Senate Finance Committee chair Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito vowed that no “leadership fund” would be included in the proposed 2027 national budget under his watch.
Ejercito said he would continue the policy of rejecting such funds, noting that Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian also opposed them when he chaired the finance panel.
The statement came after former DPWH secretary Manuel Bonoan testified that senators in 2024 had at least PHP500 million each in infrastructure allocations under a “leadership fund.”
Former Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri denied handling such funds, saying budget requests are coursed through the Senate Finance Committee.
Ejercito said the term “leadership fund,” also referred to as “allocables,” was new to him and agreed that budget amendments are acceptable as long as projects are properly implemented and free from corruption.
Source: PhilNews24 | August 14, 2026
FINANCE CHIEF EJERCITO COMMITS TO NO SENATE LEADERSHIP FUND
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