Palace: Safeguards in place to prevent misuse of evacuation center funds for polls

August 20, 2026

By ABOGADO.COM.PH Staff

Malacañang on Thursday assured that safeguards are in place to monitor the use of public funds as it defended the uniform P 180 million lumpsum allocation for each region for the construction of evacuation centers.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace press officer Claire Castro made the remarks when asked to comment on Senator Panfilo Lacson’s concern about the budget.

“Sa pangamba na ito ay magagamit sa eleksyon, marami po tayong paraan para makita natin kung may mga proyektong napondohan, pero hindi nagawa dahil ‘yan naman po ang gusto ng ating Pangulo,” she said in a briefing.

“Hindi na po nanaisin ng Pangulo na magkaroon ng mga ghost projects na nangyari sa mga nakaraang administrasyong at sa administrasyong kasalukuyan,” Castro added.

On Tuesday, Lacson said the proposed evacuation centers lacked key details, including specific locations for the evacuation centers.

He also expressed concern that the items in the proposed 2027 national budget might become funds for the upcoming elections.

The Department of Budget and Management stressed that the absence of specific locations does not mean that the projects do not have any identified implementation process.

It said the specific locations are determined through the process prescribed by the Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act, rather than the discretion of the DBM or the Department of Public Works and Highways. The site identification process is already underway, the DBM added.