OP's proposed P10.5-B budget for 2025 hurdles House panel

The House Committee on Appropriations on Monday terminated the deliberations on the proposed P10.5-billion budget of the Office of the President (OP) for fiscal year 2025 in less than an hour. 

After Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and OP Deputy Executive Secretary for Finance and Administration Amante Liberato presented the breakdown of the office’s proposed budget for next year, Abra Representative Ching Bernos moved to terminate the budget hearing to extend parliamentary courtesy “in recognition of its distinguished role and significance in government.”

Makabayan bloc lawmakers France Castro of ACT Teachers party-list, Arlene Brosas of Gabriela party-list, and Raoul Manuel of Kabataan party-list objected and were later on given a two-minute manifestation.

“Mr. Chair, nandiyan ang Office of the President [is there] to supposedly set the tone regarding the protection of the rights of people. When we say rights, kasama po diyan an [this includes] economic rights ng taumbayan [of the people], commitments para taasan ang sahod ng ating manggagawa [to increase the workers’ salary], and of course civil and political rights,” Manuel said. 

“While the current administration seeks to distinguish itself na hindi na raw era ng kadiliman sa ngayon [that it’s no longer the era of darkness now], pero [but] the actual experiences of the Filipino people say otherwise at ‘yun sana ang gusto nating matanong [and that’s what we want to ask],” he added. 

Meanwhile, Brosas and Castro manifested that they should be able to ask questions to the OP, too, like what House members did to the Office of the Vice President during its own budget deliberations. 

“Isinalang nga natin ang Office of the Vice President dito tapos ngayon nagbibigay ng courtesy sa Office of the President. Double standard ito — nade-deprive ang mga mamamayang Pilipino na malaman paano ginastos ng Presidente, na pinakamataas na opisyal sa Pilipinas, ang kanyang pondo. Nakakabahala ito dahil maraming tanong ang taumbayan,” Brosas said. 

(We scrutinized the proposed budget of the Office of the Vice President, but now we are extending courtesy to the Office of the President. This is double standard — the Filipino people are being deprived of knowing how the President, who is the highest official in the Philippines, spent his funds. This is worrying because the people have many questions.) 

Budget sponsor Rep. Toby Tiangco thanked the Makabayan members, saying that their questions will be answered by the OP during the plenary sessions that will start on September 16. 

House Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin proceeded to put forward the motion to suspend the budget briefing, which was approved. —KBK, GMA Integrated News