Malacañang defends budget requests

Malacañang defends budget requests | Daily Tribune

The Office of the President’s (OP) proposed allocation of confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) is necessary to meet President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s duties as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The Department of Budget and Management said the OP proposed P4.5 billion in CIF, part of the P10.77 billion total it proposed for 2026.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said the CIF supports the President in his role as “chief architect of national policy or national security and foreign policy.”

“Confidential funds are not bad if used properly. Confidential funds become bad if used by a corrupt person, that’s all,” she said.

In 2024, the Office of the Vice President was flagged for spending P125 million in CIF in 11 days, with questionable recipients such as “Mary Grace Piattos” casting suspicion.

Former finance official Cielo Magno criticized the CIF as prone to corruption, but Castro said proper reporting safeguards its use.

“Let’s remember that if the reporting is correct and used correctly, it will not be questionable,” she said. Comparisons arise, she added, only when agencies submit inaccurate reports or fake receipts.

The Palace also requested additional funding for hosting the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in 2026.

In the National Expenditure Program for 2026 submitted recently to Congress, P17 billion was sought on top of the P5.2 billion for the summit in this year’s General Appropriations Act.

“It will cost a lot because we will be the host of the ASEAN Summit, the cost of hosting is no joke,” Castro said, noting the need for extensive preparations to welcome the regional leaders.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin earlier confirmed the OP’s plan to seek extra funds for the country’s 2026 ASEAN chairmanship.

The OP also requested P1.018 billion for the President’s local and foreign trips next year.

Castro said domestic trips allow Marcos to monitor the situation on the ground following calamities and security events, while foreign travels help secure investment pledges.

“You also see the President’s frequent travels [overseas] because he encourages other countries to invest in our country,” she said.