Marcos office’s P8.9 billion budget for 2023 up for Senate plenary debates

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PHOTO FROM PALACE)

MANILA, Philippines — The P8.9-billion 2023 budget of the Office of the President (OP) under President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is now up for Senate plenary deliberations.

The Senate committee on finance, chaired by Senator Sonny Angara, approved the OP’s budget, which includes P4.5-billion confidential and intelligence funds.

During the over one-hour panel hearing, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III questioned the OP’s P4.5-billion confidential and intelligence funds.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin defended that they adopted a whole-of-nation approach in dealing with security.

The OP’s budget for next year is higher than its current budget of P8.18 billion.

Also approved by the committee is the 2023 budget of the Presidential Management Staff, amounting to P863.6 million.

JMS