The Senate finance sub-committee A has decided to approve the proposed budgets of the country’s top two intelligence bodies - National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) and National Security Council (NSC) - and forward them to the Senate plenary session for deliberations.

The approval followed closed door sessions between the Senate sub-committee chaired by Senator Juan Edgardo ‘’Sonny’’ M. Angara and Ricardo De Leon, NICA director general; and Clarita R. Carlos Ph. D., NSC adviser and Director General.

According to the government’s National Expenditure Program (NEP), the proposed 2023 budget of the NICA is P1.058 billion. For NSC, the proposed budget is P343 million.

Asked if there were increases in the annual budgets of NICA and NSC, Angara said: ‘’For the last four years, the Senate has increased the budgets of our two intelligence agencies in recognition of the critical role they play in securing our country.’’

At the start of the scheduled noon public hearing, de Leon asked for a executive session (closed door) because of some sensitive issues.

Asked what this meant, Angara later told Senate reporters that they wanted to talk on how their budgets were spent.

The utilization rate, according to Angara, is 60 to 70 percent. He did not say whether this rate applies to the two agencies.

He said that the requested additional budget was for the strengthening of the institutions, maintenance and other operational expenses (MOOE), acquisition of equipment and vehicles.

During a recent House appropriations committee hearing, Carlos had stated that the government has no policy that seeks to red-tag any group in the country.

Moreover, Carlos acknowledged, through Committee vice chairwoman and Negros Occidental Rep. Mercedes Alvarez, that on June 20, 2022, she issued a statement asserting that red-tagging is counter-productive and should be discontinued.