Office of the Vice President explains P500 million confidential fund request

MANILA, Philippines — The proposed P500-million confidential fund for the Office of Vice President Sara Duterte will be used to support projects related to national security, according to her spokesperson Reynold Munsayac.

During a press briefing on Thursday, Munsayac vowed that the confidential fund will be spent in compliance with existing guidelines from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and Commission on Audit (COA), particularly the parameters set in the 2015 joint circular for the entitlement, release, use, reporting and audit of confidential and intelligence funds.

“In that circular, it is clear where we can use the confidential funds… We will make sure that this budget will be used correctly and only to support programs of the Office of the Vice President,” he said in Filipino.

“The position and mandate of the Vice President allows her to utilize those kinds of funds regarding peace and order and national security, especially since we have livelihood projects that will be implemented in conflict areas in our attempt to maintain peace and order and pursue national security projects,” he added.

The 2015 joint circular was signed by the then head of the COA, DBM, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Governance Commission for Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations and the Department of National Defense.

Under the circular, the use of confidential expenses is limited to the purchase of information necessary for formulation and implement projects relevant to national security and peace and order; rental of vehicles used to confidential activities; rental and maintenance of safe houses and purchase or rental of supplies and equipment for confidential operations.

Confidential funds may also be used to pay rewards to informers; uncover or prevent illegal activities that pose a clear and present danger to the agency, its personnel and facilities; and others that may be authorized in the General Appropriations Act.

The circular provided that the conduct of confidential activities, as far as practicable, be done in collaboration with law enforcement agencies.

Social service programs

The confidential fund is part of the proposed budget of P2.292 billion for the OVP next year, which is more than three times its current budget of P702 million.

According to Munsayac, the bulk of the budget will be used to support the social service programs of the office, including medical and burial assistance, livelihood and free bus service.

“The intention of the Office of the Vice President is to make these services and assistance available to many Filipinos,” he said. “This will directly benefit our countrymen who need help.”

Budget documents showed that the OVP’s proposed budget for financial assistance increased from this year’s P357.6 million to P920.8 million.

Other items with significant increases include travelling expenses (from P25.3 million to P59.5 million), supplies and materials expenses (from P45.8 million to P262.99 million), professional services (from P41.78 million to P193.95 million), representation expenses (from P29.57 million to P79.31 million) and rent or lease expenses (from P18 million to P32.48 million).

Munsayac said the increase is related to the opening of OVP satellite offices across the country, as well as the distribution of supplies and dental kits to students under Duterte’s “pagbaBAGo bags” initiative.