Senate panel passes OP budget in minutes

MANILA, Philippines — A Senate panel passed the P10.506-billion proposed budget for 2025 of the Office of the President (OP) in less than 10 minutes on Monday.

During the public hearing of the Senate committee on finance chaired by Sen. Grace Poe, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said the OP’s proposed budget for 2025 is 1.88 percent lower than their budget this year.

In his opening statement, Bersamin said the OP expressed belief that the amount would be sufficient for President Marcos and his agency colleagues to do their jobs.

“This will be enough to meet the demands of the head of state, as the chief architect of the Philippine policy and commander in chief. Despite the reduction of the budget, rest assured the same will not affect the delivery of services of the President to the people,” Bersamin said.

The executive secretary said the President would also continue the implementation of the “Bagong Pilipinas brand of governance.”

“We are mindful of the need to fulfill the constitutional mandate with less financial requirements in support of the Bagong Pilipinas brand of governance. These activities will be conducted prudently and economically,” said Bersamin. “Even with budget adjustment, we will accommodate invitations from foreign leaders to visit their countries and carry out diplomatic initiatives that will yield job investments and hasten support to post-pandemic economic recovery.”

He also said that the infrastructure works inside the Palace complex that were stopped during the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to be implemented.

Bersamin maintained that the OP would cooperate with Congress, whose power to develop the national budget they recognize. He said the President appreciated the cooperation between the co-equal branches of government.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada immediately made a motion to terminate the Senate hearing and pass and submit the OP budget to the plenary.

“In the spirit of extending parliamentary courtesy to the head of a co-equal branch of the government, I move that we terminate the briefing on the proposed 2025, budget of the Office of the President and that it be deemed submitted to plenary,” Estrada said.

Sen. Nancy Binay supported Estrada’s motion.

Poe acknowledged and thanked the OP, saying, “There are certain agencies under them, like the PAOCC (Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission), that have actually helped in the anti-crime initiatives, particularly with the POGO (Philippine offshore and gaming operator) issue.”