To ensure that people’s money would not be squandered, government projects need to be randomly inspected on the ground.
Senator Erwin Tulfo pushed this initiative as he backed the creation of a Joint Congressional Oversight Committee to monitor the implementation of programs and projects funded under the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
“I would not just rely on the report from the secretary or the directors.”
“If you will ask me, I would not just rely on the report from the secretary or the directors. We probably really need a person on the ground to conduct random checks,” said Tulfo, vice chairperson of the Committee on Finance.
“For example, is a project really being carried out?” the legislator said.
“We’ve seen how regional directors cover for district engineers and how even secretaries can be involved,” the lawmaker added.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed early this week the 2026 national budget into law, vetoing the P92.5 billion worth of projects under the unprogrammed appropriations.
“We just came out of 2025, where the budget was really squandered.”
“I agree that both Houses of Congress should have oversight mechanisms—committees—to monitor spending in the 2026 budget,” the senator said, noting the mishandling of funds for flood control projects in previous years.
“We just came out of 2025, where the budget was really squandered. Of course, we have to make sure that this won’t happen again and that the people’s money will truly go to the right purposes this year,” he said.
When asked about the credibility of the oversight committee, considering that some members of Congress have supposedly inserted or endorsed some pet projects in the 2026 budget, Tulfo stressed that the purpose of a joint oversight committee is to ensure the credibility of the report.
When told that Senator Win Gatchalian, chairperson of the Finance Committee, has proposed that all vice-chairpersons would be part of the oversight committee, Tulfo said: “Oh, thank God that I am included (in the oversight committee). I will really push for us to witness the implementation of the projects. There are so many projects. Big projects, small projects, farm-to-market roads, irrigation projects. We can inspect them randomly.”
