Sotto: Lacson’s 18 years of budget scrutiny helps PH to refocus 2022 spending

Nearly 18 years of scrutinizing the national budget in the Senate has helped Partido Reporma chairman and standard-bearer Panfilo “Ping” Lacson refocus the government’s expenditure program for 2022 on the country’s most pressing needs amid the coronavirus pandemic, his running mate and Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said.

“Dagdag ko lang ‘yung sa budget. Tandaan lang natin, 18 years si Senator Lacson sa Senado, inabot niya ako doon e. Pero ‘yung 18 years na ‘yon, 18 times niyang binalasa ‘yung budget,” Sotto said in a press conference over the weekend in Quezon City.

[Let me just add about the budget. Let’s remember, Senator Lacson has already spent 18 years in the Senate, he caught up with me there. But in the 18 years he spent there, he has shuffled the budget 18 times, too.]

“So, itong budget ngayon, itong 2022 na budget na-scrutinize din niyang mabuti ‘yan. At kami naman, sinusuportahan namin at ng mga kasamahan namin, talagang tinitingnan naming mabuti itong budget,” added Sotto, who has a combined 42 years of Senate experience with Lacson.

[So, this budget, the 2022 budget has been scrutinized well. For us, me and my colleagues (in the Senate) have supported these moves (by Lacson) and are taking a closer look at the budget ourselves.]

The Senate last week passed the proposed Php5.024-trillion National Expenditure Program for 2022, which is now in the bicameral conference committee for further deliberations before being transmitted to President Rodrigo Duterte for his enactment into law.

“You know, it’s heart-warming to know na meron kaming mga kandidato na like-minded. And I hope, sabi ko nga, they should carry the torch na iiwanan namin ni Senate President,” Lacson said, noting the presence of Partido Reporma senatorial candidates Gen. Guillermo Eleazar and Dr. Minguita Padilla in their “Online Kumustahan” with the transport sector on Saturday.

[You know, it’s heart-warming to know we have candidates that are like-minded (in examining the national budget). And I hope, as I said, they should carry the torch that I and the Senate President will leave behind.]

“Sana pag-ukulan nila ng pansin, napakahalaga ng ating national budget sa ating ekonomiya, sa ating bansa. And we’re glad, maski paano confident kami na sila ‘yung magpapatuloy ng aming napakatagal nang advocacy para tingnang mabuti ‘yung ating national budget. E sila naman meron silang enough experience tungkol doon sa paglaban doon sa katiwalian,” the longtime public servant added.

[I hope they give it a lot of attention, our national budget is just too important for our economy, for our country. And we’re glad that somehow, we are confident they will continue our longtime advocacy to really examine the national budget. They have enough experience on their own in fighting corruption.]

Sotto reiterated that if Filipinos give them a chance to lead the country after the May 9, 2022 elections, it’s best that those who scrutinized the budget, like himself and Lacson, are also the ones executing it.

“Dapat masubukan ng mga kababayan natin na ‘yung mga nag-scru-scrutinize ng budget nang 18 taon, sila ang pag-execute-in mo, implement ng budget, tingnan niyo ang mangyayari. Kung na-scrutinize nang mabuti ‘yan, lalo na kapag ‘yan ay na-implement niya,” the Senate President said.

[Our countrymen should experience that those who examined the budget for 18 years (like Lacson), should be allowed to execute it, implement it, and see what happens. If they scrutinized it so well, the more when they are the ones to implement it.]

In reply, Dr. Padilla said: “Sa akin talaga, ano, talagang matagal na kaming lumalaban sa katiwalian in the private sector. So, Senator Lacson and TitoSen, you can rest assured na kung pagpapalain kami ng Panginoon, talagang ipagpapatuloy namin ang laban ninyo sa Senado, laban sa katiwalian, tapos tututukan na rin namin ‘yung budget. So, kahit wala na kayo (sa Senado), maipagpapatuloy.”

[For me, we in the private sector have long been fighting against corruption. So, Senator Lacson and TitoSen (Sotto), you can rest assured that if the Lord blesses us, we will certainly continue your crusade in the Senate against corruption, and be focused on the budget. So, even if you are no longer around (in the Senate), we will continue it.]
11:50 AM
Stefi
Stefi Dela Merced
Beware of ‘smishing’ scammers using Lacson’s name, “ayuda” as bait—Partido Reporma

Partido Reporma chairman and standard-bearer Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has not been spared from the rash of “smishing” scammers or those using text messaging to extract personal information for nefarious ends.

In a statement, Partido Reporma urged the public not to respond to such dubious messages, whether through SMS (short messaging service) or messaging apps, as Lacson – a former national police chief – would never authorize or condone such practice.

The longtime public servant has also called on the National Privacy Commission to look more closely into attempts at digital vote-buying in the run-up to the May 9, 2022 elections, calling it a threat not just to the electoral system but to democracy itself.

In a picture uploaded on social media over the weekend, a victim of the scam showed a screenshot of a message from a person who introduced himself as a member of Lacson’s family.

The message sender said he was sending “ayuda” (cash aid) and the person targeted only needed to send his personal information to receive the supposed funding.

“This is from Ping Lacson Family. Can you please claim your Ayuda’s from our Fam?,” the scammer’s text message read.

“Note: If you are interested to get that pls. reply your real name and followed by your complete address. Thank You,” the message added.

Based on the screen shot, after the victim sent his personal information, the scammer no longer replied.

Smishing or SMS phishing is the fraudulent practice of sending text messages, purporting to be from reputable companies or persons, to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords or credit card numbers, or in this case home addresses.

In the Philippines, authorities have listed phishing as the top cybercrime for years now. Smishing attacks are delivered by both traditional text messaging and non-SMS messaging apps. These attacks spread fast and are often unnoticeable due to their deceptive nature.

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)