Senate conducts deliberations on proposed 2024 national budget
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00:00 In the kickoff of deliberations on the 2024 budget at the Senate today,
00:04 the issue of confidential and intelligence funds for the vice president's office that the House
00:09 has thumbed down marred today's proceedings with an eye-opening revelation. One senator spilled
00:15 the beans on a reportedly untrue leakage of executive session discussions that our Daniel
00:20 Manalistas fills us in with more. Senate deliberations on the 2024 proposed national
00:28 budget just barely began when the Senate minority didn't waste time and took the chance to ask
00:34 questions on the issue of confidential and intelligence funds. Perhaps there may be an
00:40 exception to the exception or an exception to your proposal in just in case that there are
00:46 emergencies because I think there have been occasions in the past where they found the need
00:53 to supplement the security agencies not just the civilian agencies. And this representation would
00:59 have no quarrel with that Mr. Chair. But definitely, the amendment at the proper time
01:08 will not pertain to security agencies that have clear national defense and public safety
01:14 mandates and expertise. Yesterday it was a tense plenary session when Senator Gingoya Estrada
01:20 alleged someone leaked information in the Senate's executive session on Monday. Estrada revealed the
01:26 item was taken up in a news article alleging eight to nine senators wanted to restore the
01:32 confidential funds of the office of the vice president in the Department of Education. The
01:38 senator quickly pushed back and insisted there was no Senate vote yet on the CIF. I do not know
01:46 who of our colleagues who scooped or leaked our conversation to this media outlet.
01:55 I stood here because my brain is very bad. I really felt insulted and I think my other
02:03 colleagues here also felt the same way. Estrada suggested to summon the media outlet to come
02:09 clean on who leaked the alleged information and if they choose to refuse to tell the truth.
02:15 We will put them in jail if they refuse to tell the truth.
02:18 Mr. President, this is not a laughing matter. This is serious. People, Filipino people are
02:27 watching us right now. They say the Senate is like that now. Is it not a matter of trust?
02:32 They are the ones talking. They will leak to the media. It's very dangerous, Mr. President.
02:38 Very dangerous. I am very dismayed.
02:42 I think yesterday, because of the executive session, it suddenly leaked. The leak was wrong.
02:49 Many are angry. Why is their name there? I am annoyed because my name is not included.
02:57 That's why each and every scene in the leak is wrong. I think the Senate has not talked yet.
03:08 Let's wait.
03:11 Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri meanwhile revealed during the budget deliberations
03:16 of certain Japanese companies who expressed concern over the issue of tax refunds or rebates,
03:23 which he took up with the Japanese Prime Minister over the weekend.
03:27 I was seated beside the cabinet minister of the Prime Minister. Basically, he's the
03:31 ES of the Prime Minister. And we talked for a long time about the problem of VAT refund wherein
03:39 the previous administration, obviously, when you buy, for example, when you build,
03:44 when the Japanese companies that are manufacturing here buy from local producers certain goods,
03:50 and these goods are exported anyways together with your products.
03:54 The last administration, your honors, made it clear that they will pay VAT first and then
04:04 it will refund upon export. The problem is that our government does not pay VAT refund.
04:10 Senator Sani Angara, the budget sponsor, meanwhile addressed the problem.
04:17 I was told they have 90 days to pay and the secretary said they will pay it. But according to
04:21 the commissioner of the BIR, there are some instances where it's already in the courts. So
04:29 in that case, they have to wait for the final decision for those in the courts. But for those
04:34 that are due and demandable, they have 90 days to pay that. They promise to pay by the end of the
04:40 year. Daniel Manalastas for The Nation.