MANILA, Philippines — Without any question or criticism, it took all of seven minutes for the House appropriations panel to approve the proposed P9.03 billion budget for the Office of the President in 2023.
“By tradition, we are sending parliamentary courtesy to a co-equal branch in government. I move to terminate the budget briefing of the Office of the President,” House Majority Leader and Rep. Manuel Dalipe (Zamboanga 2nd District) said as he motioned to terminate deliberations on the budget.
Dalipe moved to terminate talks immediately after Rep. Elizaldy Co (Ako Bicol Party-list), who chairs the committee, delivered a short speech welcoming officials and congressmen to the hearing.
Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez did not present the proposed budget of the OP.
This was seconded by House Minority Leader and Rep. Marcelino Libanan (4Ps Party-list), a pro-administration lawmaker. Traditionally, the role of the minority bloc members is to closely scrutinize items in the budget and other policy proposals by majority congressmen.
The OP's budget now moves to the plenary debates on the eventual General Appropriations Bill for another round of deliberations where it can still be questioned by lawmakers.
"You can be assured that the Office of the President is here together with you, your honors, in meeting the expectations and hopes of the more 112 million Filipinos, who the president now leads, founded on a solid foundation of 31.5 million votes, more or less," Rodriguez said as he thanked lawmakers after the motion was seconded.
Both Marcos' cousin and son, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Senior Deputy Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, "made it a point to attend and witness the works of the Appropriations Committee," the House said.
If approved at the plenary, the lion's share of the budget proposed by the OP under the 2023 National Expenditure Program would go to maintenance and operating expenses (P6.87 billion) along with personnel services P1.5 billion), and capital outlay (P590.8 million).
The office of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also wants some P4.5 billion for confidential and intelligence funds.
Earlier, the House Committee on Appropriations said it was hoping to finish its hearings by September 16.
Should the committee finish its plenary deliberations by mid-September, Rep. Stella Quimbo (Marikina), the committee’s senior vice chairperson, said the House would have time to get a third and final reading of the budget before lawmakers go on recess beginning October 1 until November 6.
To end, Rep. Raoul Manuel (Kabataan Party-list) vowed that the Makabayan bloc intended to raise points of contention at the plenary, particularly revolving around confidential and intelligence funds, and national security programs.
The entire hearing lasted 11 and a half minutes, and the Palace officials led by Rodriguez left early.