Tinio: P107.4 bilyong pondo, gamitin para sa klasrum, hindi sa flood control
ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio demanded the total removal of P107.4 billion in flood control projects from the proposed 2027 national budget, urging the government to prioritize the construction of classrooms instead. Tinio denounced the Marcos administration’s insistence on funding anomalous flood control projects while there is no substantial change in the budget process, pork barrel system remains intact, and it has failed to hold any “big fish” accountable for massive corruption.
“Malinaw para sa kinatawang ito na walang anuman na substantial na pagbabago sa proseso ng pag-identify o pagpondo ng flood control projects. Therefore, hindi pa dapat ito ibalik sa kasalukuyang budget. Sa halip na flood control ay dapat ilagay sa classrooms. Ang target sa inyong budget na ipatayong classroom for next year 2027 is 700. So, nagbalik kayo ng mahigit 100 billion in flood control. Sa halip na flood control ay dapat ilagay sa classroom dahil 160,000 ang shortage sa classroom,” Tinio said.
The proposed Department of Education budget reveals that the Marcos administration only aims to construct 700 classrooms by the end of 2027—the lowest target in history. This stands in stark contrast to previous administrations that targeted to wipe the classroom backlog. Tinio noted the government’s dismal track record: in 2018, only 11 of 47,000 targeted classrooms were built; in 2022, zero of 1,168; and in 2025, only 99 of 6,000.
“Paano aabutin ng administrasyong Marcos ang pangako nitong 40,000 na klasrum bago matapos ang kanyang termino kung 700 lang ang target para sa susunod na taon?,” Tinio asked.
During the budget deliberations, ACT Teachers solon asked the DBM the possibility of errata and the existence of “Leadership Fund.” He noted that under the proposed budget, only 113 out of 197 DEOs have flood control projects listed. Furthermore, he asked if the P69.4-billion flood control fund lodged under the DPWH Central Office forms part of the “Leadership Fund.” The DBM denied both.
Tinio further exposed the recurring modus of padding the budgets of foreign-assisted projects under the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), as well as the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund (MPBF) and Pension and Gratuity Fund (PGF). These padded allocations provide “fiscal space” for congressional insertions. In 2023 alone, P127 billion was carved out from DOTr and DPWH foreign-assisted project budgets to accommodate such schemes.
Last year, Tinio exposed the similar scheme used reducing P43.22 billion supposedly for personnel services funds to the Local Government Support Fund. President Marcos originally proposed P111.5 billion for MPBF and P198 billion for PGF. However, the Senate and the Bicameral Conference Committee removed a total of P43.22 billion from these funds to increase the budget for Local Government Support Fund (LGSF)—what Tinio termed the “LGU Pork.” The P43.22 billion was then moved under the Unprogrammed Appropriations, however President Marcos vetoed it.
“Hindi katanggap-tanggap ang P107.4 bilyon para sa 1,250 na flood control project sa susunod na taon habang 700 lang ang planong ipatayong klasrum. Habang nagpapatuloy ang korap na sistema ng burukrata kapitalismo, nananatiling buhay ang pork barrel system, at habang wala pa ring malalaking isda na napapanagot sa flood control corruption scandal, dapat itigil ang pagpondo sa mga maanomalyang proyektong ito. Imbis na flood control, ibuhos ang pondo sa pagpapatayo ng mga klasrum na higit na kailangan ng ating mga kabataan at mga guro,” Tinio concluded.