The minority leader in the House of Representatives asked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and Vice President Sara Duterte to allocate the confidential funds plan placed in their respective offices for 2023 as assistance to poor families.
According to House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro of the ACT Teachers party list, the combined confidential and intelligence fund allocations under the 2023 budget of the two offices can be used as aid of P10,000 each to the 500,000 poorest families.
The confidential and intelligence fund in the office of the president (OP) reaches P4.5 billion, and P500 million in the office of the vice president (OVP).
“Kung talagang may concern sila lalo sa mga pinakamahihirap na sektor ng ating lipunan, dapat ay ibigay na nina President Marcos Jr at Vice President Duterte ang kanilang confidential and intelligence funds sa ayuda,” said Castro.
“This P5 billion would already help 500,000 families if they are given P10,000. This would translate to 2.5 Filipinos aided. This aid could also be spent on the local economy because these families would buy food, clothing, and pay bills so we will be hitting two birds with one stone,” she added.
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Convert confidential funds of OP and OVP to P10K aid – solon
Under the proposed 2023 budget, there is also a P100 million CIF in the Department of Education, which is also headed by Duterte. But the Senate moved it to maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE), along with the CIF of other agencies, which will reach a total of P152 million.
The Senate did not move the CIF requested by OP and OVP.
House and Senate representatives are meeting in the bicameral conference committee to resolve any differences in the proposed P5.26 trillion budget for 2023 that they separately approved.
“Sana naman ay makinig ang pangulo at pangalawang pangulo sa kahilingan ng ating mga kababayang mahihirap lalo pa at magpapasko,” said Castro.
“Magandang pamasko sa kanila ang pag-anunsyo na sila ay makakatanggap ng P10,000 ayuda pagpasok ng bagong taon,” she added.
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