Bersamin: OP asked for additional P5.2B for PH hosting of ASEAN in 2026

The Office of the President's budget for fiscal year 2025 was increased as it asked for supplemental funds for the Philippines' hosting of the ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in 2026. 

This was disclosed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin at a Palace press briefing Monday after President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. signed into law the P6.326 trillion budget for 2025.

''Yes, as far as the budget of OP is concerned, 'yung NEP was followed pero dinagdagan ng P5.2 billion kasi may nangyari noong (2024), 'yung ASEAN 2026 would have been done in Myanmar pero biglang umayaw ang Myanmar kasi walang may gustong pumunta roon na heads of states. You know the problem in Myanmar,'' Bersamin said.

(The NEP was followed but P5.2 billion was added due to ASEAN 2026. Myanmar refused to host ASEAN as heads of states do not want to go there. You know the problem in Myanmar.)

''So komo alphabetical 'yung sequence ng paghohold ng ASEAN, letter P Philippines, next... inako ni Presidente 'yan kasi hindi maaaring payagan natin na walang ASEAN. That's a very important part of our international relations,'' he added.

(Because the sequence is alphabetical, Philippines is next. Our President agreed to host ASEAN because we could not allow it not to happen. That's a very important part of our international relations.)

According to Bersamin, the government's preparations for the ASEAN in 2026 will begin this 2025. 

''After the submission of the NEP, humingi kami sa Congress (we asked Congress) ng supplemental fund in addition to what we proposed for the OP sa NEP to the tune of P5.2 billion for 2025,'' Bersamin said. 

The OP had proposed P10,506,201,000-budget for next year, which is 1.88% lower than the budget in fiscal year 2024.

Bersamin had said the OP budget could ''sufficiently accommodate the logistical requirements of honoring invitations from foreign leaders to visit their countries as well as to carry out diplomatic initiatives which would yield job creating investments that will hasten support to our post-pandemic economic recovery.''—AOL, GMA Integrated News