House strips Sara of confidential fund

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte and the Department of Education (DepEd) which she heads will not have confidential funds next year as lawmakers decided to realign the amount – totaling P650 million – in the 2024 national budget that the House of Representatives approved in record speed yesterday.

The House appropriations committee declared late Wednesday that confidential funds sought by the Office of the Vice President and the DepEd have been realigned to agencies involved in intelligence work.

“As discussed, we will realign the confidential funds of various civilian agencies. Now is the time to give our intelligence community the means to perform their duties, especially in these pressing times when we’re facing serious concerns in the West Philippine Sea,” committee chairman Rep. Zaldy Co said.

Duterte enjoyed large confidential funds – reaching up to P460 million a year – even during her stint as Davao City mayor, based on reports of the Commission on Audit (COA).

“The country’s safety and security are of paramount importance. To protect our territorial integrity from external threats, Congress is giving top priority to agencies directly in charge protecting the country’s safety and securing its borders,” the Ako Bicol party-list lawmaker added.

This was in line, he said, with the “unanimous decision” of all party heads in the House under the leadership of Speaker Martin Romualdez – to augment funding for the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, National Security Council, Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

“The CIFs from other departments and agencies will be realigned to the NSA, NICA, PCG and BFAR to boost the country’s monitoring and operational