P650-M confi funds still with OVP, DepEd

The confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education totaling P650 million have yet to be transferred to the security and intel agencies.

Surigao Rep. Johnny Pimentel, in an interview Thursday, said the multi-million-peso CF initially allocated to the OVP and DepEd remained within the purview of Vice President Sara Duterte, who is also the Education secretary.

Duterte had sought P2.395 billion for the OVP and P758.6 billion for the DepEd in the proposed 2024 national budget, including P500 million and P150 million in confidential funds, respectively.

"At the moment [the OVP's and DepEd's CF are] not yet [transferred] because of time constraints. The budget was passed last night. The confidential funds allocated for each agency [are] still intact," Pimentel said.

"There will be a small committee of four that will tackle the proposed amendment. It could be done there, or it could be done during the bicameral conference," he added.

Pimentel was one of the party leaders in the House who decided to realign Duterte's P650 million in total CF to security and intelligence agencies, such as the Philippine Coast Guard, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, National Security Council, and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, amid China's persistent assertiveness in the West Philippine Sea.

The Senate leadership, Pimentel said, concurred with the House proposal and expressed willingness to reallocate the funds to the agencies that most need it.