WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
It’s budget season again, and Congress has the annual herculean task of scrutinizing the spending plan of the current administration.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s economic managers are asking the legislative branch to approve the proposed P5.768-trillion budget for 2024, higher by 9.5% compared to this year’s P5.268-trillion budget.
The House of Representatives will evaluate the proposal through various committee hearings and plenary sessions scheduled from August to September, aiming to pass the budget before it goes on break in October. The Senate will subsequently hold its own hearings.
Follow the budget debates in Congress through this live blog.
LATEST UPDATES
Raoul Manuel questions Marcos’ certification of 2024 budget as urgent
Later, he called out the majority, then Rep. Caraps Paduano moved to strike his statement. #BudgetWatch #PeraNgBayan | via @newsdwight
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) September 27, 2023
When a bill is certified as urgent, the House is given the power to pass the measure on second and third reading on the same day, bypassing a constitutional requirement that a bill must undergo three readings on three separate days. #BudgetWatch #PeraNgBayan | via @newsdwight
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) September 27, 2023
Lagman wanted to say he voted yes with reservations, and that he would like to explain it after everyone's names have been called. #BudgetWatch #PeraNgBayan | via @newsdwight
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) September 27, 2023
Lagman said that while he sympathizes with Rep. Manuel who questioned Marcos' move to certify as urgent the proposed budget. He noted that the Supreme Court already ruled that the President has sole discretion on issuing such certifications. #BudgetWatch #PeraNgBayan | via…
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) September 27, 2023
House approves proposed 2024 budget on final reading
FULL STORY: https://t.co/Ay6qMiD0Oc
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) September 27, 2023
VP Duterte faces House plenary for proposed 2024 budget of OVP, DepEd
NOW: Today's the day that Vice President Sara Duterte answers lingering questions on confidential funds, as the House plenary tackles the proposed 2024 budget of the OVP and DepEd. Follow this thread for live updates. @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/F4jQ6YstP3
— Dwight De Leon (@newsdwight) September 27, 2023
Youth lawmaker: Filipinos should not pay for ‘revenge travel’ of Marcos
“Two years in a row na ito nangyari [F1 attendance], and the First Lady is proud of the President’s attendance this year! Kung proud sila, huwag nilang ikahiya. Mas malaki pa ang investment sa bansa noong pandemic. This implies na hindi naman pag-attract ng investors ang layunin ng travels ng Pangulo. Filipinos should not pay for the revenge travel of our top officials,” Kabataan Representative Raoul Manuel said during deliberations on the Office of the President’s proposed 2024 budget.
He was referring to President Marcos’ travel expenses and his annual Singapore trips for the F1 race since he became president.
Read more.
THREAD: Deliberations on DENR’s proposed 2024 budget
NOW: DENR’s 2024 proposed budget is now the subject of House plenary debates. #BudgetWatch #PeraNgBayan | via @iyagozum pic.twitter.com/t6dBk4gtee
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) September 26, 2023
Kabataan Representative Raoul Manuel presses OP on Marcos’ Singapore trips
A big day today in the House, as the chamber tackles proposed budgets of OP and OVP.
— Dwight De Leon (@newsdwight) September 26, 2023
Here's Rep. Raoul Manuel pressing Rep. Erwin Tulfo – OP budget sponsor – on whether President Marcos plans to watch the F1 Singapore Grand Prix in 2024. @rapplerdotcom https://t.co/gLTDGdAGvQ pic.twitter.com/PXJqhobepN
Deliberations for Office of the President’s proposed budget continue
Deliberations on the proposed OP budget continue.
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) September 26, 2023
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin is in attendance. #BudgetWatch #PeraNgBayan | via @beacupin pic.twitter.com/fX70LLqMaU
Lagman begins by asking: How much savings did the OP have in 2022? When was this amount declared? #BudgetWatch #PeraNgBayan | via@beacupin
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) September 26, 2023
Lagman asks about the OP's transfer of P125 million to the OVP, clarifying that it's not from savings of the OP.
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) September 26, 2023
Tulfo says amount came from contingent fund, classified under "special purpose fund." #BudgetWatch #PeraNgBayan | via @beacupin
Lagman on P125 million transfer: So what "animal" is this? Is it not savings, it is not augmentation.
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) September 26, 2023
Tulfo: The contingent fund is a special purpose fund for new or urgent projects or activities…. May I add that it is in the line item, in the GAA. #BudgetWatch | @beacupin
Tulfo asserts confidential funds under OVP was a line item in the 2022 budget.
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) September 26, 2023
Lagman points out that's not the case – item was blank in GAA.
Tulfo repeats that it was contingent fund, classified under "special purpose fund."
Lagman says Qs aren't being answered, so he ends…
Manuel asks: Is China a reliable agricultural partner?
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) September 26, 2023
He also asks if we can consider VP Sara Duterte's message to China a betrayal since it seems to deviate from executive's stand?
Tulfo says the VP's message is hers, does not reflect the message of the OP or PH.
Manuel asks about the travel spending of the Marcos administration.
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) September 26, 2023
For context, this is how much the OP spent for travel in 2022, with most of it spent by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on his foreign trips during his first 6 months in office.https://t.co/u9Tr7eKc0C
Tulfo says Marcos was only invited to the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix.
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) September 26, 2023
Manuel says he will no longer ask about 2024 Singapore plans, jokes Tulfo himself seems to be "ashamed" to answer questions about the F1 trip. #BudgetWatch #PeraNgBayan | via @beacupin
After over 3 hours of questions, there's a move to terminate interpellation on the proposed 2024 budget of the Office of the President.
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) September 26, 2023
Lagman points out: We asked for a copy of the letter from OVP requesting for the release of P125 million before interpellation ends.
No more questions, but Lagman ends with a manifestation on the OP's transfer to the OVP for confi funds: "Zero appropriation cannot be augmented." #BudgetWatch #PeraNgBayan | via @beacupin
— Rappler (@rapplerdotcom) September 26, 2023
THREAD: Deliberations on DA’s proposed 2024 budget
Rep Wilbert Lee asked why there are no obligations under the Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita and Sagip Saka programs of the DA.
— Iya Gozum (@iyagozum) September 25, 2023
Rep Tonypet Albano: "Wala hong masyadong nakakapag-ano ng requirements kaya 'di pa na-ro-roll out 'yung ibang programa ng Kadiwa."@rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/jvzgHT8Huq
Rep Sergio Dagooc said DA's figures on irrigated land is "wrong." "Ang bilangin 'nyo 'yung irrigation na na-construct na may tubig na dumadaloy."
— Iya Gozum (@iyagozum) September 25, 2023
Albano attributed inadequate water supply in Surigao del Norte to "severe heat and water level of dam continuously reducing." pic.twitter.com/aptf1FfwgH
According to the DA, small-scale farmers owning 3-5 hectares of oil palm plantation, if given enough support and training, can earn up to P100,000 per hectare. @rapplerdotcom
— Iya Gozum (@iyagozum) September 25, 2023
Gabriela Representative Arlene Brosas was saying the plan will have implications to farmers, who currently experience delays in getting their cash assistance from excess tariff revenues. @rapplerdotcom
— Iya Gozum (@iyagozum) September 25, 2023
House plenary terminates DA budget deliberations. @rapplerdotcom
— Iya Gozum (@iyagozum) September 25, 2023
Quimbo seeks creation of special congressional oversight committee on secret funds
House appropriations panel senior vice chairperson Stella Quimbo wants Congress to create a committee that would check whether confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) have been used properly by government agencies.
She said a special oversight committee – composed of three members from the majority and one member from the minority – would have complete access to reports on CIF submitted to the Commission on Audit and the Department of Budget and Management.
“I believe that public funds should be used to advance the nation. This can only be achieved with a stronger push towards transparent governance,” she said on Monday, September 25.
COA vows to complete audit of OVP’s confidential expenses by November
The Commission on Audit (COA) told the House of Representatives that it is committed to finish auditing the 2022 confidential expenses of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) by November 15.
It also promised to give House Speaker Martin Romualdez a copy of the report.
The Sara-Duterte led OVP submitted its liquidation reports to COA back in January, then COA sent the OVP its audit observation memorandum (AOM) last Tuesday, September 19.
An AOM means the findings are preliminary, and the receiving agency can still submit additional documents and comment on observations made by the state auditors.