Senator Chiz Escudero speaks during a Senate session. (File photo from Joseph Vidal/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero wants to hear why the Department of Education (DepEd) asks for P150 million in confidential funds.
The questioned amount is contained in the proposed 2024 national budget.
The request made him curious, prompting him to ask, “What are we protecting our students from?”
“What is this for? I would like to know,” he asked DepEd during an interview over ANC.
“And remember, this is DepEd. This is not the Commission on Higher Education,” he pointed out.
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte defended the recommendation by saying that “education is tied to national security.”
READ: Duterte defends P150 million confidential funds: ‘Education tied to security’
But according to Escudero, when the budget was first proposed, DepEd claimed that it was for “national security purposes because of drugs and recruitments in relation with the New People’s Army.”
“If you look at the data of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the number[s] of the CPP-NPA have been dwindling. [So why is there a] need to increase [our budget] in order to protect our students from supposed recruitment?” the lawmaker asked.
He then noted that New People’s Army recruitments, if there will be any, transpire in higher education institutions or colleges and not in elementary schools.
“You’re talking about Grade 1 to Grade 12. Ang alam ko, ang pagpasok ng recruitment, kung meron man, ay nasa higher education institutions o sa college. Hindi naman sa elementary at sa high school,” he observed.
(You’re talking about Grades 1 to 12. What I know is, in recruitment, if there will be any, this occurs in higher education institutions or colleges. Not in elementary or high school.)
“Kahit ang droga, nasa college rin ‘yan marahil. Hindi sa elementary at sa grade school,” the lawmaker said.
(Even drugs, that’s probably in college too. Not in elementary and grade school.)
Escudero intends to analyze this part of the proposed budget during the hearings in Senate.
Apart from the P150 million sought by DepEd, the Office of the Vice President also asks for another P500 million in confidential funds.
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