Senate Eyes Hiring OJTs to Review 2026 Budget
In an effort to enhance scrutiny of the proposed P6.793 trillion budget for 2026, the Senate is now considering hiring on-the-job trainees (OJTs) to help identify duplicates and other red flags. Sources close to the Senate’s finance committee revealed that this move aims to bolster the team’s capacity amid manpower shortages.
Senate Finance Committee Chair Sherwin Gatchalian explained that the trainees would assist in reviewing the budget, focusing initially on flood control projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), which have raised concerns.
Focus on Flood Control Projects Amid Staffing Constraints
“So far, I can assure you of the flood control part. As for the others, I still need to consult with the team since we’re short on people,” Gatchalian said during a recent Zoom interview. He further elaborated that the trainees’ tasks would involve straightforward duties such as counting duplicates, spotting identical entries, and checking for projects lacking station numbers.
“We’re actually considering getting a few OJTs, since the tasks are fairly simple even for trainees. Just count the duplicates, identical entries, and those without a station number. So we’re thinking of hiring a few OJTs to help us go through the budget,” he added.
Categories of Red Flags in the 2026 Budget
Earlier, the finance panel chair identified six main categories of red flags found within the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP):
- Projects without station numbers
- Duplicated projects
- Projects divided into phases with similar funding amounts
- Projects labeled “with packages” in the same area
- Projects with rounded funding amounts
- Projects bearing specific code names alongside inconsistently labeled ones
- Projects recurring from the 2025 General Appropriations Act to the 2026 NEP
DBM’s Role and Senate’s Disappointment
Unlike the Senate committee, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has a dedicated workforce of around 1,200 staff members who are tasked with thoroughly reviewing each project and budget item in the NEP. Officials reported that despite this, many red flags still slipped through.
Gatchalian expressed disappointment over the presence of numerous questionable items in the budget, which he expected to have been vetted properly by the DBM before submission to Congress.
“Personally, I was a bit disappointed to find that the NEP already contains many red flags. I was expecting that the NEP would be vetted properly, the projects proposed are all credible with a basis,” he remarked.
Call for DBM Process Reforms
As the “gatekeeper” of the national budget, the DBM is responsible for ensuring that all proposed projects from government agencies are credible and justified. Local leaders noted that without a thorough vetting process, the country risks funding ghost projects that lack real implementation.
“Or else, we might really end up with ghost projects,” Gatchalian warned, urging the DBM to reform its evaluation procedures to prevent anomalies in future budgets.
For more news and updates on budget scrutiny, visit Filipinokami.com.
