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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Ahead of bicam, Co says confidential fund realignments in 2024 budget a 'done deal'

Ahead of bicam, Co says confidential fund realignments in 2024 budget a 'done deal'

Published Oct 11, 2023 07:17 am

At A Glance

  • House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co has expressed confidence that the realignments to the confidential funds would be adopted in the bicameral conference committee meeting on the proposed 2024 national budget. 

20231010_141849.jpgAko Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

 

 

 

 

 

 

House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co has expressed confidence that the realignments to the confidential funds would be adopted in the bicameral conference committee meeting on the proposed 2024 national budget. 

This, after the "small committee" in the House of Representatives announced on Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 10 that P1.23 billion worth of confidential funds will be realignment in the P5.768-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB), or proposed budget for next year. 

"Noong nag-announce kami ng we’ll realign the confidential fund, nag-agree kaagad, nag bow-down kaagad ang Senate (When we announced that we’ll realign the confidential fund, the Senate immediately agreed, it bowed down immediately)," Co, a member of the small committee, said in a press conference. 

"First time po ‘yan na sabi ng Senate (It's the first time the Senate said it) we’ll follow what the House said, and Senator Risa [Hontiveros] nabasa ko pa, na (I read that she said) 'We will follow our colleague,'" the Bicolano said. 

"That’s their decision, so parang (so it's like) I think it’s already a done deal," he added. 

Stripped of P1.23 billion in confidential funds under next year's GAB are the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Departments of Education (DepEd), Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Agriculture (DA) and Foreign Affairs (DFA). 

The money was reallocated to the following frontline agencies in charge of monitoring and protecting the country’s territorial rights in the West Philippine Sea (WPS): P300 million to National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), P100 million to the National Security Council (NSC), P200 million to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) for intelligence activities and ammunition, and P381.8 million to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for the development/ expansion of Pag-asa Island Airport. 

The bicam is where the House and the Senate irons out the conflicting provisions of the two versions of the budget measure. 

The House approved the 2024 GAB on third and final reading last Sept. 27. 

Co said the House will submit the approved GAB to the Senate by Oct. 25. "By Oct. 25 we’ll submit it to the Senate. In two weeks time, the budget will be printed," he said. 

 

Related Tags

general appropriations bill Ako Bicol party-list bicameral conference committee Confidential funds zaldy co
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