Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 19) — Sen. JV Ejercito said the Senate is confident that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will not veto the provisions in the proposed ₱5.76-trillion national budget for 2024 that will increase unprogrammed funds, which a minority senator flagged as “unconstitutional.”
“Confident naman kami na wala na siguro mave-veto [We’re confident that nothing will be vetoed],” said Ejercito, vice chairperson of the Senate finance committee. “‘Yong [The] controversial funds, like confidential and intelligence funds, [are] now solely allotted to national security agencies.”
When asked if they were assured that the unprogrammed funds would not be vetoed, Ejercito said the chamber \”trust[s] the executive.\”
“We trust the president and his discretion, that’s his authority. We’ll see tomorrow kung ano ang final [what will be the final],” he said.
Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel has claimed that the ₱450-billion hike made by the bicameral conference committee to unprogrammed appropriations is “unconstitutional.”
READ: Pimentel: 2024 budget actually ₱6T after ‘unconstitutional’ hike in unprogrammed appropriations
Sen. Sonny Angara, finance panel chairperson, earlier told CNN Philippines that while unprogrammed appropriations were increased, this will still depend on the government’s revenue or tax collections. Standby appropriations can only be implemented if the income will be higher than expected, he noted.
Ejercito called on departments and agencies to prioritize programs \”that would have more impact\” once they had the extra budget to implement those listed under the unprogrammed funds.
“‘Yong unprogrammed funds talagang dapat ding bantayan [The unprogrammed funds should also be monitored], that’s why we made sure that it will be all itemized para walang duda just like other special purpose funds or CIF,” he also said.
