The House appropriations committee on Tuesday terminated deliberations on the proposed P10.7-billion finances of the Office of the President (OP) for 2024 with out fielding questions.
The termination, nevertheless, occurred after every of the three opposition lawmakers of the Makabayan bloc had been allowed to make a two-minute manifestation.
The Makabayan bloc lawmakers primarily questioned the OP’s choice to grant Vice President Sara Duterte’s request for a P125-million confidential fund in 2022 even when such finances merchandise was not supplied below the 2022 nationwide finances regulation.
They additionally requested concerning the P4.5-billion confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) of the OP below its proposed P10.7-billion finances for 2024.
“Courtesy? Respect? Hindi ba’t mas mataas ang utang na courtesy at respeto ng mga ahensiya ng gobyerno sa mamamayan lalo na ang Office of the President? Utang na magpaliwanag kung paano ginastos at kung paano gagastusin ang bawat sentimong pinagkakatiwala sa kanila,” House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro of ACT Teachers party-list mentioned.
Castro made the remark after Abra Representative Ching Bernos made a movement to terminate discussions on the proposed OP finances “due to longstanding tradition of extending parliamentary courtesy to the OP.”
“Since Vice President Sara Duterte admitted that she requested a P125-million confidential funds from the Office of the President, may we reuqest for the copy of that letter and the aporval of the President? Tayo sa Kongreso, hindi natin dapat payagang manaig ang secrecy at silence samantalang napakalakas, uma-alingawngaw ang mga katanungan ng mamamayan: Bakit may bilyun-bilyong sinisikretong pondo samantalang patung-patong ang mga kagyat na pangangailangan para sa ayuda, libreng edukasyon at serbisyong medikal, abot-kayang pabahay,” Castro added.
House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas, for her half, mentioned that OP’s P4.5 billion CIF is simply a part of the P1-trillion finances below the President’s management which additionally embody the unprogrammed fund and the particular function fund.
Unprogrammed fund covers finances gadgets to be funded supplied there may be an extra in goal income assortment, whereas particular function fund is a lump sum fund which the President can realign to different companies’ finances as wanted.
“Nakakalula ang mga numero, pero sa huli’t huli, nagkakasya sa mumo ang mamamayang Pilipino habang mahigit P1 trillion ang nasa kontrol ni Marcos Jr.,” Brosas mentioned.
“Naniniwala kami na ang pagtanggi ng OP, pati na rin ang OVP, na sumailalim sa public deliberations ukol sa kanilang badyet lalo na sa confidential and intelligence funds nila ay isa lamang sa dumaraming rason kung bakit imbis na aprubahan ang kanilang mga ‘black budget’, ay dapat pa ngang i-abolish ang mga ito,” Brosas added.
Kabataan party-list lawmaker Raoul Manuel, alternatively, mentioned that OP is accountable for the discharge of P125-million confidential fund to the Office of Vice President in 2022 even when it was not supplied below the 2022 nationwide finances, in addition to its big P4.5 billion confidential fund that nearly accounts for half of its proposed finances.
“The OP has to explain bakit inaprubahan nito ang 1.25 million pesos na confidential fund for the OVP kahit na wala po iyon sa General Appropriations Act noong 2022,” Manuel mentioned.
“The highest form of courtesy in this country should be extended to the Filipino people, na may karapatan po ang mamamayang alamin paano ginagastos ang pondo ng bayan, at iyon ‘yung dapat manaig at all times. Galangin po natin ang karapatan ng mamamayan,” Manuel added.
After Makabayan delivered their manifestation, House appropriations panel senior vice chairperson Stella Quimbo of Marikina City resumed placing ahead Bernos’ movement to terminate deliberations on the OP finances.
Bernos’ movement was carried with out objection.
Prior to the beginning of the deliberations, House appropriations panel chairperson Zaldy Co of Ako-Bicol party-list mentioned that the President bears the immense obligation of upholding the rule of regulation, guaranteeing justice, and preserving the unity and welfare of the nation, and that its proposed finances will allow the Chief Executive to satisfy its obligation.
“The President is the embodiment of our collective will, the guardian of our Constitution, and the protector of our rights and freedoms,” Co mentioned.
“As citizens, we must appreciate the role it plays in shaping the present and future of our beloved Philippines,” Co added. —KG, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
