DELA ROSA HEARS PROPOSED BUDGETS OF 6 AGENCIES: Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa presides over the Finance Subcommittee hearing on the proposed 2023 budgets of six agencies Wednesday, September 28, 2022. In the agenda are the proposed budget of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) (P3 billion); Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) (P447.4 million); Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (P1.9 billion); Mindanao Development Authority (P158.9 million); Southern Philippines Development Authority (P48 million); and the Commission on Human Rights (P846 million). Dela Rosa committed to look for “ways and means” to support additional funding requests coming from DDB and PDEA, especially the request to augment funding under DDB’s Special Fund 151, which is used for the construction and maintenance of government drug rehabilitation centers. “That is automatic, you don’t have to appeal to me. I will do what I can. Fighting illegal drugs is my advocacy; I became a senator because of this advocacy, that’s why I will support you all the way,” Dela Rosa said in a mix of English and Filipino. (Joseph Vidal/Senate PRIB)
The Office of the President (OP) will be rendered “inutile” should Congress opts to take out P4.5 billion in confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) from President Marcos’ first budget request, or so Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa claims.
“He is the commander-in-chief and Chief Executive. If you provided [CIF] to other government departments, why will you deprive [OP] of having similar funds?” Dela Rosa told a radio interview on Sunday.
“Where can you find an [OP] with no [CIF]? He will have no elbow room to easily access funds. You will just make the [OP] inutile,” he claimed.
Last week, the senators approved the OP’s proposed budget of P8.9 billion.
