(MANILA BULLETIN)

The planned realignment of confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) in the P5.768-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) isn't solely for the purpose of addressing the West Philippine Sea (WPS) issue. 

Committee on Appropriations Senior Vice Chairperson Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Stella Quimbo made this revelation Friday, Sept. 29, or two days after the CIF reallocation was first announced. 

"So of course while we reduce the funds of some, syempre kailangang i-allocate natin to those that need more [funds] at naka-indicate na nga po sa statement ng ating party leaders ang priority natin is to beef up the guardians of the [WPS]," Quimbo said. 

(Of course we need to allocate it to those that need more funds and it is indicated in our party leaders' statement that put priority is to beef up the guardians of the WPS.) 

"So that’s one and hindi lang po doon sa pangangailangan ng confidential funds sa ilang mga ahensya for that purpose but also posible rin pong dagdag sa mga ilang other programs na nagkulang din sa pondo sa NEP 2024," she added. 

(It's not only for that need that the confidential funds of some agencies would be used for that purpose, but its also possible to be used in the augmentation of programs that were short on funds in the NEP 2024.) 

The National Expenditure Program or NEP is the precursor to the GAB or proposed national budget. The NEP is prepared annually by Malacañang. 

On Wednesday morning, Sept. 27, House leaders representing the various big political parties came out with a joint statement revealing their "collective decision" to reallocate the CIFs of civilian agencies to agencies that have to do intelligence and security in a bid to address the "escalating threats in the West Philippine Sea". 

The House approved the 2024 GAB on third and final reading during plenary session Wednesday night. 

CIFs under the 2024 NEP submitted to the House totaled P9.2 billion. The confidential funds amount to P4.3 billion, while the intelligence funds are at P4.9 billion.  

So far, the appropriations panel has identified for realignment the P650-million confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and Department of Education (DepEd) in the 2024 GAB.  

Both offices are under Vice President Sara Duterte.