ACT Teachers Representative and Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio delivered a privilege speech exposing the so-called “BBM Parametric Formula” as a systematic blueprint for centralized corruption that implicates President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his Cabinet, and congressional leaders in the massive DPWH flood control corruption scandal.
In his speech, Tinio analyzed a 16-page DPWH document titled “High-Level Budget Allocation Formula: The Baseline-Balanced-Managed or BBM Parametric Formula, Adopted in 2023 National Expenditure Program Preparation,” issued by the Office of the Secretary in July 2022 at the very start of the Marcos Jr. administration.
“Kung susuriin ang polisiya, makikita na ito ang susi para maunawaan kung bakit at paano nangyari ang malawakang pandarambong sa kaban ng bayan sa pamamagitan ng DPWH sa unang tatlong taon,” Tinio stated.
Tinio explained that the BBM Parametric Formula has three stages. The first two—”Baseline” and “Balanced”—use mathematical parameters based on historical data, population, land area, poverty incidence, infrastructure density, climate vulnerability, and absorptive capacity.
“Ang unang dalawang bahagi ay base sa isang set ng mga parametro, kaya tinawag na parametric formula, na tila naglalayong magbigay ng anyo ng pagiging objective or scientific sa proseso ng paghahanda ng budget,” Tinio said.
However, it is the third stage—”Managed”—where the corruption is institutionalized.
“Ito ang critical na yugto kung saan ang mga mathematical o technical na resulta ay maaaring isang tabi o palitan base sa quote, ‘higher considerations,’ unquote,” Tinio emphasized.
Tinio quoted directly from page 6 of the DPWH document, which states: “Considering that the national budget is an economic, political, and legal tool of the national government, all at the same time, the DPWH-BBM allocation formula should be able to take into account higher considerations in decision-making, beyond engineering and economic development of DPWH. Priorities of the leaders of the national government and the legislature will also be considered in this matter.”
“Ito ang smoking gun. Ang lingwaheng ginamit ay naglalantad sa katotohanan. Malinaw na tinutukoy na konsiderasyon sa pangatlong yugto ay ang ‘priorities of leaders’—sa halip na, for example, ‘priorities of the administration,'” Tinio declared.
“Ibig sabihin, priorities ng mga individual na opisyal, hindi mandato o prioridad ng institusyon o ng administrasyon. Ito ay opisyal na pag-amin na ang budget ay inaayos para pagsilbihan ang personal na prioridad ng mga makapangyarihang individual,” he added
Tinio pointedly asked who these “leaders of the national government and the legislature” are.
“Kulang na lang na pangalanan sila ng opisyal na dokumento na ito ng DPWH. Ang sinabi po, quote, ‘leaders of the national government and the legislature.’ O sino pa nga ba yun? Walang iba kung hindi ang Pangulo, ang kanyang gabinete, at ang liderato ng parehong kapulungan ng Kongreso,” Tinio stated.
“Ito ay pork barrel by design. Tinutukoy bilang mga proponents, kinikilala bilang mga proponents, ang mga pinakamalaking isda—the biggest fish, kumbaga,” he emphasized.
Tinio noted that the BBM Parametric Formula represents an evolution of DPWH corruption from a “retail system” where individual legislators operated independently to a “centralized, syndicated, and more ‘efficient’ system of plunder.”
“Lahat ng insertions ngayon ay dapat dumaan at aprobahan ng mga matataas na leader. Dahil dito, ang dambuhalang kickback na ngayon ay binabayaran upfront bilang advances o commitments—yan ang terminong ginagamit ni USEC Bernardo—ay sentralisado rin kung saan ang pinakamalaking parte ay napupunta umano sa mga pinakamalaking isda,” Tinio explained.
Tinio also explained the difference between “allocable” and “non-allocable” amounts—terms that many veteran legislators claim to have only heard recently.
“Mga informal na termino sa bokabularyo ng korupsyon na sumikat sa ilalim ng administrasyon ito,” he said.
Allocable amounts are baseline allocations controlled by local district representatives, while non-allocable amounts are discretionary funds controlled by national leaders. Districts may “host” or “park” these projects, or discover them being implemented without their permission or benefit—what is called “sagasa” or being run over.
Tinio called for investigations to follow the logic of the document and go after the “big fish” it names.
“The investigation should not stop at mid-level officials or contractors. It must follow the logic of the document and policy upward—to the big fish it names.”
Specifically, Tinio called for investigations into:
– Former DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, who was allowed to resign and leave the country but has recently returned
– Former Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and his grandson, former Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin, who were dismissed without explanation and have never been made to face any investigation
“Karapatan ng sambayanan ng Pilipino na malaman kung sino ang mga so-called ‘leaders of the national government and legislature’ na inuna ang sariling bulsa kesa sa efektibong proteksyon sa mamamayan sa harap ng kalamidad,” Tinio stated.
Tinio rejected DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon’s recent announcement that the allocable system will be scrapped in preparing the fiscal year 2027 budget.
“Sa kabila ng sinasabi ni Secretary Dizon, ang allocable system o formula ay hindi naman mahirap intindihin o misteryoso. Hindi rin ito bagay na lipas na at dapat nang kalimutan at ibaon sa limot,” Tinio said.
“The BBM formula is the blueprint for grand corruption. It institutionalized kickbacks at the highest level.”
“It is a right that must be fulfilled—the call of the nation that all those involved must be held accountable. Let us start at the very top.”#
