In the presence of the presidential son, the House Committee on Appropriations switfly terminated the budget deliberation on the proposed budget of the Office of the President (OP) for 2023.
At around seven minutes into the budget deliberations for the OP, Majority Floor Leader and Zamboanga City 2nd district Rep. Mannix Dalipe moved to terminate the hearing sans interpellation or questioning from congressmen.
"Parliamentary courtesy" was cited as the reason for the gesture--something that had taken place in the past whenever members of Congress (House representatives and senators) deal with the President's budget.
"By tradition descending from parliamentary courtesy to a co-equal branch in government, I move to terminate the budget briefing of the Office of the President," Dalipe motioned on Friday morning, Sept. 2, during the panel hearing. His motion was promptly carried.
The OP's budget under the 2023 National Expenditure Program (NEP) is P9.031 billion. The NEP is the precursor of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB).
Senior Deputy Majority Leader, Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos sat beside Dalipe. Also present was House Speaker Martin Romualdez, a cousin of the President.
It should be noted that "termination" of the budget hearing at the panel level doesn’t equate to its approval; the OP's allocation and that of the other agencies can still be questioned by House members during the plenary debates on the eventual GAB.
The early termination merely allowed the contingent from Malacañang led by Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez to leave early.
Committee on Appropriations Chairman Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co presided over the budget hearing.
"The House Committee graciously acknowledges the commitment of the Office of the President proper, honoring the constitutional mandate to the co-equal branch of the government," Co began in his opening remarks.
"The constitution vests the President and the executive power and tasks him to ensure that laws that we pass in Congress, including our General Appropriations act (GAA) are faithfully executed," he said.
"The extraordinary burden of ensuring the survival of the republic which includes economic recovery lies on the shoulders of the President," added Co. Dalipe made the motion after Co's speech.
Rodriguez did not get an opportunity to deliver a presentation on the proposed budget of the OP. Instead, he expressed his gratitude to the panel after the suspension of the hearing.
"Thank you for supporting the proposed 2023 budget of the Office of the President. In line with the express instruction of His Excellency President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., you can be assured that the Office of the President is here together with you, your honors, in meeting the expectation and hopes of the more than 112 million Filipinos, which the President now leads, founded on a solid foundation of 31.5 million votes more or less in promoting the people's welfare and upholding the interests of the nation," Rodriguez manifested.
Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan was also present. He did not object to the proceedings.
It is traditionally the role of the minority bloc members to closely scrutinize--if not criticize--items in the budget.
Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel interjected that he would raise in plenary his comments on confidential and intelligence funds, as well as the fund for the Oversight on National Security Program.