The budgetary allocation for confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) is on a ‘decreasing trend,’ Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said Thursday despite the PHP120-million increase in the proposed 2024 National Expenditure Program (NEP). In a Palace briefing, Pangandaman noted that the CIFs’ share in the total national budget for 2018 is 0.215 percent; 0.192 percent for 2019; 0.235 percent for 2020; 0.212 percent for 2021; 0.183 percent for 2022; and 0.190 percent for 2023; and 0.176 percent for 2024. ‘So, it’s the lowest po sa time series natin (in our time series). Ibig sabihin, ‘yung share niya sa kabuuang budget natin (Meaning, its share in our entire budget) while you look at it, it’s PHP10 billion. It’s actually decreasing,’ Pangandaman said. Pangandaman said the proposed PHP10.14 billion in CIFs for 2024 rose by PHP120 million from the PHP10.02-billion allocation for 2023 because of the additional funds allotted for the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Anti-Money Laundering Council and the Presidential Security Group (PSG). Budget Assistant Secretary Mary Anne dela Vega said the PHP300-million increase for the DICT would cover cyber programs that are vital for the government’s full digitalization bid. Dela Vega added that the PHP50 million increase in the PSG’s CIF would cover the intelligence activities during President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s overseas trips. Under the 2024 NEP, about PHP4.86 billion would be earmarked for confidential expenses and PHP5.28 billion would be allotted for intelligence expenses. The Office of the President would receive almost half of the CIFs, getting PHP4.56 billion for next year. Around PHP2.31 billion of the PHP4.56 billion would be used for confidential expenses, while the remaining PHP2.25 billion would be allocated for intelligence expenses. The Department of Agriculture led by Marcos would also get PHP50 million in confidential funds for 2024. It does not have an allocation for confidential expenses this year. The Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education led by Sara Z. Duterte also requested for PHP500 million and PHP150 million, respectively, in confidential funds.
Source: Philippines News Agency
