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House has confidential funds? Quimbo says only 'extraordinary expenses'

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RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The House of Representatives does not have a P1.6 billion confidential fund, House leaders told media on Tuesday.&quot;Wala pong confidential funds ang Congress. Yung pong sinasabi na P1.6 billion ay extraordinary expenses,&quot; House Appropriations Committee Senior Vice Chair Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo told a press conference.Quimbo explained that unlike confidential and intelligence funds, extraordinary expenses are publicly auditable.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/25/23/lawmaker-ovp-spent-2022-confidential-funds-in-11-days-coa-seeks-more-explanation">OVP spent 2022 confidential funds in 11 days, says lawmaker; COA seeks more explanation</a></li></ul>&quot;Tama po kasi ang heading ay Confidential, Intelligence and Extraordinary so magkaiba po yung confidential doon sa extraordinary. Yung extraordinary ay fully auditable which is different from confidential at ang Congress ay wala po nung confidential. Yung extraordinary po ay yung katulad po halimbawa ng expenses during calamities so that&#x27;s an example of extraordinary expense kung kakaiba po,&quot; she said.CIF&#x27;s are liquidated and audited by the Commission on Audit but unlike other items, the audit results are withheld from the public.&quot;In short that&#x27;s fake news,&quot; House Appropriations Committee Chair Elizaldy Co said of the internet buzz making the allegation.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/10/23/house-panel-moves-some-confidential-funds-to-auditable-items">House panel moves some confidential funds to publicly auditable items</a></li></ul>The General Provisions of the 2024 budget said in Section 47 that appropriations authorized in the law maybe used for the annual extraordinary expenses of the following officials with the following ranks and their equivalent, as maybe determined by the Department of Budget and Management or by the Governance Commission for GOCC&#x27;s and GFI&#x27;s covered by Republic Act 10149, not exceeding the amounts indicated:a. P264,000 for each Department Secretaryb. P108,000 for each Department Undersecretaryc. P60,000 for each Department Assistant Secretaryd. P45,600 for each head of bureau or organization of equivalent rank and for each head of a department regional office including General Manager of Local Water Districts in 2 categoriese. P26,400 for each of a Bureau Regional Office or organization of equivalent rank including General Manager of Local Water District in some categoriesf. P19,200 for each municipal trial court judge, municipal circuit trial court judge, and Shari&#x27;a Circuit Court JudgeAnnual miscellaneous expenses not exceeding P90,000 for each of the offices under the above named officials and their equivalent are also authorized.The section says that extraordinary and miscellaneous expenses include, but are not limited to expenses incurred for:a. Meetings, seminars and conferencesb. official entertainmentc. public relationsd. educational, athletic and cultural activitiese. contributions to civic and charitable institutionsf. membership in government associationsg. membership in national professional organizations duly authorized by the Professional Regulation Commissionh. Membership in the Integrated Bar of the Philippinesi. subscription to professional technical journals and informative magazines, library books and materialsj. office equipment and suppliesk other similar expenses not supported by the regular budget allocationThe provision also explicitly states that in case of deficiency, the requirements for the foregoing purposes shall be charged against available allotments of the agency concerned. No portion of the amounts authorized shall be used for the payment of salaries, allowances and other benefits, and confidential and intelligence expenses.The 2024 National Expenditure Program shows the House has P1.6 billion in Extraordinary and Miscellaneous Expenses for 2023, which became P1.2 billion in 2024. The Senate has over P331.942 million of the same expense in 2023, with slight increases projected for 2024.The Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing attached to the 2024 National Expenditure Program showed that Extraordinary and Miscellaneous Expenses are under the heading of Confidential, Intelligence and Extraordinary Expenses for the whole government.For 2024, the NEP showed that there&#x27;s P5.277 billion in intelligence expenses, P4.864 billion in confidential expenses and P2.569 billion in extraordinary and miscellaneous expenses.

Quimbo said that unlike confidential and intelligence funds, extraordinary expenses are publicly auditable.

House has confidential funds? Quimbo says only 'extraordinary expenses'

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House has confidential funds? Quimbo says only 'extraordinary expenses'

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 10, 2023 07:59 PM PHT

Read More:

House of Representatives

2024 budget

budget hearing

NEP

budget

confidential funds

Stella Quimbo

ANC

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