‘TESDA must explain alleged P5 million offer to Lacson’

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate will seek an explanation from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority during plenary debates on TESDA’s proposed 2027 budget after Sen. Panfilo Lacson’s allegation of a P5-million “allocation fund” offer.

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian supported the move to scrutinize TESDA, emphasizing that public funds must be allocated based on genuine necessity rather than being used to curry favor with lawmakers.

“It’s not right, that in hopes of getting favored by a senator, or being close with a politician, that you will resort to bribing them with public funds,” Gatchalian told radio dzBB.

“That’s not your money. This is the people’s money and it should go to those who need it most,” he added.

Gatchalian pointed out that offering government programs in exchange for political influence is unacceptable.

While admitting that he does not yet have the full details of the incident, the Senate President noted that in his 11 years in the chamber, he has never been offered such “leadership funds” or allocable funds by TESDA.

The Senate leader suspects an errant staff member might be behind the unauthorized offer.

He vouched for TESDA Director General Jose Francisco Benitez, his former colleague in the Second Congressional Commission on Education, describing him as highly capable and proper.

“We need to get the info on what happened, it could be just the staff, because the staff might be trying to get favor from the politician,” Gatchalian noted.

The controversy erupted on Saturday when Lacson revealed that a certain “Stephanie,” claiming to be Benitez’s staff, reached out to his office to offer a P5-million allocation fund.

Lacson said he unequivocally declined the offer, noting that the specific figure made it highly unlikely to be a standard scholarship provision.

Benitez ordered an immediate internal investigation, categorically denying that he authorized anyone to make such an offer to the senator.