No secret funds for civilian agencies in bicam's final version of 2024 budget

CNN Philippines

The proposed 5.7 trillion peso budget for 2024 now awaits President Marcos' signature after congress ratified the bicam report. Eimor Santos tells us more.   Visit our website for more #NewsYouCanTrust: https://www.cnnphilippines.com/  Follow our social media pages:  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CNNPhilippines • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cnnphilippines/ • Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines

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00:00 As promised, lawmakers did not restore the Confidential and Intelligence Funds or CIF

00:08 that they stripped from various civilian agencies,

00:11 including that of the Office of the Vice President and Education Department.

00:15 We did not return it and we sustained the will of our fellowmen to avoid this confidential controversial fund.

00:27 Some members of the Bicameral Conference Committee initially planned to give CIF

00:32 to the Department of Information and Communications Technology.

00:36 But House Appropriations Committee Chairman Zaldicoe, who led the House contingent,

00:41 says this did not happen.

00:43 The DICT only talked about cyber hacking.

00:46 Instead of the Confidential Fund, we gave it to the MOOE for transparency, so that there will be a receipt.

00:54 In the reconciled version of the budget bill,

00:57 P9.5 billion pesos are allotted for CIF, or 0.02% of the P5.768 trillion national budget.

01:07 More than P8 billion pesos are added to the Department of National Defense

01:12 and almost P4 billion pesos to the Philippine Coast Guard.

01:16 According to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sonny Angara, head of the Senate contingent,

01:21 he and Koh met until late night on Sunday to resolve 16 contentious provisions.

01:27 It was impasse but eventually it was settled. I think it was a little give and take.

01:32 He says the House accepted the provision prohibiting the use of contingent fund for confidential and intelligence expenses,

01:39 like what happened last year when the Office of the President released P125 million pesos to the OVP.

01:47 Senator Rizo Ontiveros, who introduced the provision, says the congressman made some changes,

01:53 effectively allowing the transfer for extreme circumstances.

01:57 Something like unless certified, urgently certified by the President.

02:01 There is a condition that it should be tightened because there is an extreme necessity.

02:07 There is a little back and forth, but I think they understood.

02:11 Ontiveros hopes it's the beginning of more stringent rules to ensure that CIFs will only go to agencies involved in defense and security.

02:21 After the Senate and House's ratification, the General Appropriations Bill will be sent to President Marcos,

02:27 who will sign the 2024 budget into law.

02:30 Amor Santos, CNN, Philippines.

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