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MANILA, Philippines — Three lawmakers have rejected the P2 million “Christmas bonus” that Rep. Leandro Leviste (Batangas, 1st District) claimed each congressman and party-list representative received through the maintenance and other operating expenditure budget.
On Wednesday, December 31, Rep. Terry Ridon (Bicol Saro Party-list) said the only bonuses lawmakers receive every December are the same bonuses that all government workers are entitled to — the 13th-month pay.
He also said they receive a mid-year bonus, also known as the 14th-month pay. One bonus is equivalent to at least a month’s worth of salary. For members of Congress, this would translate to around P300,000 under Salary Grade 31.
Ridon further explained that the funds released in December to each lawmaker’s office were part of the House’s regular allocations, intended to support the programs and activities of their respective districts or party-list representations.
“Parang 'di naman Christmas bonus ang binibigay sa mga kongresista. Parang lahat po ng binibigay po ay para sa mga programa, aktibidad at gawain ng kanya kanyang opisina,” he said over Super Radyo DZBB 594.
(It does not appear to be a Christmas bonus given to congressmen. Everything that is released is intended for the programs, activities, and operations of their respective offices.)
Not a bonus, just for office needs
House Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno also denied that the money disbursed this month was a lawmaker’s Christmas bonus, clarifying it was simply “additional funding” for a district’s needs to celebrate the holiday season.
Both Puno and Ridon stressed that each transaction is recorded and audited, with Ridon saying this only leaves a “clear paper trail” should there be a need to review the disbursements.
In turn, this is also not the first time Congress released funds to each lawmaker’s office during this time from the MOOE, he added. Ridon was also a congressman in 2013.
“I think I’m quite certain na parang in previous years and previous Congresses, mayroon mga ganyan kaperahan para sa mga aktibidad at programa ng mga opisina,” Ridon said.
(I think I’m fairly certain that, in previous years and past Congresses, there were similar funds allocated for the activities and programs of lawmakers’ offices.)
If, in any case, there was a P2 million Christmas bonus given to each lawmaker, the Makabayan bloc said they’re not among those who received it, especially since they are not a member of the “traditional part of Congress.”
“Hindi po, wala pong ganu’n. … Kung makikita natin ‘yung breakdown nito, mas mainam dahil ito naman talaga ‘yung at the end of the day, pipiliin natin when it comes to transparency and accountability,” Rep. Renee Co (Kabataan Party-list) said in an interview over True FM.
(No, there’s nothing like that. … If we can see the breakdown, it would be better, because at the end of the day, we get to make the choice when it comes to transparency and accountability.)
'Lawful disbursements'
What Leviste has been trying to argue, however, is that some of the funds disbursed to offices in the form of checks fall under a lawmaker’s discretion, with no receipts needed for how they are spent.
Bicam member Rep. Jose Alvarez (Palawan, 2nd District) explained that the checks Leviste posted on Facebook were all “lawful disbursements” for the day-to-day operations of district offices and were not “bonuses.”
“These are lawful, audited, and well-documented disbursements that every member of the House receives to cover the salaries of legislators and to ensure their district offices can function properly and deliver services on the ground,” he said on Wednesday.
Leviste raised the issue after questioning the approved P7.8-billion increase to the House of Representatives’ MOOE budget, bringing it to P18.58 billion — higher than last year’s allocation.
Most of the increase went to “other maintenance and operating expenses,” which totals P4.8 billion but has no detailed breakdown, as well as “supplies and materials” and “communication expenses,” each exceeding P1 billion.
Alvarez, however, countered by pointing out that the House’s 2026 budget of P27 billion is lower than this year’s P34 billion, despite there being a P10-billion increase from the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
More of Leviste's claims
Over the past month, Leviste has made several allegations against his House colleagues, first claiming that each lawmaker inserted at least P150 million into the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) 2025 budget, on top of more than P401 billion in “allocable” funds disproportionately distributed across districts.
He also alleged that some budget allocations were used to silence critics and secure votes during the ratification of the 2026 budget, which House Appropriations Chair Mikaela Suansing has already denied.
Although the neophyte lawmaker has frequently accused other officials of potential corruption, Leviste’s dispute with others intensified following the death of former DPWH Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral — the official said to have prepared the agency’s budget and was likely aware of the alleged insertions.
