Former ACT Teachers Partylist representative and civil service organization member France Castro has called on the government to overhaul its budget priorities for 2026, urging a shift in funding away from “fraud-prone” allocations such as flood control projects and towards social services, agriculture, and local industries.
Speaking in an interview on DZRH’s Isyung Pambayan with host Milky Rigonan, Castro stressed that the current budget system continues to prioritize projects vulnerable to corruption, leaving critical sectors underfunded.
“Priority pa rin yung mga fraud-prone or yung mga pork barrel na budget dito sa ating kasalukuyang budget. Kaya talagang ang panukala natin ay i-reverse or baguhin ang priority, mas lagyan ng pondo ‘yong nasa social services, agrikultura atsaka ‘yong sa industriya,” Castro said.
She noted that in the past three years, numerous projects have been exposed as either fraudulent or highly susceptible to corruption. “Napapabayaan ‘yong mga social services, kaya talagang dapat i-reverse na ‘yong policy natin sa pagpopondo,” she added.
Castro explained that her group’s proposal centers on strengthening programs that provide direct benefit to the public, particularly in terms of job generation. “‘Yon ang talagang panukala namin ay dagdagan or talagang baguhin ang policy ng gobyerno na more on doon sa papakinabangan ng ating mga mamamayan, trabaho (rin) pala kasama roon,” she said.
Diverting Flood Control Funds to Social Services
During the discussion, Rigonan pointed out the civil society organizations’ (CSO) position to reallocate the budget for flood control projects to education and health, citing recurring anomalies in infrastructure spending. Castro agreed, saying the government has long funneled massive funds to flood control only for these projects to be mired in corruption issues.
“For the last so many years talagang ang binubudget natin dito lalo (ay) nasa flood control projects tapos nakita natin ‘yong graft and corruption kaya talagang mas [dapat] pagtuunan ng pansin ‘yong ating health, education, ‘yong industriya,” she said.
She emphasized that local industries must be developed instead of over reliance on foreign investors. “Mayroon naman tayo niyan noon eh at hindi naman tayo umasa sa pamunuan ng foreign investments. Kaya kailangan natin kasi magreredown din ‘yan sa pag-ikot ng ating ekonomiya, pagdami ng ating employment, [at] pagtaas ng sweldo,” Castro explained.
According to her, the government should conduct a “massive auditing” and complete an inventory of all past and present flood control projects, given long-standing concerns of irregularities.
Red Flags on Unprogrammed Funds
Castro also raised alarm over the use of unprogrammed appropriations and lump-sum allocations, pointing out how critical expenditures are sometimes relegated to these funds only to be subject to last-minute insertions during budget deliberations.
“Titignan din namin ‘yong mga unprogrammed appropriation, ‘yong mga lump sum, ayaw na natin na pagdating ng bicam nandoon na naman ‘yong mga insertions,” she said.
She cited as an example the provision of employees’ salary increase, which was initially placed under unprogrammed appropriations. “Pansin natin August ibinigay ‘yong increase ng salary na nakalagay sa unprogrammed na dapat ay nakalagay sa regular program ng appropriations,” she said.
Call for Independent Investigation
When asked whether the Senate and House of Representatives should investigate the flood control controversy, Castro underscored that while Congress has oversight powers, the involvement of lawmakers in the issue necessitates an impartial probe.
“Hindi natin maiiwasan na mag-imbestiga itong kongreso dahil part ito ng oversight function dahil may kinalaman dito ang budget na inilaan for the past years tsaka ‘yong present year. Pero mas gusto talag natin ‘yong independent group na walang kinalaman sa kongreso dahil involved na nga ‘yong mga ilan na miyembro ng kongreso,” she said.
“Kaya kailangan talaga na magkaroon ng independent investigation na labas sa kongreso,” Castro added.
Public Vigilance Urged
Castro ended with a call for continued public vigilance, urging citizens to remain watchful of how public funds are being used.
“Sa ating mga kababayan, nasimulan na nga natin ‘yong pagiging vigilant sa ating budget, ipagpatuloy lang po natin at kung may mga report kayo, nandito po ang mga CSO natin sa Makabayan para po mag-report sa kung ano man ang gusto niyong sabihin sa amin para mabigay natin sa ating mga house of representative members,” she said.
“Tumutok po tayo dahil mahalaga ang budget ng ating bayan dahil dito naka-reflect ang policy ng ating gobyerno,” she added.
