Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 1O) — The Office of the President (OP) spent ₱4.5 billion in confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) last year, according to the Commission on Audit (COA).
Based on COA’s 2022 Annual Financial Report on national government agencies, the OP’s confidential expenses comprised 61% of the total disbursement at ₱2.25 billion.
It also disbursed ₱2.25 billion in intelligence funds which is almost 40% of the total.
For other executive offices, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) had the highest confidential fund disbursement at ₱500 million followed by the National Security Council with ₱182 million.
The justice department’s Office of the Secretary spent ₱150.5 million, while the National Bureau of Investigation spent ₱141.5 million in confidential funds.
The Department of National Defense only spent ₱37.4 million in confidential funds but disbursed ₱1.7 billion in intelligence funds.
The Department of Interior and Local Government spent ₱1.1 billion in intelligence funds.
Confidential expenses are used for surveillance while intelligence funds are spent on activities related to gathering information mostly by uniformed personnel.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives reported the highest expenditure on extraordinary and miscellaneous expenses at ₱4.9 billion.
These cover expenses on meetings, seminars, public relations, subscription to books and magazines, among others.
