The Senate panel on Finance on 10 October approved the P1.04 billion proposed budget of the Office of the Press Secretary.

At the budget hearing led by Sen. JV Ejercito, other senators grilled OPS officials including Officer-in-Charge Cheloy Garafil.

Ejercito asked Garafil if the present administration would still consider allowing bloggers and vloggers to cover Malacañang.

Garafil said the OPS is still studying the matter and evaluating whether the practice, which started during the previous administration, could continue.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel III questioned the high percentage of unfilled permanent positions in the OPS.

He noted that despite the unfilled positions, many people were hired under job orders or contracts of service, which, is about 1,220 non-permanent personnel.

"How did we come up with that policy?" Pimentel asked.

OPS Usec Maria Pamela Pedroche attributed the high number of non-plantilla employees to the non-reconstitution of the selection board.