Floods of Cash, Rivers of Lies: The P141-Billion Unprogrammed Budget Betrayal

A Corrupt Syndicate Drains the Nation’s Coffers Through Shadow Funds

By Louis “Barok” C. Biraogo — September 26, 2025

I’VE watched this sordid drama unfold too many times: billions vanish into the murky depths of “flood control,” while Filipinos slog through flooded streets, cursing both the skies and their so-called leaders. The latest scandal—a staggering 141 billion pesos pilfered through Unprogrammed Appropriations (UA)—is no bureaucratic blunder. It’s a meticulously orchestrated heist, a shadow budget so opaque it could double as a cesspool. As typhoons batter our homes, my rage boils over, because this isn’t just theft—it’s a gut-punch to every citizen abandoned to the deluge.

The Shadow Slush Fund: A Corruption Cauldron

Unprogrammed Appropriations (UA) are standby funds tucked into the General Appropriations Act (GAA), released only when revenue exceeds targets or foreign loans pour in. Picture a family’s “rainy day” fund, except here, the rain never stops, and the money buys ghost projects or political loyalty. The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) unleashed 34 billion pesos in 2023 and 107 billion pesos in 2024 for flood control, totaling 141 billion pesos, as Rep. Mikaela Suansing disclosed during 2026 budget debates “Panti“. These funds, untethered from the line-item scrutiny of programmed budgets, are a grafter’s paradise. Why? Their vagueness—no specific project details, no public oversight—creates a vortex for “budget juggling.” It’s a slush fund, pure and vile, where Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs) serve as golden keys to plunder.

The evidence is damning: these billions, meant to tame floods, were funneled through UA, with no public trace until whistleblowers like dismissed Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineer Henry Alcantara exposed a 600-million-peso project allegedly tied to Sen. Joel Villanueva “Lacson Confirms”. Sen. Panfilo Lacson confirmed it was buried in the UA, while Rep. Antonio Tinio demanded transparency, lamenting, “The public doesn’t know where these billions went” “Panti“. Isn’t that the design? A shadow budget thrives on our ignorance, letting insiders siphon funds while we drown in despair.

Rogues’ Gallery: Who’s Dipping in the Flood Funds?

Let’s unmask the players in this grotesque charade, each with a defense and a shadow of guilt.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

For: Marcos claims he’s draining the swamp, freezing 80 billion pesos in suspect funds and realigning 255 billion pesos to health and education “Marcos Freezes”. His Executive Order No. 94 created an Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to probe anomalies. Bold moves, right?

Against: This is reactive posturing, not prevention. UA ballooned under his DBM, a “presidential pork barrel” critics like Tinio decry “Panti“. Why did it take mass protests, like the September 21, 2025, “Jail the Corrupt” rally, to spur action? If he’s serious, why not abolish UA instead of banking on probes that might shield allies? The whiff of political cover-up is unmistakable.

Rep. Mikaela Suansing (Nueva Ecija, House Appropriations Chair)

For: As the youngest budget sponsor, Suansing disclosed the 141 billion pesos and pledged to release SAROs, aligning with Tinio’s transparency push “Panti“. She’s vowed to scrap opaque “small committees” for budget amendments.

Against: As gatekeeper, she enabled a system ripe for abuse. Critics like Rep. Toby Tiangco accuse her of dodging accountability, shielding allies while waving reform flags “Co Steps Down”. Her committee’s failure to demand project specifics fueled this scandal. Reformer or enabler? The jury’s out.

Rep. Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers Party-List)

For: Tinio is the clarion call for accountability, exposing the 600-million-peso Villanueva project and demanding DBM publish all UA details “Panti“. His question—”What else can we find there?”—cuts to the core. No scandals taint him.

Against: Detractors might call him a partisan firebrand, but that’s a weak jab. His transparency push is a beacon in this mire.

Sen. Joel Villanueva (Senate Majority Leader)

For: Villanueva denies pocketing funds, claiming he’s open to probes and lacked UA insertion powers. He says the 600 million pesos was for a multipurpose building, not flood control “Villanueva Denies”. His “World Integrity Prize” bolsters his defense.

Against: Alcantara’s testimony of 30% kickbacks and cash deliveries to Villanueva’s staff, corroborated by Lacson’s findings, paints a grim picture “Lacson Confirms”. The Department of Justice (DOJ) is eyeing bank freezes. His denials ring hollow against this tide of evidence.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson (Senate Blue Ribbon Chair)

For: Lacson’s relentless probes confirmed the 600 million pesos in UA and pushed to ban insertions “Lacson Pushes”. His anti-corruption pedigree lends weight.

Against: Allies of accused senators whisper bias, but his impartial track record holds. His moralizing about Congress’ “original sin” might alienate reform allies, though.

The Plunder Blueprint: How to Steal a Nation’s Lifeline

How do you siphon 141 billion pesos? Here’s the syndicate’s playbook, as vivid as a crime thriller, drawn from Senate hearings and whistleblower accounts.

Step 1: Budget Sleight-of-Hand.

Lawmakers slash programmed funds during GAA debates, funneling them into UA’s shadow pot. Once DBM declares “excess revenue,” SAROs unlock the cash. The 141 billion pesos for flood control? Hidden in UA, no line items, no oversight Panti.

Step 2: Ghost Projects, Phantom Papers.

SAROs list “flood control” without barangay names or coordinates. DPWH district offices, colluding with engineers like Alcantara, award contracts to shell companies. These “ghost projects” exist only in fabricated Statements of Account (SOAs). Alcantara admitted packing cash for senators’ staff—20-30% “standard operating procedure” (SOP) kickbacks “Lacson Confirms”.

Step 3: Overpriced Shams.

Real projects are inflated or built with substandard materials—think 75-million-peso drainage ditches that collapse in a drizzle. The savings? Funneled to “savers” who pass kickbacks up the chain. Hernandez detailed this in Bulacan’s 600-million-peso heist “Ghost Flood”.

Step 4: Cover the Tracks.

Rapid fund reclassifications and missing geotags thwart tracing. Shell companies vanish, and lax Commission on Audit (COA) audits let culprits scatter. Viber messages disappear, engineers face contempt for silence “Lacson Pushes”. It’s a heist perfected by repetition.

This isn’t just theft; it’s a slap to every Filipino watching their homes flood while the corrupt swim in cash.

Plugging the Leaks: Reforms to Stop the Next Heist

Outrage alone won’t stem the tide. Here are precise, actionable reforms to drown the syndicate.

Bury UA for Good. Abolish UA in the GAA or cap them at 5% of the budget, requiring legislative reauthorization “Lacson Pushes”. Marcos hinted at this; make it law.
Expose Every SARO. DBM must publish SAROs in machine-readable CSV format within 48 hours: project title, location, GPS coordinates, contractor, amount, status. Missing data? Freeze the funds. The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) works globally—adopt it “Open Contracting”.
Geotag or Bust. Projects over 50 million pesos need GPS coordinates and progress photos on a public dashboard. No geotag, no payment. COA flagged missing coordinates in Bulacan “COA Flags”.
Ban Pet Projects. Prohibit lawmakers’ insertions in UA or GAA. Lacson’s Senate bill is a blueprint “Lacson Pushes”. End “small committees” and parliamentary courtesy, as Tinio demands.
Jail the Thieves. DOJ and Office of the Ombudsman must fast-track graft cases, lifting bank secrecy for UA probes. Blacklist colluding contractors via Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) “PhilGEPS”.
Permanent Watchdog. Create a bipartisan oversight board with civil society seats and subpoena power, not just ad-hoc commissions like Marcos’ ICI.
Shield Whistleblowers. Offer legal protections and rewards for engineers like Alcantara. Their testimony cracked this scandal “Lacson Confirms”.

As floods ravage our nation, the real deluge is greed. This 141-billion-peso scandal isn’t just about money—it’s about lives lost to broken promises. I’m exhausted writing these exposés, but I’m livid at the thought of another. Demand the SAROs, trace the cash, and lock up the corrupt. Anything less is another flood we can’t survive.