SENATE President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson on late Monday pressed for clear and “foolproof” safeguards to prevent abuse, corruption, and political patronage in the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026, warning that he may refuse to ratify the spending measure if these concerns are not adequately addressed. Lacson said his objections center on at least three contentious areas: the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (Maifip), funding for farm-to-market roads, and the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) request to restore budget cuts imposed by the Senate. “Some special provisions have been prepared to address the issues. We are studying the safeguards now,” he said in a late Monday interview conducted in a mix of English and Filipino. “I am looking for ways to ensure these safeguards will be foolproof, that they will not be exploited by politicians. Safeguards are important to me to make sure public funds in the budget do not go to corruption. That is the bottom line for me.” Lacson warned that without airtight protections, he could side with senators opposing the ratification of the bicameral conference committee report, which reconciles differing versions of the budget passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives. “I made it clear that unless I see the safeguards are foolproof, I may go along with the minority if they will not sign to ratify the budget bill,” he said. “We have our own advocacies. Some advocate education and health. My advocacy is to fix the budget.” Political interference On Sunday, Lacson said he would not sign the budget bill if provisions allocating large sums to Maifip and what he described as potentially unvetted farm-to-market road projects are not corrected. Maifip has long been controversial because it allows lawmakers and politicians to issue guarantee letters to hospitals, a practice critics say opens the door to patronage politics and uneven access to health services. Lacson said the system undermines the government’s Universal Health Care (UHC) program, which is intended to provide equitable and comprehensive health coverage nationwide. “The implementation of health care must be politically blind and objective,” Lacson said, stressing that lawmakers’ role should be limited to crafting the budget and not intervening in its implementation. He said senators in the majority bloc agreed there should “absolutely” be no guarantee letters under Maifip. Instead, additional funds should be channeled directly to the Department of Health and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to strengthen institutional delivery of health services. The Senate, Lacson added, adopted his so-called “anti-epal” amendment, which blocks and penalizes political involvement in the distribution of government aid. The provision was placed under the general provisions of the Senate’s version of the budget to ensure it applies broadly, covering not only Maifip but also other assistance programs such as the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations. Farm-to-market roads On farm-to-market roads, another area often flagged for pork-barrel-like insertions, Lacson said senators are studying additional safeguards to protect the integrity of projects. “This should be based on data. Projects should not be identified by lawmakers,” he said. “But there should be more. We are looking into additional safeguards to ensure the integrity of the farm-to-market roads.” Regarding the DPWH’s request to restore reductions in its 2026 allocation, Lacson said the department must first clarify claims that the Senate’s cuts were based on erroneous figures. “The Senate cut the DPWH budget based on its earlier pronouncements,” Lacson said, adding that the department should explain where the supposed miscalculations occurred. He also questioned why DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon was invited to the bicameral conference committee meeting on Sunday, calling the move unprecedented and saying it effectively turned the closed-door proceedings into a committee hearing. Risk of reenacted budget Lacson warned that failure by both chambers to reach a principled compromise could result in a reenacted budget, where the previous year’s budget is carried over, a scenario widely seen as disruptive to new programs and infrastructure plans. He said both the Senate and the House must find a middle ground while resisting political pressure. Lacson cited information suggesting some House leaders are facing “threats” if they fail to accommodate individual amendments sought by certain lawmakers. “If you find it hard to strike a balance, do what is right,” Lacson said. “Do what is right even when you are threatened.” The bicameral deliberations on the 2026 national budget remain ongoing, with lawmakers racing against deadlines to finalize the spending plan before the end of the year. For the first time, the discussions are being streamed live on the internet to make the budget process more transparent to the public.