Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on Thursday stated that the greater than P1.4 billion allocation for the Office of the President’s native and overseas missions in addition to state visits for subsequent 12 months is justified.
At a Palace briefing, Pangandaman was requested in regards to the improve within the price range for President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s overseas journeys for 2024.
She stated there may be nothing flawed with the proposed P1,408,894,000 for these journeys, particularly if these will likely be useful for the nation.
“‘Yung travel po ng Presidente, dalawa pong klase ‘yan (There are two types of travels of the President). Mayroon pong state visit that they invite you and then meron din po ‘yung mga investment roadshow. When I was asked previously po doon sa SONA kung ano po sa tingin ko ang nagawa this administration in such a short time, I think to bring us back to the map of a investment hub and opportunity for other countries,” Pangandaman stated.
“Kami po hindi lang ang Presidente, even the economic managers, if you will notice po, we’ve been going out of the country to present the Philippines as an investment hub po so I think ‘yung expenses po ng travel as long as it will be beneficial and mas may advantage po para sa bansa natin, I think okay lang po ‘yun, it’s justified (I think the travel expenses as long as it will be beneficial and advantageous for the country, it’s okay and it’s justified.),” she added.
In 2022, Marcos went on state visits to Indonesia, Singapore, and China; attended the United Nations General Assembly in New York; and took part within the ASEAN summit in Cambodia.
Marcos was additionally in Thailand final November for the APEC 2022 and in Brussels, Belgium for the EU-ASEAN Summit.
The President additionally traveled to Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum and had an official go to to Tokyo, Japan this 12 months. Marcos had secured $1.3 billion price of funding pledges throughout his official go to to the United States in May.
He additionally attended the ASEAN Summit in Indonesia in addition to a state go to in Malaysia.
The Department of Trade and Industry stated earlier that $88 million in investments from Marcos’ overseas journeys would materialize this 12 months.
Marcos has since defended his journeys overseas, saying that this may entice extra overseas traders for the Philippines.
Intel, confidential funds
Aside from the price range for overseas journeys, a complete of P9.2 billion has been allotted for confidential and intelligence funds throughout authorities businesses for the fiscal 12 months 2024, Pangandaman stated on Wednesday.
The OP is particularly asking for a P4,560,000 for its confidential and intelligence bills, the NEP 2024 confirmed.
Pangandaman defined that there’s a P120 million improve for the whole quantity of confidential and intelligence funds due to the extra allocation for the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the Presidential Security Group, and the Anti-Money Laundering Council
“Meron pong increase na P120 million (There’s a P120 million increase) for the confidential and the intelligence funds, ‘yung increase po is because mayroon pong dagdag na confidential funds for the following agencies (the increase is because of the additional funds for the following agencies): DICT, and then there’s also an amount for Anti-Money Laundering Council and my increase din po sa confidential funds ng PSG and DICT,” Pangandaman stated. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
