House hearing on presidential office’s budget short, sweet

THE House Committee on Appropriations on Monday sped through the 2025 budget hearing of the Office of the President (OP).

After the OP presented its budget under the National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2025, Abra Rep. Ching Bernos moved to end the deliberations.

Bernos, a vice chairman of the committee, made the motion, citing “the long-standing tradition and practice of the House of Representatives” to extend parliamentary courtesy to the OP and in “recognition of its distinguished role and significance in government.”

The House Committee on Appropriations on Monday sped through the 2025 budget hearing of the Office of the President (OP). Photo courtesy of House of Representatives of the Philippines

Forty-eight members of the panel voted for the motion and three opposed it.

Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Arlene Brosas of the Makabayan bloc requested an interpellation on the budget proposal, but Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco, a vice chairman of the committee, said “this is not the proper venue to raise a question of privilege. The proper venue to raise a point of privilege is the plenary.”

Brosas later accused the panel of having double standards since it had meticulously gone over the budget of the Office of the Vice President.

Marikina Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo, another vice chairman of the committee, clarified that the panel has not yet approved a 2025 budget for the OP.

She agreed with Tiangco that the OP’s budget would still be subject to plenary debate.

House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe said he would give “plenary time” to lawmakers who want to interpellate.

Tiangco asked Deputy Executive Secretary Amante Liberato whether the OP had any pending audit observation memorandum regarding confidential funds.

Liberato said the OP had not received such a memorandum from the Commission on Audit.

In the 2025 NEP, the presidential office had a confidential fund allocation of P2.25 billion and an intelligence fund allocation of P2.31 billion.

The OP is asking for a P10.5 billion budget, 1.88 percent lower than its 2024 budget.