Martin Romualdez —HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has asked the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to submit its modernization plan so that it can be considered when the chamber deliberates the proposed national budget for 2025.
Romualdez said in a statement on Thursday that the PCG modernization plan should include the steps and resources required to enhance its capabilities, “particularly for patrolling and safeguarding the Philippine territories in the contested areas of the West Philippine Sea.”
“Our national security and sovereignty are paramount,” he said.
“By ensuring that our Coast Guard is well-equipped and well-funded, we can better protect our territorial integrity against external threats and assert our sovereign rights in these contested waters,” he added.
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The National Expenditures Program (NEP), which contains the proposed government budget for a fiscal year, would be submitted by the executive branch to Congress days after the president’s State of the Nation Address (Sona).
With President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expected to deliver his Sona on July 22, budget deliberations may start around late July to early August.
According to Romualdez, the House will back the PCG in its mandate of monitoring the country’s shores and waters.
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“The House of Representatives is committed to backing the Philippine Coast Guard in its vital role. It’s not just about responding to immediate threats but also about maintaining a presence that underscores our commitment to national and regional security,” he said.
In 2023, the PCG got a boost in its budget after the House moved to remove confidential funds (CFs) from civilian agencies that are not mandated to do surveillance.
After the House version of the budget was finalized, Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo said that P1.23 billion CFs were realigned – P200 million of which went to the PCG to support its intelligence activities and for ammunition.