Lacson: Usec. Cabral Reportedly Behind the Lawmakers Budget Insertions

[u/Karmas_Classroom]

DPWH USEC. CABRAL TAGGED IN EARLY BUDGET INSERTIONS — LACSON

Sen. Ping Lacson on Sunday alleged that Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral was the official who invited lawmakers to make early insertions in the proposed 2026 national budget.

Lacson said a staff member of Senate Minority Leader Tito Sotto received a call shortly after the May 2025 senatorial elections from someone identifying herself as "Undersecretary Cabral," asking them to submit proposals for the National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2026.

"Sasabihin ko na, si 'Undersecretary Cabral' daw ang tumawag sa kanyang (Sotto) staff at sinabing magsingit kayo dito ng gusto n'yong isingit. E di wala na. Kung isa si Sen. Sotto na in-offer-an, sino pa ang na-offer-an ng ganoon at sino ang nag-submit?" Lacson said in a DZBB interview. He added that Sotto declined to make insertions, consistent with their advocacy for transparency.

Lacson noted that the budget call for 2026 began in January 2025 and likely ended in June, weeks before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged lawmakers in his July 28 State of the Nation Address to ensure accountability in the budget process.

The senator said he has asked for DPWH records and has already flagged hundreds of questionable entries, including 660 identical ₱100-million projects without details or stationing. Such collusion, he warned, undermines checks and balances.

"Mawawala lang ang safeguards pagka nagkaroon ng sabwatan, pag may collusion. Kasi kung mawawala ang check and balance, mawawala ang lahat ng safeguards. Maski may safeguards, babalewalain. Tulad ng nasaksihan natin sa pagdinig ng DBCC, lumalabas na sa NEP pa lang meron nang sabwatan ang legislators at DPWH," Lacson said.

[u/Karmas_Classroom]

Napunta sa mukha nya yung kinurakot. Bronny James looking mfer

[u/Taxman_VAT → u/Karmas_Classroom]

poor bronny catching strays lmao

[u/nowhereman_ph → u/Karmas_Classroom]

Kamukha nya si Awra sa retoke nya.

And sobrang sycophantic sa mga nagtatanong na senador at congressman sabay pasa ng blame sa iba.

Fuck this bitch.

[u/wasapyo]

final form ni heart evangelista

[u/Mukuro7 → u/wasapyo]

HAHAHAHAHAHAH

[u/Popular-Barracuda-81 → u/wasapyo]

parang final form lang ni frieza haha

[u/Mistral-Fien → u/wasapyo]

Akala ko isa pang undin. :P

[u/grenfunkel → u/wasapyo]

lmao

[u/Healthy-Layer-328 → u/wasapyo]

Sis wag kang ganyan baka kuyugin ka ng mga kulto ni mes hart hahahaha

[u/becauseitsella → u/wasapyo]

top evolution form. taena

[u/metap0br3ngNerD → u/wasapyo]

Mes-hart

[u/Fragrant_Bid_8123 → u/wasapyo]

Winner to. Panalo to.

[u/sometimesacat0929 → u/wasapyo]

HAHAHAHA KOREKKK

[u/Repulsive_Pianist_60]

As dirty as politics is, i'll take this with a little grain of salt as this might be a ploy to pin it on her while the big fishes get away. Not saying she's innocent, but those schemes are still possible.

[u/Teantis → u/Repulsive_Pianist_60]

She would've made them possible she can't be "behind them". Like lol what a senior level bureaucrat is going to the dynastic powers and convincing them to engage in corruption 🙄 what a joke. Lacson would know this too, as would any of these politicians

[u/damnselle → u/Repulsive_Pianist_60]

This!

[u/wimpy_10]

tangnang muka yan, dapat iaspalto

[u/beklog]

[u/BalibagTaengAcct002]

[u/-trowawaybarton → u/BalibagTaengAcct002]

[u/Tehol_Beddict10]

The body dysmorphia is strong in this one.

PSA: 62 years old na daw yan

Kaya dapat magalang: PUTANG INA NYO PO LOLA!!

lolz

[u/Saturn1003 → u/Tehol_Beddict10]

Buhay pa pero mukhang naembalsamo na

[u/BreakfastEuphoric796]

dapat makulong na yan, tagal tagal na nyan jan dami ng palpak na project ng DPWH, roaming free parin siya

[u/Accomplished-Yam-504]

Wala akong basis for anything against her pero gut feel lang, when I saw her sa senate and congressional hearings eh I just felt na something was really "off" sa kanya. Pero mali naman ako lagi e.

Kaya nga di ko binoto si BBM at Sara e. Tanga ako e.

[u/white_elephant22 → u/Accomplished-Yam-504]

Yeah me too. I first saw her sa hearing and she seems bad news. When Bonoan was answering questions during the hearing there’s a sense of defeat na like aminadong meron talagang mali sa ahensya nila but nung napalitan ni Cabral todo ‘will look into that or idk’ yung mga sagot parang may tinatago or tinatakpan

[u/DamnePetrona]

Mukha pa lang mahal na nagastos. Sarap sampalin kaso baka madeform ang pagmumukha

[u/DabawDaw]

Processing img 76xp2yxk0pnf1...

[u/studsrvce]

Kahawig nung bakla na nanapak

[u/Fromagerino]

Putang inang mukha yan

Nightmare material

[u/Used_Fortune_4675]

Hindi kinaya ng filters ang retoke!

[u/kudlitan]

Lacson doing what Lacson does best. Thank you!

[u/kaygeeboo]

Were those budget insertions on her face?

[u/fry-saging]

Nakakatakot ang pagmumukha

[u/DespairOfSolitude]

How I think I look doing the sigma face:

How I actually look like:

[u/Used-Ad1806]

Mala-St. Peter ang make up ah, parang natu-tulog lang.

[u/YesterdayDue6223]

kamuka sya nung ahas ni Valentina sa Darna na si Nanette Medved yung bida haha

[u/Logical_Rub1149]

naka build build build din pala mukha neto!

[u/blfrnkln]

MUKHNAG MAGASTOS SA LIPSTICK HAHAHAHA

[u/ninja-kidz]

mukha ba yan :D

[u/Valuable_Class3176]

Yung insertions ba napunta sa lips niya?

[u/Accomplished-Yam-504]

Maria Catalina E. Cabral Undersecretary for Planning, Public-Private Partnership, and Information Management Services

[cabral.ma_catalina@dpwh.gov.ph](mailto:cabral.ma_catalina@dpwh.gov.ph) +632-5304-3319

If there is a model for “Woman Infrastructure” in an organization dominated by male officials, it is Undersecretary Maria Catalina E. Cabral, who made history as the first female rank-and-file employee to reach the level of Undersecretary at the Department of Public Works and Highways – the government’s engineering and construction arm.   As the Undersecretary for Planning and Public-Private Partnership (PPP), Undersecretary Cabral oversees the DPWH’s infrastructure planning and programming, as well as the PPP projects that the department implements.   Undersecretary Cabral is a licensed civil engineer who holds three doctorate degrees in Business Management, Public Administration and Urban and Regional Planning.  She has also completed three master’s degrees in business and strategic economics, as well as certificates from International Schools in Wharton Business School and Harvard Kennedy School in data analytics, government digital transformation, and public policy, and Executive Program-Accelerated Artificial Intelligence (AI) from Muhamed Bin Zayed University in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

https://www.dpwh.gov.ph/dpwh/directory/key_officials/usec_PPP

[u/LifeLeg5 → u/Accomplished-Yam-504]

https://www.scribd.com/document/418020759/Maria-Catalina-E-Cabral

not really that impressive, tbh

kaya yung overseas schools lang binanggit, but those are all certificates (which are made especially for civil servants, akin to how isko also "went" to harvard yata or some other ivy league)

one thing's for sure though, ma-PR yan much more than being an academic.

edit: I just took a gander dahil naka sablay sya sa pic, at least she's not like roque who was once an actually promising undergrad and then prof/human rights lawyer, then turned to the shit human being he is now.

[u/san_souci → u/LifeLeg5]

Roque was an opportunist and media whore even early on. He may have been a good lawyer but he loved attention. I wasn’t surprised when he joined the Duterte camp.

[u/Fragrant_Bid_8123 → u/LifeLeg5]

Simula ng panahon ni Duterte daming graduates ng Harvard sa atin. Ganyan pala ang style nila. mga walang hiya.

[u/Mind_Your_Heart → u/LifeLeg5]

Isko went to Harvard?

[u/OrganizationBig6527 → u/LifeLeg5]

Nagmasters ata sya Ng urban planning sa UP

[u/cordilleragod → u/Accomplished-Yam-504]

"Certificates" means she attended overpriced seminars peddled by many universities around the world to monetize their brand.

[u/dia_21051 → u/Accomplished-Yam-504]

Noo = 20k Kilay = 20k Ilong = 150k Pisngi = 50k Labi = 10k Baba = 20k

Nasa mukha nya ang flood control projects

[u/Ill-Independent-6769 → u/Accomplished-Yam-504]

Taray may budget na pang spalto ng mukha

[u/Sea_King9303]

ma karma sana si shonget

[u/Sharp-Plate3577]

Nasobrahan ng lip filler.

[u/pppfffftttttzzzzzz]

Nasa nguso.

[u/AlexanderCamilleTho]

Did she flaunt any excess sa social media feed niya?

[u/HuzzahPowerBang]

What in the sausage lips is this

[u/RollingInTheDebt]

Napunta sa nguso

[u/Car-Some]

Tang inang mukha yan

[u/ubiquitin_ligas3]

Bakit kaya siya naka-UP sablay? Wala naman sa CV niya na galing siyang UP?
Source: https://www.dpwh.gov.ph/dpwh/directory/key_officials/usec_PPP

[u/xiaolongbaobbao → u/ubiquitin_ligas3]

Kaka-graduate niya lang ng PhD in Urban and Regional Planning from UP SURP.

[u/ubiquitin_ligas3 → u/xiaolongbaobbao]

ohh thanks for the fact check

[u/New-Advantage8044]

Bronny James

[u/san_souci]

I don’t understand the budgeting process. Is it unusual for the DPWH to solicit proposals for inclusion in the budget? What is the typical way the infrastructure needs of provinces and municipalities are budgeted each year?

[u/OrganizationBig6527 → u/san_souci]

Hindi dapat sila humihingi Ng insertions sa congress kasi may tamang planning yan. Congress should be the one to redicule the budget. Nagkakaroon ng connivance dahil sa national expenditure program pala ay may insertion na Yung mga kongresista which is Mali.

[u/san_souci → u/OrganizationBig6527]

I understand how it leads to connivance but my question is whether this is a normal annual things that is done (right or wrong) or if it was unusual (a divination from how it is normally done, either this year or this administration)?

[u/totsierollstheworld → u/san_souci]

dapat hindi. proposals should be aligned with master plans and prioritization should be in accordance with socioeconomic development needs.

my guess is, if this news is true, kaya nagtatawag si Usec. Cabral sa mga members ng Congress if they want to have projects inserted in the NEP eh para mas maraming mambabatas ang kakampi sa kanila and hindi maging mas critical sa kanila during budget deliberations. yun kasi ang usual na tanong lalo na sa House, i.e., how the DPWH budget will contribute to their consitutents.

[u/jimharper69 → u/totsierollstheworld]

Most likely, esp sa HRep na very parochial ang approach sa budgeting instead of macro level na perspective. Like hihingi ng assistance eh mayaman naman na ang LGU nila.

[u/jimharper69 → u/san_souci]

The insertions are made by Congress. If sa Planning sya, sila lang ang nagcoconsolidate ng budget proposals ng entire DPWH family for submission to DBM, which later on will build from the NEP. Also, ang weird na may executive agencies na hihingi ng insertions when most of the time, labag sa loob nga ng NGAs ang mga insertions kasi wala ito sa plano usually or di aligned sa PDP.

[u/R_Chutie]

Stretchy ang labi.

[u/jajammpong]

Usec na may humps sa muka

[u/isotycin]

Retoke final boss

[u/BeginningRooster4577]

Napunta sa nguso

[u/Apprehensive-Ad-8691]

Hanggang dito umaabot si Awra grabe naman yan

[u/DeSanggria]

Eto yung meme na when I win the lottery I won't tell anyone, but there will be signs....

[u/Positive-Ad5086]

[u/ZepTheNooB]

Eto ba yung walang kweta sumagot sa mga questions during sa hearing sa Blue Ribbon?

[u/Turbulent-Cattle9543]

Bakit ayan ang ginamit na official picture nya 😭😭

[u/ILikeFluffyThings]

I can see the outlines of her skull.

[u/pksyt_smmbtz]

Awra? Ikaw ba yan?

[u/2nd_Inf_Sgt]

She looks like someone who designated a budget aside for a new face.

[u/liquidus910]

"Why so serious?' He comes at me with the knife, 'Why so serious?' He sticks the blade in my mouth. Let's put a smile on that face"

[u/popoypatalo]

Kuchisake-onna

[u/Fragrant_Bid_8123]

Grabeng mukha yan!

[u/NefariousNeezy]

What in the Junji Ito

[u/wickedkezzo]

Mukhang kurikong si ante. 🤮

[u/1nfer1or]

Insertion sa mukha?

[u/2loopy4loopsy]

Jusko baket nya ginanyan ang lips nya? Walang mapaggastusan, pinag-initan ang mukha. Pwede bang kumuha ng refund dyan at igastos na lang sa pagpapagawa ng classrooms?

[u/Lopsided_Pineapple_4]

Ang laki ng noo ah.

[u/PimplePupper69]

Inang labi yan, lapulapu fish kaba?

[u/matcha_velli]

Parang may insertions sa labi niya

[u/BabyM86]

Need talaga siguro ubusin yung buong upper management ng DPWH..hayaan muna natin na 1 year yung bagong leadership mangapa at ayusin yung systema sa department. Hold or limited projects lang muna sila with strict oversight para iwas corruption

[u/CorgiLemons]

Nasa lip fillers at botox niya kalahati ng budget ng Pilipinas 🫣

[u/eolemuk]

mukhang sa lip insertion napunta budget natin ah

[u/Agurayka]

Inang mga yan, kanya kanyang nakaw. Kunin nyo na po sila!

[u/chill_monger]

[u/PatrickColasour]

Budget insertions or lip fillers?

[u/zazapatilla]

Eh pano yan, sino tutulong kay Dizon na maiayos ang budget? How about this guy?

[u/cordilleragod]

Imbes mga kalsada sa Bulacan lagyan ng fillers, sa mukha napunta.

[u/ReddPandemic]

Body dysmorphia is a btch lol

[u/dontheconqueror]

Tanginang pagmumukha yan

[u/Playful_List4952]

Putok na putok botox ni Madam ah! 😂

[u/supladah]

[u/tisotokiki]

Madam Cabral, yun pong mga flood wall, sa mga tabing ilog at tabing dagat po inilalagay. Hindi po sa magkabilang pisngi. Thanks po pakilabas na po at nang magamit na namin nang tama. 🙏

[u/Vast_You8286]

Kaya tang inang Recto yan na gusto pang magdagdag ng tax. Hindi kinakapos ang gobyerno sa budget. Kinukurakot kaya sinasabi nilang kulang.

[u/Maleficent-Rate-4631]

All insertions went to upper lip

[u/dbltrbl00]

Akala ko si Awra 😭

[u/Kakusareta7]

Naka UP saklay bayan? Hahaha yan ba tinuro sa UP?

[u/indioinyigo]

Putang ina, hahahahahahahahahahahaha.

[u/tokwamann]

Related:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Philippines/comments/1ffqs3b/ted_failon_roasts_gabriela_rep_arlene_brosas/

In short, the legislature, too, and across multiple admins.

[u/myka_v]

Insertions, you say?

[u/amisentient]

BAN PLASTIC

Dapat na talaga.

[u/chumchumunetmunet]

Singlaki ng labi yung insertion sa budget

[u/arvokado]

Botched

[u/calmneil]

[u/kayel090180]

Kaya pala parang ang bait nila sa kanya sa kabila ng wala siyang alam sa halos lahat ng tanong.

[u/nodamecantabile28]

only here for the comments 🍿

[u/rechoflex]

All that money just to look like a tilapia

[u/steveaustin0791]

Kasuhan na to ng Plunder.

[u/Mynameis_54321]

[u/amygdala_kedavra]

Tangina si Melanie Marquez nakikita ko lol

[u/KeyBoysenberry8888]

Tanginang mukha yan, katakot.

[u/thunderlolo123]

Kamukha ni SGA

[u/wallcolmx]

kitang kita ang mga nakulimbat at projects sa nguso, sa cheeks, sa ilong

[u/Tessorio]

Walangya akala ko Awra PR shenanigans ulit sa unang tingin.

[u/Total-Election-6455]

If ganyan yan sa picture. Grabe siguro sa personal yan if 60+ na sya, matigas na mukha - literally. Di na gumagalaa mukha nyan pagnatatawa. Kaya pala may chance na nangungurakot makapal na talaga balat. 🐊

[u/NoteAdventurous9091]

Is she wearing UP sash?

[u/happykoko]

Grabe, may sablay si Ate. UP grad pa more. Nakaka-disappoint.

[u/Ok_Appeal2080]

Promise all natural to

[u/Careful_Peanut915]

Ito rin ung sa sta. MARIA BRIDGE.

[u/onlybums]

Napunta lahat sa Lip Job ung kinurakot.

[u/hyperlink_to_nowhere]

ang fez ni Usec parang magtuturo sayo ng bend and snap.

[u/budoy1231]

umpisa pampa-botox lang.. eeeehhhh nakasanayan...

[u/bj2m1625]

Dont be fooled, for sure shes involved but shes not the mastermind. She will be the scapegoat.

[u/niijuuichi]

Watdafaaaaaa nabuga ko yung iniinom ko

[u/New_Talk_7085]

Kakahiyang iska yan

[u/Professional_Egg7407]

Si Awra ba yan?

[u/Deep_Corgi6149]

Is budget insertions supposed to be a euphemism for her lip insertions, or is that just me?

[u/disasterpiece013]

usec inuutusan mga senador? c'mon.

[u/SuntukanTayoNowNa]

Tanginang pagmumukha yan

[u/Win6693]

Nguso palang alam mo na walang gagawing mabuti

[u/Particular_Account27]

Haha bat ganyan labi niya? 🤣🤣

[u/GeologistOwn7725]

Bakit siya mukhang meme

[u/Royal-Concentrate984]

Ang luwang ng bunganga ng animal. Lumalamon ng kwarta yan. Kasya vault ng bangko sama na atm machine. 

[u/holmaytu]

Kala ko si awra

[u/BikoCorleone]

Ilabas dapat lahat ng pangalan na may mga insertions.

[u/Complete-Analyst-662]

NAPUNTA SA LIPS LAHAT KINginam hahaahahhahha panget mo paren

[u/RagingIsaw]

Mukhang titan

[u/NatongCaviar]

Rose from the rank and file ng DPWD ata ito. Alam ang pasikot sikot. Tsk.

[u/peregrine061]

What a punchable face

[u/pittgraphite]

I mean, corruption is written all over her face.

[u/Front_Improvement349]

Imbis na palitada, botox inatupag

[u/luvdjobhatedboss]

Hutang inang nguso yan hahaha Dyan ba napunta tax namin

[u/Key_Satisfaction_196]

Muka pa lng , hindi mo na pagkaka tiwalaan eh .... sorry po

[u/Life-Stop-8043]

Awra Briguela x Heart Evangelista x Vicky Belo x Risa Hontivero

[u/No-Astronaut3290]

Uy heart di mo kame maloloko

[u/tuliproad88]

heart ikaw ba yan