Ched Rick Gatchalian

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañan Palace in Manila on August 14, 2025. Mark Balmores, PPA Pool

Article (news)

Lawmaker questions OP’s 100% CIF utilization, but obligation of regular funds for 2024 only at 78%

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759315190422175515700053320250814-marcos-judiciary-fiscal-autonomy-PPA-8.webp" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañan Palace in Manila on August 14, 2025. <em>Mark Balmores, PPA Pool</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Office of the President used all of its Confidential and Intelligence Funds in 2024 but only 78 percent of its regular budget in that year was obligated — committed as payment — raising questions from a lawmaker on Wednesday.</p><p>During the House plenary deliberations on the OP&#x27;s proposed 2026 budget ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. Antonio Tinio observed that not even a centavo was left unspent in the OP’s CIF, which are difficult to audit.</p><p>The Office of the President’s budget sponsor at the lower chamber, House Committee on Appropriations Senior Vice Chairperson Albert Garcia of Bataan, said regular funds have more components before they can be utilized.</p><p>He added the OP was “efficient” in utilizing its Confidential and Intelligence Funds.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/18/lawmaker-says-president-s-confidential-fund-should-face-same-scrutiny-as-ovp-1746"><strong>Lawmaker says President’s confidential fund should face same scrutiny as OVP</strong></a></div><p>In contrast, Tinio said, the 78 percent obligation is &quot;not exactly great&quot;, adding agencies are expected to spend more than 90 percent of the budget granted to them.</p><p>“A similar observation was made regarding the Office of the Vice President and its use of confidential funds when it had confidential funds,&quot; he added as he pointed out that spending of the regular budget &quot;subject to the normal reporting and accounting procedures of [the Commission on Audit]&quot; is slower.</p><p>Garcia said that spending the regular budget has &quot;many factors and components&quot;, making it slower. </p><p>“Considering these numbers, isa na po ito sa pinakamataas na obligation rate or disbursement sa executive offices or agencies,” he said.</p><p>(Considering these numbers, the OP has among the highest obligation rate or disbursement in the executive branch)</p><p>Tinio pointed out that spending the regular budget has stricter procedures, “including for example, the observance of the procurement law, when procurement is necessary.”</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IAXl7EVD0ms?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;OP FOLLOWED RULES ON SPENDING CONFIDENTIAL FUNDS&#x27;</strong></div><p>Garcia asserted that the OP complied with the requirements of its CIF utilization, including submitting reports to the Office of the House Speaker and the Office of the Senate President.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/10/coa-office-of-the-president-spent-most-confidential-intelligence-funds-in-2023-1813"><strong>COA: Office of the President spent most confidential, intelligence funds in 2023</strong></a></div><p>“[L]ahat ito ay dumadaan sa liquidation sa ating Commission on Audit. So everything is in order,” he said.</p><p>(All of these went through liquidation with the Commission on Audit)</p><p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.&#x27;s office has a proposed 2026 budget of P27.3 billion. Of that amount, P4.5 billion is proposed for Confidential and Intelligence Funds.</p><p>Tinio said that the OP has seen an unprecedented increase in its CIF, which are now “even bigger than the already very high confidential at intelligence funds of the former President [Rodrigo] Duterte.&quot;</p><p>But Garcia said that confidential funds for the OP had already reached P4 billion in 2020 and that the level of funding has not increased “substantially up to present.&quot;</p><p>The two also debated whether the OP had asked for an increase in its confidential funds, with Garcia saying the bigger budget was granted during budget deliberations at the Senate.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/14/palace-defends-proposed-p4-5-billion-confidential-intel-funds-for-2026-1540"><strong>Palace defends proposed P4.5-billion confidential, intel funds for 2026</strong></a></div><p>The House of Representatives terminated on Wednesday the plenary debates on the proposed 2026 budget for the Office of the President.</p>

<p>The Office of the President’s budget sponsor at the lower chamber, House Committee on Appropriations Senior Vice Chairperson Albert Garcia of Bataan, said regular funds have more components before they can be utilized.</p>

The Office of the President’s budget sponsor at the lower chamber, House Committee on Appropriations Senior Vice Chairperson Albert Garcia of Bataan, said regular funds have more components before they can be utilized.

OP flagged for spending 100% of confidential funds, only 78% of regular budget in 2024

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OP flagged for spending 100% of confidential funds, only 78% of regular budget in 2024

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 01, 2025 07:50 PM PHT

Read More:

Office of the President

Confidential funds

Antonio Tinio

House of Representatives

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