By CESAR JOLITO III
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson backed the calls of Negrenses and other Filipinos who joined the nationwide Trillion Peso March on Sunday, September 21, stressing that the protest was a powerful message against corruption and budget insertions tied to alleged ghost projects in the national budget.
“The message is clear — the Filipinos will not stand for corruption, and now it’s really up to Congress to do its part,” Lacson said in an interview yesterday.
Lacson noted that the Congress “will ensure insertions and ghost projects do not happen again.”
“All of these emanated from the budget of 2025. It was found out there were insertions, and to make matters worse, these were for ghost projects. Now we realize how much money the country has, only to be thrown away,” he added.
The governor echoed the statement of Bacolod City Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, emphasizing that the public’s voice must not be ignored.
He also had a sharp warning for those behind the alleged anomalies.
“You will have to be answerable to that. People are expecting another [Janet Lim] Napoles. What is shocking is we thought P10 billion was big before — it’s petty cash compared to the amount we now hear has been stolen from the Filipino people,” he said.
“The Filipino people are awake and watching. It’s time for those entrusted with public funds to remember they are accountable to the nation,” Lacson concluded.
In a statement on Sunday, Benitez vowed to push for honesty and accountability as Congress begins deliberations on the proposed national budget, citing recent public demonstrations as a clear sign of the people’s growing frustration with corruption.
“The rallies we saw show our people’s deep and growing frustration with corruption. They are a loud call for honesty, accountability and reform,” Benitez said.
He stressed that as an independent voice in the House, he would continue to scrutinize the budget with a critical eye, warning against questionable insertions and projects that do not serve the public interest.
“We cannot allow insertions and questionable projects to pass unnoticed. We must make sure that what the House approves will serve the public good, not private interests,” he emphasized.
The lawmaker underscored that the people had already made their voices heard through protest actions.
“Our people have already done their part by taking to the parliament of streets. Now it is our turn to do our part inside the halls of Congress,” he added.
The House of Representatives is set to begin budget deliberations, a process closely watched by the public as the government faces mounting calls for greater transparency and accountability.
Thousands of Negrenses took to the streets of Bacolod for the Trillion Peso March on Sunday, demanding accountability for what organizers claimed were over P1 trillion in questionable budget allocations.
Peaceful
The Police Regional Office in the Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) said the demonstrations were carried out safely and peacefully.
Around 3,350 rallyists took part in activities held across Negros Island and Siquijor.
No untoward incidents or disturbances were reported, with PRO-NIR highlighting the zero-crime record during the event as proof of effective security measures.
“I sincerely thank the rallyists for their discipline and cooperation in holding peaceful assemblies. Their actions were instrumental in keeping the event safe and orderly,” PRO-NIR director Brigadier General Arnold Thomas Ibay said.
He also extended his gratitude to deployed security and safety forces, local government units, and the church for their indispensable roles in the success of the operations.
According to PRO-NIR, the peaceful outcome reflected the non-violent culture of Negrenses and Siquijodnons, strengthened by close coordination with local government units, proactive intelligence monitoring, and the public’s cooperation./CJ, WDJ