Push Admin

Senate minority wants to stop 'practice' of giving DepEd confidential fund, Pimentel says

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/28/22/joining-senate-minority-in-19th-congress-mainly-about-principles-pimentel">Senate minority bloc</a> is seeking to avert the possible beginning of a &quot;practice&quot; of giving the Department of Education a confidential fund, a lawmaker said Saturday.Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte has asked Congress to allot a P150-million confidential fund to the education department, saying the money is meant to address illegal activities targeting students.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/14/22/sara-duterte-defends-depeds-p150-m-confidential-fund">Sara Duterte: DepEd&#x27;s P150-M confidential fund meant for crimes targeting students</a></li></ul>However, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino &quot;Koko&quot; Pimentel III told ABS-CBN&#x27;s TeleRadyo that it was not customary for the DepEd to receive such a fund.&quot;Hindi ugali ng ... Hindi [customary sa] DepEd na merong confidential or intelligence fund ang secretary,&quot; he said.&quot;Ngayon mag-uumpisa ng bagong practice P150 million. Ang idea namin sa minority huwag na nating umpisahan itong practice na ito.&quot;Pimentel pointed out that a confidential fund is a kind of lump sum and only has a &quot;motherhood category,&quot; which he said is against the spirit of line-item budgeting indicated in the Constitution and Supreme Court decisions.&quot;I-itemize mo, klaruhin mo, i-identify na ninyo kung ano &#x27;yung gastusin. &#x27;Yung practice na &#x27;yan una sa lahat ayaw na natin umpisahan pa ng DepEd,&quot; he said.&quot;&#x27;Yung halaga na P150 million di ba better spent &#x27;yun directly sa isang gastusin na directly related sa pagtuturo o sa pag-aaral ng ating mga kabataan?&quot;Duterte is now leaving it up to Congress whether or not to grant the DepEd&#x27;s confidential fund.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/30/22/ovp-deped-confidential-funds-should-be-given-to-other-agencies-senator">OVP, DepEd confidential funds should be given to other agencies, programs: senator</a></li></ul><div>—TeleRadyo, October 1, 2022</div>