Senator Erwin Tulfo has called for random on-the-ground inspections of government projects as he backed the creation of a Joint Congressional Oversight Committee to monitor programs funded under the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Tulfo said Congress should not rely solely on reports from secretaries or directors, stressing the need for actual field checks to confirm if projects are really being implemented.
He cited past cases where officials allegedly covered for one another, including in flood control projects.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently signed the 2026 budget into law, vetoing P92.5 billion worth of unprogrammed projects.
Tulfo said the oversight mechanism is crucial following what he described as the squandering of funds in 2025.
He added that the joint committee’s role is to ensure credible monitoring, even amid claims that some lawmakers pushed pet projects.
“I will really push for us to witness the implementation of the projects. There are so many projects. Big projects, small projects, farm-to-market roads, irrigation projects. We can inspect them randomly.”IMT
