Let’s keep the conversation going in the comments below.
