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Gibo defends proposed DND budget: I hope our legislators will understand our plight
Gibo defends proposed DND budget: I hope our legislators will understand our plight
Department of National Defense (DND) Sec. Gilberto Teodoro Jr. defended the DND's proposed budget for 2024, saying that a big chunk of it is allotted for the modernization program of the Armed forces of the Philippines (AFP) amid the continued security challenges in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
The DND is seeking for a P229.9 billion budget for next year. This is bigger compared to the P203.4 billion budget by the DND this 2023, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
Of the proposed budget, a total of P115 billion would be allotted for the revised AFP modernization program which is now on its third horizon but only P50 billion was reportedly approved during the budget deliberation of the House of Representatives last week.
“I hope and I feel our legislators will understand our plight and that they will try their level best to make things better for the defense establishment together with our farmers, energy security, social services, education and the like,” Teodoro said.
According to reports, Senate Pres. Juan Miguel Zubiri promised to increase the budget allotted for the DND, particularly the Philippine Navy (PN), and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) for them to have a bigger allocation for their respective confidential and intelligence funds.
For Teodoro, among the reasons why they need a bigger budget is for the maintenance of the ships by the Philippine Navy (PN) for its continued use in patrolling the country’s territory, including the WPS.
“Nasa House na ‘yan. Binigay natin ang requirements natin kung paano balansehin ito (It’s up to the House [of Representatives). We already submitted our requirements on how we will balance it),” Teodoro said.
But the defense chief said he would not want to preempt the decision of the lawmakers on whether or not they would want to increase the budget allocation for the DND.
“It would be discourteous of me to be confident [of increasing the budget] or whatnot,” he said.
He said he’s just happy that both chambers of the Congress are supportive of the DND’s initiatives to strengthen the country’s defense capabilities.
“Nagpapasalamat kami sa suporta ng House at ng Senado sa pag-iintindi ng mga requirements natin pangkinabukasan at continuous requirements (We thank the House and Senate for their support and for understanding our continuous requirements for the future),” Teodoro added.