# Senate Committee on Finance: DILG - September 10, 2026 — Source-Linked Digest

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqBHdRknjtE

AI-assisted working draft. AI can make errors. Always verify consequential interpretations and wording against the cited transcript and official video.

## At a glance

- **Public-safety equipment and procurement:** Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and its attached agencies faced questions about fire-truck and station gaps, unfinished infrastructure, police equipment, emergency response and procurement delays. Officials described reviews and proposed procurement steps, while some project records remained for follow-up.

- **Staffing and service quality:** The discussion covered vacancies, recruitment standards, deployment, training, and part-year salary provisions for new fire officers. Members pressed agencies to reconcile staffing and funding figures and sustain service quality.

- **Local governance and community programs:** Members raised barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) terms, planning and accountability, local-government implementation of early-childhood programs, and how local plans connect with national funding priorities.

- **Legislative coordination and plenary referral:** DILG agreed to designate an official for legislative matters. The subcommittee requested its draft firearms proposal and referred the budget to plenary for further discussion and debate.

Reading note: This digest follows the budget presentation and agency accounts with members' questions, agency replies, and procedural outcomes. Funding requests, proposals, follow-up commitments, and the plenary referral remain distinct from approved appropriations. Use the source links to check figures and claims against the cited hearing turns.

## Agency budget summary

### Principal FY2027 NEP allocations and comparison status

For FY2027, DILG and its attached agencies presented a ₱332.5 billion National Expenditure Program (NEP) proposal, 7% above the previous year's appropriation. Within that total, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) allocation was ₱34.4 billion. The reviewed transcript does not state comparable original submissions to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), or separate NEP totals for the other attached bodies. Later equipment, staffing and regional-office requests are distinct from those principal allocations.

[00:23:18 · asr-000114](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000114) · [00:23:42 · asr-000118](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000118) · [00:30:14 · asr-000193](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000193) · [00:30:24 · asr-000194](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000194) · [01:57:51 · asr-001954](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001954) · [01:57:56 · asr-001959](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001959) · [01:57:58 · asr-001961](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001961) · [01:57:59 · asr-001962](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001962)

## DILG budget

### Expense mix and financial performance

For FY2027, 84% of the proposed DILG budget was for personnel services, 13% for maintenance and other operating expenses, and 3% for capital outlay. The presentation reported 96% obligation and 95% disbursement rates for 2025, and 55% obligation and nearly 97% disbursement rates as of mid-2026.

[00:29:37 · asr-000187](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000187) · [00:29:42 · asr-000188](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000188) · [00:29:57 · asr-000190](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000190) · [00:29:59 · asr-000191](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000191) · [00:31:02 · asr-000202](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000202) · [00:31:09 · asr-000203](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000203) · [00:31:17 · asr-000204](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000204)

### Prior budget augmentations and 2027 public-safety priorities

Senator Joseph Victor "JV" G. Ejercito recalled that interventions during the prior year's budget deliberation had augmented the DILG budget. He cited increased subsistence allowances for uniformed personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), BJMP, and cadets at the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC). He also cited PNP funding for body cameras, 9-1-1 operations, repair and maintenance of air assets and water vessels, and regional hangars and additional fire trucks and stations. For fiscal year 2027, Ejercito said he wanted DILG and local government units (LGUs) to help lead efforts toward safer communities for children, youth, and the public, and said the committee would continue supporting DILG, PNP, and the other agencies.

[00:20:20 · asr-000088](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000088) · [00:20:39 · asr-000091](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000091) · [00:20:44 · asr-000092](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000092) · [00:20:53 · asr-000093](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000093) · [00:20:59 · asr-000094](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000094) · [00:21:23 · asr-000098](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000098)

### Community-safety increase and emergency-response funding

Ejercito cited a ₱22 billion increase for DILG and its attached law-enforcement agencies in FY2027, including a ₱505.8 million increase for the Office of the Secretary (OSEC). He asked what community-safety services the increase would deliver. For Unified 911, he compared a ₱1.009 billion allocation in 2026 with ₱299.272 million under the 2027 NEP. DILG Secretary Juanito Victor C. Remulla said nine of ten planned language-based call centers were operational; the 2027 funding mainly covered the system subscription rather than further capital outlay. He separately requested ₱711 million for emergency-response vehicles, concentrating on scooters and small vehicles for narrow streets, with some ambulances.

[00:38:37 · asr-000294](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000294) · [00:38:42 · asr-000295](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000295) · [00:38:52 · asr-000296](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000296) · [00:41:31 · asr-000341](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000341) · [00:41:35 · asr-000342](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000342) · [00:41:39 · asr-000343](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000343) · [00:41:57 · asr-000350](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000350) · [00:42:52 · asr-000363](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000363) · [00:43:16 · asr-000367](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000367) · [00:44:16 · asr-000375](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000375)

### Confidential-fund utilization

Ejercito said confidential and intelligence funds should be limited to enforcement, investigation and national-security functions. He cited a ₱200 million increase in DILG confidential expenses, bringing the 2026 allocation to ₱300.6 million, and asked about utilization. Remulla reported 70% utilization at the time and expected full use by year-end, describing the funds as supporting enforcement and intelligence work, including preparation for the proposed repeal of the Robin Padilla law.

[00:44:46 · asr-000379](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000379) · [00:45:14 · asr-000384](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000384) · [00:45:23 · asr-000385](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000385) · [00:46:01 · asr-000390](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000390) · [00:46:15 · asr-000392](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000392)

### Government building purchase and annual amortization

Senator Sherwin "Win" T. Gatchalian asked about the DILG's plan to buy an existing building. Remulla said the government had completed the purchase through the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) under a multi-year arrangement involving the DBM, because DILG could not borrow directly for the purchase. He reported a price of ₱80,000 per square meter and an annual amortization of ₱1.5 billion. The property was a former Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator building in Pasay; fit-out was under way, and Remulla expected the department to move in around the first or second week of December. He presented the purchase as an alternative to continued government rent and new construction.

[01:22:29 · asr-001100](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001100) · [01:23:16 · asr-001106](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001106) · [01:23:31 · asr-001109](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001109) · [01:23:37 · asr-001110](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001110) · [01:24:47 · asr-001120](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001120) · [01:25:43 · asr-001129](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001129)

### Vacancies, recruitment plans and recruitment cost

Senator Panfilo Lacson cited 17,622 unfilled positions across the DILG family and asked for the 2027 recruitment plan and year-end quota, noting that many vacancies were in uniformed services. Remulla identified 555 vacancies in the Office of the Secretary and 10,041 in the PNP; he said applicants often lacked qualifications or would not accept salaries commensurate with their education, and called for government optimization and reconsideration of the structure. Remulla confirmed plans for 2,000 new recruits each for the PNP and BFP in 2027. He described a 70% applicant failure rate and gave the per-police recruitment cost as ₱16,000. Lacson asked about the entry-level salary; Remulla confirmed ₱31,000 for both the PNP and BFP.

[02:14:11 · asr-002299](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002299) · [02:14:16 · asr-002300](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002300) · [02:15:00 · asr-002309](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002309) · [02:15:30 · asr-002315](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002315) · [02:15:37 · asr-002316](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002316) · [02:15:48 · asr-002318](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002318) · [02:16:03 · asr-002322](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002322) · [02:16:32 · asr-002328](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002328) · [02:16:42 · asr-002331](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002331) · [02:16:44 · asr-002332](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002332)

### Local plans, RDC endorsement and political priorities

Lacson cited a ₱206 million FY2027 budget for the DILG Support for Local Governance Program and asked how to align local development plans with national budget timing. He said Regional Development Council (RDC)-endorsed projects had risen from about 20% before Mandanas to about 35%, but remained too few; the budget call begins around January or February while some local development councils deliberate close to October. Remulla said RDC endorsements remain recommendatory and can lose priority during political budget deliberations, while legislators should participate in RDCs. Lacson noted that legislators can take part in local development councils and pressed for stronger coordination with local officials. Ejercito proposed requiring RDC, or at least provincial, approval for projects seeking additional national funding, citing projects that local governments may not know or need. This was an expressed proposal, not an enacted blanket requirement. The calendar mismatch remained unresolved.

[02:40:40 · asr-002712](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002712) · [02:40:55 · asr-002715](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002715) · [02:41:00 · asr-002716](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002716) · [02:42:22 · asr-002733](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002733) · [02:43:32 · asr-002757](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002757) · [02:47:56 · asr-002857](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002857) · [02:48:14 · asr-002861](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002861) · [02:48:50 · asr-002869](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002869)

### LGSF amounts and direct funding to local governments

Lacson stated Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) amounts of ₱22.9 billion for FY2025, ₱57.87 billion for FY2026, and ₱58.53 billion in the FY2027 NEP. Remulla said the 2025 funds had been disbursed through members of Congress, while the current fund went directly to LGUs. He said this direct routing strengthened the connection between local and national government, and had not been contested in the recent House budget deliberation.

[02:46:44 · asr-002843](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002843) · [02:46:50 · asr-002844](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002844) · [02:46:56 · asr-002845](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002845) · [02:47:09 · asr-002848](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002848) · [02:47:21 · asr-002849](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002849) · [02:47:41 · asr-002853](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002853)

### Possible UHC health earmark and LGU capacity

Lacson said the committee was considering legislation to earmark 10% or 15% of Department of Health (DOH) funds for local health needs under Universal Health Care (UHC), comparing the idea with the 5% Calamity Fund share. He presented this as a proposal under consideration. Remulla cautioned that some LGUs may lack capacity to absorb and implement the funds, and said UHC funding currently goes directly to government hospitals; he warned that routing it directly to LGUs could be counterproductive. No earmark was agreed in this exchange.

[02:49:28 · asr-002882](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002882) · [02:49:35 · asr-002883](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002883) · [02:49:54 · asr-002885](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002885) · [02:50:16 · asr-002887](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002887)

### Legislative coordination and referral of the DILG budget

Ejercito asked the DILG to designate someone able to speak for the department on legislative matters, after describing prior instances in which officials sent to hearings could not answer questions. Remulla called the earlier staffing a mistake, said he would rectify it, and agreed to send a designated representative for legislative functions. Lacson then asked Remulla to provide the department's draft legislative proposal on firearms amendments, which Remulla acknowledged. Lacson invited a motion to submit the DILG and its attached agencies' budget to the plenary; Ejercito moved the referral for further discussion and debate, and Lacson approved the motion. This was a procedural referral for plenary consideration, not final appropriation approval.

[02:51:41 · asr-002900](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002900) · [02:52:22 · asr-002911](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002911) · [02:52:49 · asr-002919](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002919) · [02:52:59 · asr-002921](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002921) · [02:53:10 · asr-002924](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002924) · [02:53:18 · asr-002925](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002925) · [02:53:25 · asr-002926](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002926)

## PNP budget

### Negros Island Region police-office request

On the additional request for a Negros Island Region (NIR) police regional office, PNP Chief Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. said the PNP needed ₱7 million for a full-year intelligence fund and about ₱500 million in capital outlay. Local stakeholders had donated sites; he said the headquarters would be near Murcia on a seven-hectare lot, with a mobile-force unit in Mabinay and another camp in Sagay City. He said personnel would be drawn from existing regional offices, rather than newly created positions. Remulla said he did not have a definite NIR-specific insurgent count. Lacson later asked whether the office was ready to implement under an assumed ₱55 million capital outlay; Nartatez said it was ready and confirmed that the headquarters amount included the mobile-force unit. The ₱55 million assumption differed from the PNP's earlier ₱500 million request; no reconciliation or funding approval was recorded.

[00:52:34 · asr-000437-split-2](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000437-split-2) · [00:53:30 · asr-000439-split-2](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000439-split-2) · [00:53:51 · asr-000440](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000440) · [00:55:02 · asr-000442-split-2](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000442-split-2) · [00:55:23 · asr-000443](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000443) · [00:57:02 · asr-000463](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000463) · [00:58:04 · asr-000471](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000471) · [00:58:59 · asr-000479](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000479) · [00:59:11 · asr-000482](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000482) · [00:59:24 · asr-000484-split-2](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000484-split-2)

### PNP infrastructure projects and proposed return of implementation

Remulla also cited an open bid for police vehicles whose winning price was ₱100 million below the next bidder. Gatchalian cited a Commission on Audit (COA) report identifying about ₱8.9 billion across 331 PNP infrastructure projects with missing records or supporting documents, or incomplete construction. Nartatez said he had directed units to account for the projects and inspect construction implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH); he said the PNP did not accept unfinished projects and coordinated with DPWH. Gatchalian said the TIKAS projects had been placed with the PNP the prior year and described the annual project scale as about ₱3 billion to ₱5 billion. Nartatez said implementation by the agency that benefits from the projects is more accountable and confirmed that the 2026 projects were being implemented by the PNP. Gatchalian said he understood the items had returned to DPWH and proposed transferring them back to the PNP, subject to the Finance Chair's permission. No transfer vote or approval is recorded in this exchange.

[01:33:57 · asr-001333](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001333) · [01:34:33 · asr-001355](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001355) · [01:35:13 · asr-001370](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001370) · [01:35:29 · asr-001374](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001374) · [01:35:33 · asr-001376](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001376) · [01:36:45 · asr-001402](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001402) · [01:38:03 · asr-001431](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001431) · [01:38:27 · asr-001434](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001434) · [01:38:50 · asr-001437](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001437) · [01:38:57 · asr-001439](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001439) · [01:39:25 · asr-001442](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001442)

### PNP equipment and capital-outlay funding

Senator Erwin Tulfo cited a PNP funding line falling from ₱6.9 billion in 2026 to ₱6.2 billion under the 2027 NEP, a stated ₱706 million reduction, and asked how much was available for vehicles and capital outlay. Nartatez separately cited ₱2 billion in capital outlay, calling it "CEP". The exchange did not establish these figures as the PNP's entire agency allocation or a comparable original DBM request. Tulfo asked about watercraft for island inspections in MIMAROPA; Nartatez said vehicle and watercraft procurement programming included maintenance.

[01:59:19 · asr-002039](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002039) · [01:59:21 · asr-002040](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002040) · [01:59:24 · asr-002043](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002043) · [01:59:27 · asr-002047](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002047) · [01:59:28 · asr-002048](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002048) · [01:59:29 · asr-002049](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002049) · [01:59:47 · asr-002064](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002064) · [01:59:51 · asr-002068](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002068) · [01:59:53 · asr-002070](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002070) · [02:00:55 · asr-002107](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002107)

### Drones, helicopter roles and operating costs

Asked whether the PNP would add air assets to speed emergency response, Remulla said DILG had started procuring drones instead of helicopters. He compared helicopter operating costs of ₱80,000 to 100,000 per hour with drone costs of ₱5,000 per hour and said the drones could fly for seven hours; he expected to procure 10 drones with infrared cameras and telescopes for surveillance and 911 support. Ejercito supported drone acquisition but said helicopters should be distributed regionally for medical evacuation, search and rescue. Tulfo cited forest patrol needs in Palawan and the Sierra Madre. Remulla said the current helicopters were personal-transport models unsuited to medical evacuation or aerial insertion, and recommended acquiring specialized models; wider distribution depended on funding. He said eight helicopters had been purchased previously and three had crashed in the prior four years, prompting a review of PNP maintenance and possible outsourcing.

[02:09:28 · asr-002229](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002229) · [02:09:50 · asr-002235](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002235) · [02:09:58 · asr-002238](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002238) · [02:10:07 · asr-002239](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002239) · [02:10:10 · asr-002240](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002240) · [02:10:52 · asr-002252](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002252) · [02:11:56 · asr-002269](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002269) · [02:12:16 · asr-002275](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002275) · [02:12:21 · asr-002276](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002276) · [02:13:38 · asr-002294](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002294) · [02:13:53 · asr-002297](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002297)

### PNP staffing levels, deployment, and recruitment

Gatchalian asked the PNP about staffing against the 1-to-500 police-to-population target. Nartatez gave the current ratio as 1-to-692. He cited 130,000 personnel against an ideal of 271,000; Remulla separately said 49,000 additional officers were needed. Gatchalian said the PNP had only 9,000 funded vacant positions, and Nartatez agreed that this would not meet the stated need. These figures were not reconciled in the exchange. Lacson questioned the ratio based on personnel actually deployed; Remulla said he would study it and noted that officers were assigned as security for local officials. Nartatez described deployment ratios of 85/15 and, at times, 90/10. He said the PNP recruited about 2,000 personnel each year, while Lacson and Nartatez agreed that attrition left about 1,000 net additions. Remulla cautioned against rapid hiring without qualified applicants and adequate capacity building: he said 55,000 applied to the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) each year and fewer than 400 were accepted, while about 10% of police applicants met qualifications. Lacson also asked that daytime commuter populations be considered in deployment; Nartatez said economic hubs and working-hour population were factors. Ejercito urged limiting police escorts for local officials so officers could return to frontline work. Gatchalian requested a review of plantilla positions; Remulla stressed recruitment quality and training.

[02:18:23 · asr-002356](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002356) · [02:19:10 · asr-002365](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002365) · [02:19:46 · asr-002370](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002370) · [02:19:58 · asr-002393](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002393) · [02:20:36 · asr-002403](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002403) · [02:21:43 · asr-002416](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002416) · [02:23:06 · asr-002429](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002429) · [02:23:20 · asr-002431](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002431) · [02:24:02 · asr-002443](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002443) · [02:25:20 · asr-002467](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002467) · [02:26:07 · asr-002483](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002483) · [02:27:14 · asr-002496](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002496) · [02:27:57 · asr-002514](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002514) · [02:29:35 · asr-002563](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002563) · [02:30:11 · asr-002577](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002577) · [02:32:29 · asr-002604](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002604)

## BFP budget

### Fire-truck gaps, procurement status and replacement plans

Ejercito said the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) had been augmented to procure 65 additional fire trucks and 65 fire stations. He asked for the remaining gap; the BFP reported 106 local government units without fire trucks and 61 without stations, and said nationwide need was about 4,178 trucks with a shortage of 1,181. The BFP said 35 stations and 32 trucks were under DBM evaluation, with truck specifications still under review; it said 32 trucks could reduce the count of local governments without a truck to around 70-plus. Ejercito urged prioritizing places with no trucks or stations over places able to support their own fire services. Gatchalian recalled that the prior-year subcommittee had recommended ₱487 million for fire trucks and ₱392 million for fire stations. Remulla said procurement had been reconsidered after he reported that a former BFP chief offered him a percentage on each truck purchase; Remulla said the matter was reported to the Ombudsman and the former chief dismissed, and that 35 bids-and-awards officials were removed after anomalous deals were discovered. He said bidding was reevaluated and expected more effective disbursement. Remulla also said they were about to enter a government-to-government arrangement with Korea for 1,500 trucks over two and a half to three years, claiming a 40% lower cost and contrasting a stated current price of ₱16 million with a proposed ₱9.5 million price. He presented this as a planned procurement approach, not a completed purchase.

[00:59:30 · asr-000485](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000485) · [01:00:04 · asr-000491](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000491) · [01:01:57 · asr-000507](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000507) · [01:02:28 · asr-000515](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000515) · [01:02:32 · asr-000516](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000516) · [01:02:58 · asr-000526](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000526) · [01:03:04 · asr-000527](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000527) · [01:03:24 · asr-000532](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000532) · [01:04:12 · asr-000551](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000551) · [01:05:21 · asr-000575](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000575)

### Maintenance and equipment for provincial fire response

Tulfo said he had seen provincial fire trucks out of service while crews waited for parts or central-office funding, and asked whether the budget provided for maintenance. BFP Officer-in-Charge Fire Chief Superintendent Wilberto Rico Neil A. Kwan Tiu cited a 2027 NEP maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) proposal of ₱3,097,000,000 covering engine and facility maintenance. Tulfo also contrasted better-equipped Metro Manila units with provincial crews lacking oxygen tanks and face masks. Kwan Tiu said specifications for the pending truck procurement were being revised to include necessary firefighting equipment as part of the vehicles, so trucks would arrive equipped.

[01:06:54 · asr-000623](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000623) · [01:07:46 · asr-000656](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000656) · [01:07:50 · asr-000658](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000658) · [01:07:59 · asr-000664](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000664) · [01:08:14 · asr-000671](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000671) · [01:08:47 · asr-000697](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000697)

### BFP fire-station construction transfers and procurement oversight

Gatchalian cited a COA report on BFP fire-station projects routed through the Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC). For 2017, he cited separate transfers of ₱104 million and ₱787 million and separately described ₱892 million as transferred to PITC, without reconciling the small difference between the components and stated total. He said only 9 of 98 projects were complete. Kwan Tiu said 65 stations were awaiting release of SARO while under DBM evaluation, some contracts had been terminated after contractors abandoned work, and BFP was reviewing requests for funding to resume construction. He said about ₱60 million remained usable from the transferred amount; some other funds had reverted to the Bureau of the Treasury, and he promised to provide the amount. Gatchalian requested an updated blacklist and actions against contractors; Kwan Tiu agreed to submit them. Remulla said he would issue a directive to stop routing BFP construction through PITC, which he said had produced terminations and unfinished work.

[01:27:41 · asr-001147](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001147) · [01:28:01 · asr-001148](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001148) · [01:28:12 · asr-001151](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001151) · [01:28:16 · asr-001153](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001153) · [01:28:40 · asr-001164](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001164) · [01:30:43 · asr-001222](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001222) · [01:31:43 · asr-001255](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001255) · [01:32:00 · asr-001262](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001262) · [01:32:27 · asr-001281](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001281) · [01:32:41 · asr-001288](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001288)

### Recruitment funding and part-year salaries

Lacson questioned whether the BFP provision for 2,000 new fire officers covered the confirmed entry salary. He asked Remulla to reconcile the submission and presentation figures; Remulla initially undertook to give a complete answer in the next budget revision or at plenary. Answering Lacson's question about a BFP budget discrepancy, Remulla said the salary provision for 2,000 additional fire officers was ₱717,179,000. He explained that the recruits would enter service in March, April, or May, so the resulting salary outlay would cover less than 12 months. Lacson confirmed that the amount was not for a full year and said he understood the clarification.

[02:16:48 · asr-002335](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002335) · [02:16:50 · asr-002336](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002336) · [02:18:00 · asr-002347](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002347) · [02:18:04 · asr-002349](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002349) · [02:23:35 · asr-002435](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002435) · [02:23:40 · asr-002436](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002436) · [02:23:46 · asr-002437](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002437) · [02:23:53 · asr-002438](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002438) · [02:23:57 · asr-002439](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002439)

## BJMP budget

### Jail funding and daily food allowance

For the BJMP, Tulfo compared the FY2026 GAA allocation of ₱31.2 billion with the higher FY2027 NEP allocation, then asked how the daily food allowance for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) had changed. BJMP Chief Jail Director Efren A. Nemeño said the allowance rose by ₱30 per PDL, from ₱70 to ₱100; Tulfo confirmed this covered breakfast, lunch and dinner. Nemeño said BJMP used a uniform menu prepared by its National Office and undertook to submit it, as he did not have the menu with him.

[01:57:53 · asr-001955](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001955) · [01:57:54 · asr-001957](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001957) · [01:58:11 · asr-001973](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001973) · [01:58:14 · asr-001976](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001976) · [01:58:15 · asr-001977](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001977) · [01:58:16 · asr-001978](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001978) · [01:58:17 · asr-001979](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001979) · [01:58:24 · asr-001985](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001985) · [01:58:35 · asr-001996](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001996) · [01:59:10 · asr-002030](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002030)

## DILG presentation and budget proposal

### Reported accomplishments in public safety and local governance

The DILG video narrator said the unified 9-1-1 system expanded access and improved response time; the PNP campaign reduced crime and illegal-drug threats, while the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) cleared its backlog of cases involving police officers. The narrator also reported reduced jail congestion and rehabilitation services through the BJMP, and reforms and improved fire prevention through the BFP. Local-government monitoring was said to have completed community projects, including roads, evacuation centers, water and sanitation systems, and facilities. The video also described disaster response, local-official training, service digitalization, and programs for children, Muslim communities, women, and youth.

[00:24:22 · asr-000125](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000125) · [00:25:18 · asr-000134](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000134) · [00:26:27 · asr-000144](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000144) · [00:27:12 · asr-000154](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000154)

### Agency priorities put forward for consideration

The presentation described proposed priorities across the DILG and attached agencies. The DILG Office of the Secretary would support local-government capacity, development implementation, digitalization, emergency response, peace and order, and Manila Bay rehabilitation. The Local Government Academy (LGA) would train newly elected officials and strengthen local preparedness. The NAPOLCOM cited facilities, information technology, certification, and equipment; the PNP cited recruitment, equipment, welfare, operations, and facilities. The BFP proposed new officers, trucks, equipment, stations, and training facilities; the BJMP proposed recruits, hygiene and medical support, and new jail facilities. The PPSC cited training, research, facilities, and equipment. The National Youth Commission (NYC) described Sangguniang Kabataan training and youth programs; the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) described Hajj operations, Madaris and Islamic studies, legal assistance, and peacebuilding; the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) would expand work in the Visayas; and the Early Childhood Care and Development Council (ECCD Council) would strengthen service-provider accreditation and center monitoring.

[00:31:33 · asr-000213](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000213) · [00:32:38 · asr-000230](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000230) · [00:33:05 · asr-000233](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000233) · [00:34:39 · asr-000248](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000248) · [00:35:21 · asr-000256](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000256) · [00:36:18 · asr-000269](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000269)

## Senator Joseph Victor "JV" G. Ejercito

### School violence and community safety

Ejercito asked whether DILG, schools, local governments and PNP had a coordinated response to school shootings. Remulla answered the school-safety question by saying DILG was opening talks with Roblox developers and asking the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to block children's access to the games, whose chat function he said had influenced two children-in-conflict-with-the-law cases. He reported that Unified 911 had received more than 2 million calls in its first year and had a response time of three to seven minutes; he also reported double-digit crime declines, particularly for physical injury, and a drop in rape over the previous year. 

[00:39:23 · asr-000304](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000304) · [00:39:41 · asr-000308](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000308) · [00:39:56 · asr-000311](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000311) · [00:40:27 · asr-000320](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000320) · [00:40:43 · asr-000325](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000325)

### Loose-firearm enforcement and owner accountability

Remulla estimated about 2 million loose firearms and attributed 98% of crimes in the Philippines to loose firearms. He argued for non-bailable charges for loose-firearm owners and said a bill should impose equal accountability on licensed-firearm owners when another person uses their firearm in a crime. Ejercito replied that licensed owners would think twice before criminal use; Remulla said the licensed-firearm cases he was discussing were typically inside homes and reiterated the accountability proposal.

[00:46:44 · asr-000397-split-2](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000397-split-2) · [00:47:03 · asr-000400](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000400) · [00:47:16 · asr-000402](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000402) · [00:48:23 · asr-000412](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000412)

### Cybercrime response and investigative capacity

Ejercito cited online-selling scam reports falling from 3,025 in 2024 to 1,525 in 2025 and asked whether victims could recover money or see scammers prosecuted, and whether the PNP anti-cybercrime group had adequate regional equipment. Nartatez said cyberspace crimes had accounted for about 40% of recorded crimes in prior years and were now about 15% to 20%; he described reports through 911, anti-cybercrime investigators and continuing training, but did not address victim recovery or regional forensic equipment directly.

[00:48:42 · asr-000415](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000415) · [00:49:17 · asr-000421](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000421) · [00:49:39 · asr-000424](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000424) · [00:50:52 · asr-000434-split-2](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000434-split-2) · [00:51:40 · asr-000435-split-2](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000435-split-2)

## Senator Vicente C. Sotto III

### Barangay terms, planning and accountability

Senator Vicente C. Sotto III opposed the Senate's second-reading approval of a bill extending barangay and SK officials' terms to five years and postponing the November 2026 elections, citing reported misconduct and arguing that a longer holdover would magnify officials' power. He cited the Ombudsman's dismissal of 12 barangay officials in Iloilo over an alleged scheme, alleged misuse of a ₱130 million annual budget in Pasig, and Makati Mayor Nancy Binay's report that SK officials demanded 25% for projects. He also cited a January 2026 suspension over delayed Clean and Green Program payouts, a DILG complaint against alleged 'epal' officials, and other administrative or criminal cases. These were Sotto's examples and allegations; Remulla later said they were few relative to the country's 42,000 barangays. Sotto said he had proposed an amendment to prevent barangay and SK officials with pending cases from exercising active duties, and asked Remulla for comment. Remulla described problems with SK officials leaving their posts during a term and attributed them partly to the raised age limit and to fiscal autonomy without barangay supervision. Sotto said his amendment had been carried, though it could still be revised before third reading and would need to carry through bicameral consideration and enactment. Asked how many officials had been dismissed or suspended and how many complaints came from ordinary citizens, Remulla said he did not have the list and undertook to bring it to a later deliberation. He agreed that officials with pending cases should not hold over, in response to Sotto's follow-up. Sotto contrasted the proposed five-year barangay term with the department's three-year barangay development plan and asked whether DILG would revise planning and budgeting guidance. Remulla said the term-limit deliberations had not been set when the budget was prepared and that the department would adjust to the law as passed. Sotto noted that two consecutive five-year terms could keep a barangay captain in office for 10 years, then asked about recall and stronger accountability. Remulla said the COA was overwhelmed monitoring disbursements across 42,000 barangays and called for stronger monitoring; he said DILG acted on complaints with a factual basis and supporting documents.

[01:09:59 · asr-000744](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000744) · [01:11:12 · asr-000792](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000792) · [01:11:14 · asr-000793](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000793) · [01:12:25 · asr-000858](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000858) · [01:12:51 · asr-000884](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000884) · [01:16:26 · asr-001033](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001033) · [01:17:10 · asr-001039](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001039) · [01:17:26 · asr-001042](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001042) · [01:17:57 · asr-001047](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001047) · [01:18:36 · asr-001052](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001052) · [01:19:04 · asr-001056](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001056) · [01:21:34 · asr-001089](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001089)

### Local authority over communications and mining projects

Sotto asked about Remulla's reported consideration of abolishing the SK to reduce barangay captains' power. Remulla said he was in talks with telecommunications companies and argued that barangay captains could delay tower deployment by demanding money or refusing locations. He also described a Benguet mining claim with more than USD 5 billion worth of gold that he said was held up after a barangay captain opposed the project, and suggested an override power over barangay decisions.

[01:14:41 · asr-000990](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-000990) · [01:15:06 · asr-001021](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001021) · [01:15:26 · asr-001024](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001024) · [01:15:47 · asr-001027](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001027) · [01:15:57 · asr-001029](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001029) · [01:16:18 · asr-001032](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001032)

### SK age limits and fiscal autonomy

Sotto asked whether the existing SK age limit of 18 to 24 would leave some officials elected in 2022 serving at ages 29 or 30 if they remained until December 2028. Remulla recommended returning eligibility to ages 15 to 19 and removing SK fiscal autonomy so barangay officials could supervise spending, citing alleged abuses including a request for 30% of a catering bill and falsified public documents. Sotto agreed with the recommendation.

[01:19:21 · asr-001058](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001058) · [01:19:38 · asr-001060](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001060) · [01:19:52 · asr-001062](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001062) · [01:20:08 · asr-001064](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001064) · [01:20:35 · asr-001069](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001069) · [01:20:41 · asr-001071](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001071) · [01:21:04 · asr-001080](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001080)

## Senator Sherwin "Win" T. Gatchalian

### Illegal firearms, drugs, and local rehabilitation

Gatchalian asked how the DILG and PNP would address rising concern about drugs and petty crime. Remulla argued for repealing the 1995 law he said made illegal-firearm possession bailable, so those cases could again be non-bailable; he also proposed an amnesty to identify whether loose firearms had been used in crimes. He estimated between 1 million and 2 million loose firearms and said the state policy against extrajudicial killings remained in force. On drug activity, Remulla described interdiction and police visibility initiatives, but also endorsed local-government rehabilitation with peer counseling and reformation instead of relying on jail alone. Gatchalian said index crime had fallen 5% from the prior year but sustaining the reduction remained a challenge; Remulla supported continued efforts and argued that housing incentives could discourage drug involvement.

[01:39:38 · asr-001445](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001445) · [01:40:51 · asr-001455](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001455) · [01:43:25 · asr-001480](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001480) · [01:43:49 · asr-001483](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001483) · [01:46:13 · asr-001520](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001520) · [01:46:40 · asr-001529](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001529) · [01:47:37 · asr-001558](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001558) · [01:48:17 · asr-001582](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001582)

### ECCD implementation through local governments

Gatchalian said the ECCD Council had been transferred to DILG under the new law because local governments fund daycare staff and operating costs. Although DILG had issued implementing rules and regulations, he said local governments still needed a circular explaining how to establish the required ECCD offices and staff child-development positions. Remulla undertook to make efforts to mobilize local governments and agreed to issue a memorandum circular. Gatchalian supported the participation-rate target rising from 33% to 40% for 2027 and urged local implementation. Remulla described a planned ready-to-eat feeding program, with prepared meals heated in barangays, as more consistent and less costly than having each local government cook independently amid differing local costs.

[02:35:11 · asr-002637](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002637) · [02:36:50 · asr-002656](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002656) · [02:36:56 · asr-002659](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002659) · [02:37:26 · asr-002668](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002668) · [02:38:22 · asr-002679](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002679) · [02:38:39 · asr-002681](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002681)

### BFP corruption allegations and reform response

Gatchalian raised reports of fire-extinguisher sales, slot selling, bid rigging, and other corrupt practices in the BFP, and called for broad reform. Remulla said the department had begun reform by purging senior leadership implicated in corruption. He said he had warned fire marshals in the National Capital Region and Region IV that he would file charges if they were involved in misconduct, and committed to follow up on compliance.

[02:38:42 · asr-002683](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002683) · [02:39:59 · asr-002699](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002699) · [02:40:12 · asr-002703](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002703) · [02:40:34 · asr-002708](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002708)

## Senator Erwin Tulfo

### BFP recruitment allegations and exam scoring

Tulfo asked Remulla for an update on an investigation into alleged sale of 200 BFP entry slots. Remulla said the case had been prosecuted; he reported that a Region III director was under investigation and a person accused of soliciting payment had been apprehended and charged. Remulla said applications and rankings were automated, urged applicants to report solicitation, and said senior officials would attend recruitment sessions. Tulfo also raised complaints that registered criminologists were assigned a 75-percent qualifying score while other applicants scored 85 or 90 and could be displaced. Remulla said registered criminologists could take the exam to improve their scores; those who declined remained at 75, and he defended name-blind scoring as protection against intervention.

[01:50:15 · asr-001654](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001654) · [01:50:31 · asr-001663](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001663) · [01:51:16 · asr-001684](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001684) · [01:52:22 · asr-001724](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001724) · [01:53:39 · asr-001765](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001765)

### Police discipline backlog and case intake

Tulfo credited the NAPOLCOM with resolving 2,404 administrative cases and asked how many personnel were charged. Remulla said the DILG had inherited a 15,000-case backlog and that it reached zero after one year and two months, crediting new personnel and a new case-management system. NAPOLCOM Vice Chairperson and Executive Officer Atty. Rafael Vicente R. Calinisan confirmed that the backlog was zero as of December 2025 after a 25-year accumulation. Remulla said record keepers had been paid to park disciplinary cases; personnel changes and a new system were used to clear the backlog. Calinisan said more public-facing complaint handling was helping people approach the commission.

[01:54:34 · asr-001806](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001806) · [01:55:03 · asr-001823](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001823) · [01:55:32 · asr-001841](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001841) · [01:57:04 · asr-001907](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001907) · [01:57:15 · asr-001918](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001918) · [01:57:29 · asr-001932](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-001932)

### Proposed regional and law-enforcement realignment

Remulla proposed breaking up MIMAROPA (Region IV-B) and returning the provinces to Region IV with separate command centers: Cavite with Palawan, Batangas with Mindoro, Laguna with Rizal, and Quezon with Marinduque and Romblon. He said many regional offices were based outside Calapan and the existing arrangement impeded coordination. He said DILG would present the proposal to the Senate that year. Tulfo asked whether PNP Maritime would receive faster vessels for pursuing illegal fishing; Remulla instead proposed transferring the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), then under the Department of Transportation (DOTr), to DILG and consolidating maritime law enforcement under the department. He also proposed consolidating BJMP with BuCor; Tulfo said he had filed a bill on that transfer. Remulla additionally proposed moving the Bureau of Immigration from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to DILG to streamline operations involving foreign nationals. Asked by Lacson whether the proposal had been recommended to the President, Remulla said it had and that the President supported it. Lacson suggested an executive order; Remulla said one had been drafted.

[02:01:15 · asr-002111](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002111) · [02:03:03 · asr-002133](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002133) · [02:03:10 · asr-002134](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002134) · [02:03:53 · asr-002143](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002143) · [02:04:53 · asr-002154](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002154) · [02:05:05 · asr-002156](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002156) · [02:05:54 · asr-002167](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002167) · [02:05:59 · asr-002170](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002170) · [02:06:02 · asr-002172](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002172) · [02:06:23 · asr-002177](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002177)

### 911 response and the Taguig call report

Tulfo raised a social-media post reporting that the writer's father died after a delayed 911 response; the post reportedly went viral. Remulla read the DILG report: the call was answered at about 12:15 p.m. after a wait of 1 minute 25 seconds. He said the address provided used block and street numbers that Taguig responders could not locate in the current street records; the barangay had reported ahead of them. Remulla characterized the case as an exceptional call, said DILG had addressed the communication gap and was strengthening response time. The death and reported ten-minute wait were part of the post Tulfo described; Remulla's account gave a different wait time.

[02:07:27 · asr-002197](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002197) · [02:08:24 · asr-002213](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002213) · [02:08:34 · asr-002216](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002216) · [02:09:03 · asr-002222](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002222) · [02:09:19 · asr-002226](https://tordecilla.github.io/budget-hearings-2026/records/48/#asr-002226)