At A Glance
- House Committee of Appropriations Chairman Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zalday Co foresees smooth sailing between House members and senators once the bicameral committee hearing on the proposed 2024 national budget begins.
Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co (Rep. Co's office)
House Committee of Appropriations Chairman Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zalday Co foresees smooth sailing between House members and senators once the bicameral committee hearing on the proposed 2024 national budget begins.
This, after Co welcomed reported consensus among senators to remove confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) from civilian agencies.
“This jibes with or is a vindication of the decision of the House of Representatives to realign those appropriations. With such consensus, we foresee a smooth bicameral conference on the 2024 budget,” he said.
The P5.768-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2024 is currently being scrutinized in the Senate.
The House has already passed the budget measure on third and final reading last Sept. 27. Once the Senate does the same, then it's off to the bicameral conference committee.
Co said the reported agreement of senators to strip civilian agencies of CIFs would expedite the approval of next year’s spending program.
The House earlier realigned CIFs of civilian offices, including the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd), to agencies that deal with national security and protection of the country’s interests in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
The senators’ consensus to deprive civilian offices of CIF appropriations was reached in a caucus early this week.
There had been speculations beforehand that some members of the Senate were proposing the restoration of some CIFs.