Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 30) — The bicameral conference committee is eyeing the restoration of the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s (DICT) confidential funds to help fight cybercrime, Senator Sonny Angara said on Thursday.
Angara, chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, told reporters that the panel will still be consulting Senator Grace Poe, who sponsored DICT’s proposed budget, on how much confidential funds will be restored.
He said he will discuss with House Committee on Appropriations chair Elizaldy Co. DICT’s appeal for the restoration of at least a portion of the department’s confidential fund to increase cyber security.
“Alam natin minsan ang giyera hindi nasa battlefield, “ he said. “Hindi na barilan, kundi someone can disable your cyber networks”
[We know that war is sometimes not fought in the battlefield. It’s not a shooting war, but someone can disable your cyber networks]
Such disruptions can cripple consumers who transact online and “our economy will come to a halt,” he added.
In October, a small committee at the House of Representatives unanimously decided not to give confidential funds to some civilian agencies, including DICT, in the 2024 budget bill and realign them instead to those focused on national security.
Asked if there is a chance that the bicam panel will restore slashed secret funds of other civil agencies, including the controversial request of the Office of the Vice President, Angara said none have come up so far.
He said the vice president is still set on not pursuing the office’s realigned ₱500-million confidential funds for its budget next year.
READ: Sara Duterte withdraws request for ₱650M in secret funds
Meanwhile, Angara and Co said they will also tackle the proposed ₱30 billion funding for PUV modernization subsidy.
Angara said the panel aims to ratify the national budget before Congress goes on its holiday break mid-December.
