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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Makabayan solon claims 'partial victory' on confidential funds issue

Makabayan solon claims 'partial victory' on confidential funds issue

Published Sep 29, 2023 05:30 am

At A Glance

  • House Deputy Minority leader and Makabayan bloc member ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro proclaimed "partial success" over the much-disputed issue of confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) in the propsosed 2024 national budget.

mari-gimenez-YrbGAeXFvCo-unsplash.jpg(Unsplash)

House Deputy Minority leader and Makabayan bloc member ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro proclaimed "partial success" over the much-disputed issue of confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) in the propsosed 2024 national budget.

“Sa tingin natin, ito ay parsyal na tagumpay ng Makabayan at taumbyan na talagang nagbantay dito sa budget hearing, kaugnay ng mga iba’t ibang isyu tungkol sa budget at lalo na itong CIF,” Castro said in a virtual press conference Friday, Sept. 29.

(We think that this is a partial victory for Makabayan and the people who really watched over the budget hearing, in relation to the issues about the budget, especially the CIF.)

This, after the House of Representatives leadership bared plans to reallocate proposed confidential funds into agencies overseeing the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Makabayan, in particular, wants the budget to be reallocated to the needs of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), specifically due to the insufficient number of vessels and equipment to patrol the sea.

However, Castro expressed concern about uncertainties surrounding the reallocation of confidential funds.

“Babantayan natin ito, dahil kahit sabi ng liderato ng Kongreso na sila ay nagkaka-iisa para ire-allocate ang mga budget na ito pero wala pa tayong nakikita na nakasulat kung papaano ‘to irere-allocate'," she said.

(We will keep an eye on this, because even though leaders in Congress say that they are in unison in allocating these budgets, we have not yet seen anything written on how it will be allocated.)

Castro said the three-member Makabayan bloc condemned the plan of initial reallocation of funds to the National Security Council (NSC), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), and the Department of National Defense (DND). This, in light of NSC’s recent issue on alleged violation of human rights.

“Hindi nararapat na dagdagan ito ng confidential funds, bagkus i-reallocate ito doon sa social services na ito ay auditable, na nakikita ng bayan kung papaano ito ginagastos,” the lawmaker added.

(It is not appropriate to increase their confidential funds, instead, it can be reallocated to social services that are auditable, that the public can see how it is being spent.)

Related Tags

act teachers party-list confidential and intelligence fund makabayan bloc Confidential funds FRANCE CASTRO
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