Half of OP’S P8.238-billion 2021 budget allotted as intelligence, confidential funds

THE Office of the President (OP) has allocated half of its budget for 2021 to bankroll its intelligence and confidential fund requirements.

During the briefing on the OP’S 2021 budget, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said the OP is proposing a budget worth P8.238 billion for 2021. Half of it, or P4.5 billion has been allocated as intelligence fund.

Of the 2021 budget of the OP, P1.1 billion will go to personnel services (PS), P6.4 billion will go to maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) and P590.9 million will go to capital outlay (CO).

These budget will also include the Presidential Oversight Program, President Advisory Program, Presidential Legal and Legislative Services Program, and Presidential Executive Staff Services Program, as well as the retirement and life insurance premium and pension.

“With the support of Congress, we will be able to pursue a more holistic approach towards recovery [next year],” he said.

“The OP continues to support and look after the welfare of the people during these trying times. Words are not enough to express our gratitude to our frontliners, uniformed personnel, men and women in govt, and our kababayans who have done their part,” he added.

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate said the OP will receive the highest allocation for intelligence fund for next year.

“Even if the Office of the President isn’t an intel agency, it still got the highest appropriations for intel funds in 2021. Sa panahon ng ganitong krisis, matinding krisis na pinalala nitong pandemya ng Covid, nagkaka-utang-utang tayo, parang nagkaka-duplication ng paglalagay ng

confidential funds,” he added. OVP budget

MEANWHILE, Vice President Leni Robredo, who personally attended the budget briefing said her office will receive P679 million for 2021.

“We initially submitted a budget of P720 million, which is the same budget as what we had last year. But what the DBM approved was only P679 million,” she said.

Robredo said the amount approved by the DBM is 4 percent lower than OVP’S 2020 budget.

Of the 2021 budget of Robredo’s office, P101.4 million will go to PS, P558.8 million will go to MOOE and P3.3 million will go to capital outlay (CO) and P8.7 million for the retirement and life insurance premiums.

“What we’re doing is just trying to fill in the gaps. We are aware that our office is very small. We are very small not just in terms of the number of staff that we have but we are very small in terms of our resources. But we are making do with what we have,” she added.

According to Robredo, majority of OVP’S budget is allotted for financial assistance/subsidies for 2021.

“Barring unavoidable circumstances, we are hopeful that with the approval of the requested budget for 2021, the OVP will continue to have the necessary resources to build on its anti-poverty program and expand efforts to help address the ill-effects of the pandemic, under the strong of OVP,” the OVP said in its budget presentation.

For their part, lawmakers are pushing for the budget increase of the OVP.

Camarines Sur Rep. Gabriel Bordado said the OVP will receive the “lowest” proposed budget in 2021.

“OVP has been engaging in frontline activities against Covid-19. It has also launched livelihood, education, people empowerment and other projects throughout the country but its budget is still the smallest in the entire bureaucracy,” he said.

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez urged the lower chamber to increase the OVP’S proposed budget in 2021.

“It should be upon us now to see her work and to be able to lend support to her work and her office,” he said.

Baguio Rep. Mark Go and Bayan Muna Rep. Ferdinand Gaite also proposed to the Lower House to double the budget of the OVP next year.