00:01Malacanang seeks over P10.158 billion for 2027, with P4.58 billion or over half of the amount
00:09allocated for confidential expenses. That total amount is just over a third of its current 2026
00:14budget and over two-thirds of its 2025 budget. Confidential and intelligence funds have been
00:20under the spotlight lately, especially in the context of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment
00:24trial. The proposed OPCIF for 2027 is slightly lower by a few million pesos than in 2026.
00:32The drop between 2026 and 2027 is due to spending for the Philippines Chairmanship of the Association
00:37of Southeast Asian Nations lodged under the Office of the President. This is also broken down based
00:43on the various agencies involved in the preparations related to hosting different meetings and the
00:47summits under the regional grouping. The 2025 budget had also included allocations for ASEAN
00:53chairmanship preparations. We're asking for less while remaining fully prepared to do more.
01:00Meantime, House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio points out over
01:05half of the OP's budget is for confidential expenses. Tinio and House Assistant Minority Leader Rene Co
01:11oppose observing parliamentary courtesy and not subject the OP budget to scrutiny.
01:16They cite public interest in the use of public, including confidential funds.
Comments