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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Ang daming nakiuso': Garin pinpoints when confidential funds in gov't began to balloon

'Ang daming nakiuso': Garin pinpoints when confidential funds in gov't began to balloon

Published Oct 3, 2023 11:01 am

At A Glance

  • House Committee of Appropriations Vice Chairperson Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin said that requests for confidential funds should not be abused by government agencies. 

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House Committee of Appropriations Vice Chairperson Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin said that requests for confidential funds should not be abused by government agencies.

Garin, deputy majority leader, had this to say as she noted that the number of agencies asking for confidential funds has increased through the years, from just 16 agencies in 2012 to 28 agencies in 2024.

“Ang daming nakiuso at naabuso na rin (A lot have joined the fad and abused it too)… If we look at the historical data, the jump started in 2017,” she said in an ANC interview Monday, Oct. 2.

As appropriations panel vice chairperson, Garin submitted proposed amendments to the "small committee" that was formed by the House leadership last Sept. 27 or the day the P5.768-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2024 was passed on third and final reading.

The lawmaker underscored the urgency of reallocating confidential funds within agencies like the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Office of Transportation Security (OTS), and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG).

She emphasized the critical need to redirect these funds towards anti-smuggling campaigns, while also supporting the essential activities of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), safeguarding the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and our invaluable fishing grounds.

The lady lawmaker also mentioned that the total confidential fund in 2016 was P720 million and escalated in 2017 to P2.07 billion and it doubled in 2020, amounting to P4.57 billion.

“Tumaas nang tumaas ang confidential fund pero ngayon ang nakikita natin, tila hindi siya napunta sa mga tamang ahensya na dapat taasan (Confidential funds are rising in amount but now we can see that it is not going to right agencies)— if we are talking about national security,” she said.

Garin said that an agency may only avail of confidential funds if such is justified and proven necessary.

Under the special provision of 2022 national budget, confidential funds are lump sum amounts for expenses related to “surveillance activities in civilian government agencies” to support their mandate or operations.

Related Tags

Janette Garin Confidential funds
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