Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda on Friday, September 30 approved the proposed 2023 P20.304 billion budget of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in the amount of P20.304-billion.
The approval followed a four-hour briefing, and a question and answer routine between senators and DFA officials led by Secretary Enrique Manalo whose appointment as DFA secretary was approved this week by the bicameral Commission on Appointment (CA).
The hearing was presided by Legarda as chairwoman of the Senate finance sub-committee D.
It had its lighter moment when Senator Robinhood ‘’Robin’’ C. Padilla did not take kindly a supposed ‘’smirk’’ by a DFA official on DFA’s P29 million fund aimed at informing the citizenry on what the 2016 United Nations Arbitral ruling meant to the people.
The UN Arbitral ruling favored the Philippines’ petition for recognition of its claim over the West Philippine.Sea and rejected China’s historical claim over most parts of the South China Sea.
Senator Alan Peter S. Cayetano, a former DFA secretary, defended the DFA official saying the official usually smiles, particularly after having overcome a Covid-19 infection. Such smile should not be mistaken as a ‘’smirk,’’ he added.
Legarda, in her opening statement, assured DFA officials of her full support in strengthening the nation’s foreign relations amid challenges awaiting the country.
The Senate leader applauded the agency’s effort to promote the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and develop strong international ties amid challenges.
“It is important not only to project a stronger image in the international community for our country, but also to facilitate trade and commerce, and cultural, and diplomatic relations but also for meeting the needs of our kababayans (countrymen) here at home and abroad,” Legarda said.
‘’So, today, as your senior vice chairperson of the Senate committee on finance, we once again stand before you as an ally and as a friend. I have always been, and will always be, a partner of the DFA. Former Speaker and now Senator once again, Alan Cayetano, when he was DFA secretary, I think fondly called me the “ninang” of the DFA – even at the time of Secretary Teddy Locsin because really, it was during our time that... there are many challenges but we were able to provide the support for this, which the current chairman also does, Senator (Juan Edgardo M) Angara,’she pointed out.
‘’Of course, it is important not only to project a stronger image in the international community for our country, but also to facilitate trade and commerce, and cultural, and diplomatic relations but also for meeting the needs of our kababayans here at home and abroad,’’ she added.
‘’We need to work together if we are to strengthen the position of the Philippines in the international community. We must continue to work for progress, nation-building, and the faithful adherence to the pillars of Philippine foreign policy,’’ she stressed.
The DFA’s proposed budget is equivalent to only 0.39 percent of the proposed 2023 national budget of P5.268-trillion.
Out of this amount, P20.175 billion will be allocated to the DFA-Office of the Secretary, while P128.793 million will be allotted to its attached agencies. The 2023 proposed budget is lower than the 2022 budget of P 21.54 billion.
Manalo had said the reduction in DFA’s proposed budget would affect their operations.
DFA Undersecretary Antonio Morales said increasing its 2023 budget would fortify the capacity of DFA to better serve Filipinos here and abroad, especially for the 10-million strong diaspora. Likewise, it would also allow DFA to respond to the increasing demand for consular services.
As such, the DFA requested the favorable consideration of the Tier 2 proposals. These are: 1) to restore the budget cuts in the consular operations. 2) to increase the budget for salary of local hires to meet the actual requirements of foreign service posts; 3) operation of 20 temporary on-site passport services (TOPS); 4) to increase in the approved fiscal year 2023 building fund; and 5) budget for a newly-established office of civilian security (OCS).