House panel ends hearings on OP’s 2022 budget

Amid vehement objections, the House appropriations panel upheld its “tradition of parliamentary courtesy” and swiftly ended deliberations on the proposed P8.1-billion budget of the Office of the President (OP) for 2022 before it was even presented. The committee began Friday’s budget hearing on the OP an hour and a half late, with Pangasinan Rep. Tyrone Agabas moving to terminate deliberations on the OP’s budget. Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera quickly seconded him, but Kabataan Rep. Sarah Elago was also swift to register her objection. Appropriations panel vice chair and Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose Dalipe suspended the hearing. When the hearing resumed, Dalipe approved to end the hearing, saying Elago’s objection was not counted as she is not a member of the committee. The OP’s budget includes P4.5 billion in confidential and intelligence funds. In 2020, the deliberations on the OP’s budget lasted nearly two hours. —Julie M. Aurelio