Floods of Fake News: Hontiveros Drowns the P3-Billion Budget Bullshit

Wading Through Lies: How Hontiveros Exposes a Scandal-Soaked System

By Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — October 6, 2025

IN THE grand carnival of Philippine politics, where clowns juggle billions and ghost projects vanish into thin air, Senator Risa Hontiveros finds herself strapped to the dunk tank. The accusation? A shadowy P3-billion budget insertion, including P750 million for flood control projects that might as well be built on the moon. Did a radio host’s hot mic and a social media stampede really catch a reformer red-handed, or is this just another act in the circus of smears? Buckle up as we shred the rumors, defend a rare voice of principle, and expose the rotten stage where this drama unfolds. Why do we keep buying tickets to this farce?

Sinking in Rumors: The P3-Billion Phantom Plot

Let’s dive into the muck. Senator Risa Hontiveros, a lone warrior against the 2025 budget’s parade of absurdities, faces whispers of sneaking P3 billion into the bicameral conference committee’s (bicam) shadowy ledger, with P750 million allegedly for flood control projects that don’t exist. The source? A radio host’s “receipts” that are as tangible as a politician’s promise. Hontiveros didn’t just deny these claims—she drop-kicked them with facts. She voted “NO” on the General Appropriations Bill, one of only two senators to reject a budget that gutted health and education while funneling billions to questionable projects (ABS-CBN News). Her signature? Nowhere on the bicam report. If she’s guilty, why’s she the only one waving a paper trail of innocence?

Her amendments—focused on hospital beds and social services—were vetted openly in Senate deliberations, not slipped into the bicam’s backroom deals (Senate Journal). Even Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, implicated in the flood control scandal himself, has not come forward with any direct accusations against her amid the hearings—unlike the baseless rumors targeting Hontiveros. Compare that to the rumor mill: no documents, no witnesses, just Anthony Taberna’s DZRH rants and X posts gone wild. In a Senate where “almost all” members stuffed P5 to P9 billion into unprogrammed funds, per Sen. Panfilo Lacson, Hontiveros’s defiance sets her apart (ABS-CBN News). She’s not just clean—she’s a lighthouse in a storm of corruption.

Mud-Slinging Mayhem: Who’s Orchestrating the Smear?

Who’s tossing this mud, and why does it stick? Hontiveros, a relentless critic of PhilHealth scams and flood control fiascos, is a prime target for those sweating under scrutiny (Inquirer). Political rivals—think DDS loyalists or allies of senators like Francis Escudero (accused of a P160-million kickback) or Joel Villanueva (tied to questionable Bulacan projects)—have every motive to paint her as complicit (ABS-CBN News). Escudero himself cried “orchestrated attack” to shift blame from the House to the Senate, with Hontiveros caught in the crossfire (GMA News). Spreading rumors that “everyone’s dirty” dilutes the spotlight on the truly guilty. Classic whataboutism.

Then there’s the media circus. Taberna’s “Ka Tunying” show thrives on scandal, and his unverified P3-billion claim exploded online, fueled by clicks and outrage (X Post). Social media bots and DDS echo chambers amplify the noise, banking on public distrust to normalize corruption. Misread budget annexes—confusing amendments with insertions—add fuel, as non-experts mistake line items for scams. It’s a perfect storm: political hitjobs, media greed, and a public too jaded to question the script. The real question? Who’s paying for the megaphone?

The Budget Black Hole: A System Rigged for Robbery

This isn’t just about Hontiveros—it’s about a legislative machine that churns out scandals. The bicam process, where billions are reconciled in secret, is a black hole of accountability. No public minutes, no livestreams, just a select few lawmakers playing Monopoly with public funds. Senate President Vicente Sotto III calls insertions “normal” if deliberated, but when deliberations are hidden, how do we know they’re legit? (Sunstar ). The 2025 budget’s unprogrammed funds swelled with billions for flood control—many for ghost projects—while PhilHealth and DepEd got slashed (Philippine Star). This isn’t a glitch; it’s a feature.

Whistleblowers like Roberto Bernardo, alleging kickbacks, face threats while the accused walk free. Procurement is a free-for-all, with no public registry to track projects or verify completion. The result? Floods rage, communities suffer, and the Senate and House point fingers. The system doesn’t just enable corruption—it throws a welcome party for it.

Show Your Cards or Fold: Calling Out the Rumor-Mongers

To Anthony Taberna and his rumor-peddling posse: step up or step off. If you’ve got evidence of Hontiveros’s P3-billion heist, file it with the Ombudsman or in court, not on your radio soapbox (X Post). Her “NO” vote, absent signature, and transparent amendments are public record (Senate Records). Your “receipts”? Still missing in action. Hontiveros’s career—probing corruption, championing health, and defying the budget’s excesses—stands as a rebuke to your baseless claims. The burden’s on you, not her. Stop hiding behind the mic and face the law.

Exit Strategy from the Circus: Transparency or Nothing

This scandal demands more than hot takes—it needs action. Hontiveros should publish every amendment, committee report, and vote record to choke the rumors with facts (Senate Journal). The Senate must gut the bicam’s secrecy: mandate public summaries, list all insertions and signatories, and livestream deliberations. Ban late unprogrammed insertions and enforce third-party project audits. The public? Demand COA-led forensic audits to trace every peso from bicam to contractor to project site. Call out Taberna’s reckless claims and push X to flag misinformation (X Post).

Hontiveros isn’t the villain—she’s the mirror reflecting a broken system. The ghost peso circus thrives because we let it. Will we keep clapping for the clowns, or demand a stage where truth takes center ring? The choice is ours, but the spotlight’s fading fast.