Gov’t seeks less confidential, intel funds for 2025

MANILA: The confidential and intelligence funds of government agencies for the proposed 2025 budget are lower by 16 percent - from PHP12.3 billion for 2024 to just PHP10.286 billion next year, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said Monday. 'We just limit it in the departments and agencies na nangangailangan talaga ng confidential at (intelligence) funds (that really needs confidential and intelligence funds),' Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman told reporters in a press conference in explaining the decrease. According to a 2015 DBM-Commission on Audit (COA) Joint Circular, confidential expenses pertain to surveillance activities in civilian government agencies, while intelligence expenses are those related to intel information-gathering activities of uniformed and military personnel that have direct impact on national security. According to the DBM, the Department of National Defense (DND) will receive the biggest share with some PHP1.8 billion. The Department of the Interior and Local Govern ment (DILG) will receive PHP906 million, of which PHP806 million will go to the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the remaining PHP100 million will go to the DILG's Office of the Secretary. The Philippine Coast Guard, under the Department of Transportation, will get around PHP400 million. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice (DOJ) will have PHP579.4 million in confidential and intelligence funds, of which, PHP364.8 million is allocated to the DOJ's Office of the Secretary; PHP175.4 million to the National Bureau of Investigation; PHP20 million to the Bureau of Immigration; and PHP19.2 million to the Office of the Solicitor General. Other executive offices will also receive confidential and intelligence funds, namely, the National Security Council (PHP250 million); the Department of Finance (PHP79.5 million); the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Peace (PHP60 million); and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PHP500 million) The Office of the Ombudsman, COA, Anti-M oney Laundering Council, and Commission on Human Rights will also receive confidential and intelligence funds. Source: Philippines News Agency