Grant Sara Duterte the understanding of her insecurity that her score sheet as education secretary was abysmally dismal. The very low numbers come from the Commission on Audit for 2023 – unassailable. Of the 6,379 classrooms on target, she completed only a microscopic 192 (3.01%); for the repair of 7,550 classrooms, she completed only 208 (2.75%); for building 88 last mile schools, she completed only an infinitesimal 3 (3.41%). And so when she appeared at Kamuning Bakery forum, she had to window-dress her do-nothing performance in the Department of Education – of course of all things – by lying.

Over the years, lawmakers have mastered the art of bastardizing the budget, the most important piece of legislation that Congress passes every year. Based on how they mangled the 2023 to 2025 budgets, it would appear that the present crop of legislators has outdone all past congresses in terms of the enormity of the amount and degree of shamelessness in abusing their power of the purse.