Lagman seeks explanation on House’s 2024 ‘extraordinary expenses’
MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker has asked for more explanation on how the House of Representatives plans to utilize funds for extraordinary expenses under the proposed 2024 budget, as past guidelines have limited the use of such allocations.
Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman said this on Wednesday after House officials clarified that the P1.6 billion in the 2024 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) are not confidential funds (CF) as a blogger pointed out, but are meant for extraordinary expenses.
According to appropriations senior vice chair and Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo, the extraordinary expenses were meant for unforeseen circumstances like calamities. But Lagman noted that such allocations are not for calamities.
“Consequently, ‘extraordinary expenses’ are neither huge amounts nor can they be used for calamity response,” he claimed.
Lagman further explained that under the 2023 national budget or the General Appropriations Act (GAA), the use of extraordinary expenses was delimited by Section 51.
“The appropriation of ‘extraordinary expenses’ must be clarified as it is delimited by Sec. 51 of the General Provisions of R.A. No. 11963 or the General Appropriations Act of 2023,” he said.
Article continues after this advertisementREAD: House gives zero confidential funds to OVP, DepEd, DICT, DFA, DA
Under the 2023 GAA, Lagman said extraordinary expenses are allocated for ranking government officials like the following:
Article continues after this advertisement- P264,000.00 for each Department Secretary
- P108,000.00 for each Department Undersecretary
- P60,000.00 for each Department Assistant Secretary;
- P45,000.00 for each head of bureau or organization of equivalent rank, and for each of a Department Regional Office including General Manager of Local Water District in Categories A and B;
- P26,400.00 for each head of a Bureau Regional Office or organization of equivalent rank, including General Manager of the Local Water District in Categories C and D
- P19,200.00 for each Municipal Trial Court Judge, Municipal Circuit Trial Court Judge, and Shari’a Circuit Court Judge under the above-named officials and their equivalent are authorized herein.
Lagman also noted that extraordinary expenses should be used for these purposes:
- Meetings, seminars, and conferences
- Official entertainment
- Public relations
- Educational, athletic, and cultural activities
- Contributions to civic or charitable institutions
- Membership in government associations
- Membership in national professional organizations duly accredited by the Professional Regulation Commission
- Membership in the Integrated Bar of the Philippines
- Subscription to professional technical journals and informative magazines, library books and materials
Office equipment and supplies - Other similar expenses not supported by the regular budget allocation. (Sec. 51 of the General Provisions of R.A. No. 11963 or the General Appropriations Act of 2023)
Allegations about Congress having confidential funds came from pro-Duterte blogger Sass Rogando Sasot, who said that P1.6 billion CF was allocated to the House in the proposed 2024 national budget.
But Quimbo explained that the P1.6 billion is actually intended for extraordinary expenses.
READ: Secret funds within Congress? Co says that’s fake news
Sasot made the statement after the House formally removed confidential fund (CF) requests of the following five agencies:
- OVP: P500 million
- Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT): P300 million
- DepEd: P150 million
- Department of Agriculture (DA): P50 million
- Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA): P50 million
All in all, the House moved P1.237 billion worth of CFs in the proposed 2024 national budget — amounting to 0.6 percent of the P194 billion worth of institutional amendments that were made by the small committee.
