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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Zubiri hopes PBBM won't veto proposed 2024 budget of DND, PCG

Zubiri hopes PBBM won't veto proposed 2024 budget of DND, PCG

Published Dec 17, 2023 08:19 am

Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri on Sunday, December 17 expressed hope President Marcos would not veto the final proposed budget of the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) that has been outlined in the proposed P5.768-trillion national budget for 2024.

Zubiri said Malacañang is now reviewing the national budget for 2024 and they would know next week if there are some line items in the budget that would be vetoed.

“I’m sure meron diyan, dahil every year nagkakaroon ng line item veto ang ating Pangulo, but I’m hoping na hindi mave-veto ang itinulak po namin (budget) sa DND at PCG (I’m sure there would be some items that would be vetoed, because the President usually makes a line item veto every year, but I’m hoping that he won’t veto the budget we are pursuing for the DND and the PCG),” Zubiri said in an interview on Radio DZBB.

Under the final version of the bicameral conference committee report on the proposed 2024 General Appropriations Bill (GAB), Congress increased the DND’s budget by P8.421-billion or from P229.934-billion to P238.356-billion and the PCG’s proposed budget from P25.775-billion to P29.420-billion.

Lawmakers had pushed for a higher budget for the DND, PCG and other security forces for them to effectively patrol the country’s vast territory, particularly the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Zubiri said there is clearly a need to strengthen the defense capabilities of the DND and the PCG as a means to thwart the harassment and bullying tactics of the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) in the WPS.

The PCG’s proposed budget, he said, aims to help the institution procure bigger vessels so they can thwart any deadly maneuvers being done by Chinese militia vessels.

“Yung PCG natin nakita niyo naman gaano kaliit compared sa barko ng China kaya kapag binabangga po tayo wala tayo nagagawa kaya papalakihin din natin ang barko ng ating PCG (You’ve seen our PCG’s vessels how small these are compared to the Chinese ships. That’s why we can’t do anything when they are harassed. So we aim to help the PCG acquire bigger vessels),” the Senate leader said.

“We will be giving better radar equipment kasama na po yan sa almost P8.6-b na idinagdag natin (that includes the P8.6-billion that we added). May maganda na po tayong radar equipment and marami po tayong matutulungan na mangingisda (We already have sophisticated radar equipment and we can help many fishermen with their livelihood),” he said.

Zubiri also lauded the collective decision of majority of the lawmakers to remove the confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) of civilian agencies under the 2024 budget bill.

Congress, in particular, removed the confidential funds under the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and Department of Education (DepEd) both of which are being managed by Vice President Sara Duterte.

Last Friday, December 15, Marcos said he will immediately sign into law the 2024 GAB once it reaches his office.

Related Tags

2024 national budget General Appropriations Bill migz zubiri President Marcos
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