Sen. Bong Go (C) discusses budget issues with (from left) Sen. Ping Lacson, Executive Sec. Salvador Medialdea and Senate President Tito Sotto (rightmost, back to the camera) on Tuesday.

Affirming his commitment to ensure checks and balances of taxpayers’ money, Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Tuesday defended before the Senate plenary the 2020 budget of the Office of the President.

“Rest assured, I will safeguard the interests of the public by ensuring proper checks and balances. Every centavo must be wisely spent to help and support the Filipino nation. It is the people’s money and it is just right that the government should give it back to them,” Go said in his opening statement.

Rationalizing the proposed budget of P8.2 billion, Go said the OP, under President Rodrigo Duterte’s “honest, transparent and corrupt-free” leadership, deserves it.

He added that the President has been able to fulfill the desire of Filipinos for a just and honest leader “by laying a governance platform that centered on fighting against illegal drugs, corruption and criminality.”

Go also said the President “pursued programs that put the dignity and welfare of the Filipino people first, such as right to access better health services, to name a few.”

As the former Special Assistant to the President, Go said he has “seen, first-hand, the commitment and dedication of the men and women of this institution.”

“Therefore, I have no doubt that President Duterte’s office is using its budget solely for the benefit of the Filipino people,” Go said.

Senate Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri moved to have the OP budget deemed submitted and approved with no senators wishing to interpellate.