The bicameral conference committee has approved the reconciled versions of the Senate and House of Representatives on the proposed P5.268-trillion national budget for 2023.

Both houses of Congress are expected to ratify the budget measure later in the afternoon, Sen. Sonny Angara, chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, said.

According to Angara, the budget for education, particularly for the state universities and college was increased under the reconciled version of the 2023 General Appropriations Bill (GAB).

Angara said among the provisions agreed by the bicameral panel was the restoration of the proposed P150-million confidential fund for the Department of Education (DepEd).

The DepEd’s confidential and intelligence fund (CIF) was initially slashed down by the Senate to P30-million.

Angara also said some foreign-assisted projects were put under unprogrammed funds.

“The targeted ayuda (financial assistance) programs is still there. In fact, most of them were given additional funding—especially the emergency employment under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE),” he said.

Angara also said the reconciled version of the 2023 national budget also ensured there is funding for the assistance to individuals in crisis situations under the Department of Social Weflare and Development (DSWD), free college tuition. PhilHealth subsidy and assistance for indigent patients in government hospitals.

Rep. Zaldy Co, House appropriations chair, said the decision of the House to restore the proposed P150-million of the CIFs for the DepEd was upheld.

“That's the decision of the House kasi mahirap na ang mga kabataan natin nare-recruit sa maling mapuntang landas (because we don’t want our youth to be recruited by leftist groups and go astray),” Co said.

“We want the DepEd...to secure the future of our children,” he said.