CenPEG On the Urgent Need to Reform the National Budget System: GET RID OF PORK BARREL!

The Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) expresses deep concern over the persistent lack of transparency and accountability in the national budgeting process, particularly regarding the so-called “allocables” and “non-allocables.” These classifications—often obscure to the public—continue to open wide spaces for discretion, political favoritism, and inefficient use of public funds.

CenPEG Chair Prof. Roland G. Simbulan emphasized that the budget must be treated as “the foremost instrument of governance through which government must demonstrate its commitment to the people’s welfare, not to political expediency.” According to Prof. Simbulan:

“The distinction between ‘allocables’ and ‘non-allocables’ has long served as a gray zone in budgetting-- one that allows powerful actors to maneuver public funds with minimal oversight.  Any category in the budget that cannot be clearly explained, justified and scrutinized by citizens becomes a breeding ground for corruption and patronage politics,”

Prof. Simbulan added:

“We must end the practice where substantial portions of the budget are fenced off from public understanding.  The people have the right to know exactly where every peso goes, who decides on it, and how these decisions affect local communities and national development.”

CenPEG stresses the urgent need to:

l Fully disclose all lump-sum and discretionary portions of the budget, ensuring they are subjected to Congressional scrutiny and public oversight.

l Strengthen citizen participation in all stages of the budget cycle—from planning to post-auditing.

l Eliminate opaque provisions that enable political bargaining, partisan allocation, and patronage-driven spending.

l Institutionalize transparency mechanisms, including detailed budget itemization and real-time public disclosure of releases and utilization.

As the government finalizes its budget for the coming fiscal year, CenPEG calls on legislators, government agencies, and the executive to uphold accountability, transparency, and democratic participation in all budget processes.

Prof. Simbulan further stated:

“Public funds must always serve public interest.  Every peso must be traceable, justified, and aligned with social needs-- not hidden behind bureacratic jargon or political arrangements.  This is a non-negotiable principle in any democracy.”

CenPEG stands ready to work with civil society, academic institutions, policy advocates, and reform-oriented officials in advancing a more transparent and people-centered national budget.#

Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG)

REFERENCE: Prof. Roland Simbulan, Chairperson, 09272493295;

For more information, please contact: Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG)

Email: cenpeg.info@gmail.com | Phone: 09171141405 | Website: www.cenpeg.org