Daven Tamayo

Tiangco denies insertions in proposed 2026 infra budget for Navotas

The House of Representatives undergoes a change of leadership on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, as Speaker Martin Romualdez steps down and Isabela 6th District Rep. Faustino “Bojie” Dy III assumes the speakership. Lawmakers and staff witnessed the transition, which underscored shifting alliances and a major political realignment in the lower chamber.
Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- Navotas City Representative Toby Tiangco denied on Tuesday that the House-proposed 2026 budget for infrastructure in his district contained “insertions”, saying the P748 million increase in the budget was a “restoration of wrongly removed funds”.He issued the statement in a privilege speech before the House plenary on Tuesday.“Wala pong katotohanan na ako ay may insertion. Hindi ko magagawa na mag-insert dahil hindi ako myembro ng Committee on Appropriations kaya’t imposible po ang sinasabi nila,” Tiangco said.“Hindi tamang ikumpara ang revised NEP na sinubmit ni Sec. Vince Dizon sa HGAB, dahil bagong pasok pa lang si Sec. Vince noon. Kaya’t may mga revised NEP na mas mababa sa NEP restored. At ganoon nga ang nangyari sa akin… Ang dapat na comparison ay NEP-restored kumpara sa  halaga ng HGAB,” he added.“Ang distrito ng Navotas ay dapat na may NEP-restored na P1.41 billion. ‘Yan ang NEP-restored magmula sa HGAB ng 2023, 2024, at 2025. So ‘yan din dapat ang NEP-restored para sa 2026… Ang taun-taong budget sa bawat distrito ay ideally hindi dapat bababa sa halagang NEP-restored...Noong pumunta po si Sec. Vince Dizon dito sa House of Representatives, ito po ay binanggit ko sa kanya. Kaya’t out of the P1.48B na kulang, ang naibalik lang ay P748M,” Tiangco explained.“Ang P748M ay hindi insertion. Hindi rin po ‘yun dagdag. ‘Yun ay halaga na ibinalik lang sa distrito ng Navotas dahil ‘yun ay nararapat para sa aming distrito… Hindi ako nag-insert at hindi nadagdagan ang budget ng distrito ng Navotas. May ibinalik lang, pero kulang pa rin ang ibinalik,” he noted.<div> </div><div>WHAT IS AN INSERTION?</div>Tiangco also explained that a budget amendment approved by the lower chamber on second and third reading cannot be considered an “insertion”.“Ang insertion ay ‘yung mga budget na sikretong ipinasok o idinagdag,” he said.“Kapag ba ‘yung isang pondo o karagdagang pondo ay dumaan sa second reading at dumaan sa third reading at naging bahagi ng House General Appropriations Bill, ‘yan ba ay matatawag na insertion?” Bataan 1st District Representative Antonino Roman III asked during his interpellation.“Hindi po ‘yan insertion… Dahil natural lang po sa ating lahat na mga mambabatas at district representatives… na lahat tayo ay gusto ng mas maraming proyekto para sa ating lugar. So natural lang po na tayo ay hihingi ng karagdagang pondo sa ating lugar. At kung ‘yan ay pinagbigyan, hindi po ‘yan insertion,” Tiangco replied.

Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco denied on Tuesday that the House-proposed 2026 budget for infrastructure in his district contained “insertions”, saying the P748 million increase in the budget was a “restoration of wrongly removed funds”.

Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco denied on Tuesday that the House-proposed 2026 budget for infrastructure in his district contained “insertions”, saying the P748 million increase in the budget was a “restoration of wrongly removed funds”.