PCG, IACAT, others got add'l budget in Senate version of 2025 GAB —Hontiveros

The Senate has approved additional budgets for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) under the P6.325-trillion proposed budget for 2025, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros said Thursday.

Speaking during the Kapihan sa Senado, Hontiveros said the PCG's budget was increasd by P100 million while IACAT's budget was hiked by P84.9 million.
 
"The final Senate version gave a P100-million additional intelligence fund for our Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). And to strengthen our fight against human trafficking, the Senate increased the budget of the IACAT by P84.9 million," Hontiveros said. 

Increasing IACAT's budget, according to Hontiveros, will be "a huge help in our fight to end POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) and other scams that victimize Filipinos here and abroad."

The proposed 2025 budget earmarked a P400-million intelligence fund for the PCG. IACAT, on the other hand, was initially allocated P69.2 million.

Hontiveros said the Senate also increased the budget for National Coordination Center Against Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children and Child Abuse and Exploitation Materials by P32.7 million.

The Center currently has a proposed budget of P18.7 million.

Hontiveros also the Sumbungan Board, which deals with the violations of the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law, also got an additional budget of P5 million for its operations.

“We will ensure that the 2025 budget will be benefit Filipinos and one that would prioritize their safety and health,” she said.

The lawmaker appealed to her colleagues to restore the P10-billion budget for the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines dubbed Horizon. 

“I really hope we can restore it because Horizon 2 is already lagging, and there are projects under Horizon 1 which are yet to be implemented. Horizon 2 focuses on the West Philippine Sea, and there are still a lot of programs which are yet to be fully implemented and yet we are transitioning to Horizon 3," she said.

“We need to catch up for us to have a credible defensive posture,” she added. 

The bicameral panel, composed of representatives from the Senate and House of Representatives, will soon meet to tackle differing versions of the approved proposed 2025 budget. —KBK, GMA Integrated News