Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 3) — The Marcos administration is actually looking to secure some ₱10.14 billion in confidential and intelligence funds for next year, higher than earlier reported by the budget chief.
Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman initially said the proposed 2024 spending has earmarked ₱9.2 billion in confidential and intelligence funds.
But a document uploaded on the budget department website showed that ₱5.27 billion is allotted for intelligence expenses, while ₱4.86 billion is for confidential expenses.
“This is across all agencies… I think the amount is the same as the 2023 level, almost the same,” she said during a briefing on Wednesday.
Pangandaman said the bulk or ₱4.5 billion of the proposed funds is to be allocated for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s office.
The Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, both under Vice President Sara Duterte, have allocations reaching ₱500 million and ₱150 million, respectively.
For the Department of National Defense, the executive branch has set aside ₱1.7 billion.
Pangandaman gave assurance that guidelines from the Commission on Audit (COA) are in place for the use of these confidential and intelligence funds.
“Hindi siya budget na pagkabigay, they can actually disburse and use it,” she explained. “Mayroong dokumento na sina-submit sa COA at may breakdown din ‘yan when we request the budget.”
[Translation: It is not a budget that once provided, they can actually disburse and use it. There is a document that is submitted to the COA and there’s also a breakdown when we request the budget.]
On Wednesday, the Department of Budget and Management formally submitted to the House of Representatives the proposed 2024 national budget.
READ: Romualdez wants swift passage of 2024 budget
In a separate briefing on Thursday, Pangandaman confirmed that there is a ₱120-million increase in confidential and intelligence funds for 2024.
The additional funds are alloted for the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the Anti-Money Laundering Council, and the Presidential Security Group (PSG).
The increase for the DICT would cover cyber programs, which the official said is necessary as the country shifts to digitalization.
The PSG, on the other hand, would use the additional budget for intelligence activities when Marcos travels abroad.
