House panel finishes OP budget in 15 minutes; parliamentary courtesy hit

DBM turns over to the House of Representatives the proposed national budget for 2025. (File photo)

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives committee on appropriations terminated deliberations on the proposed budget of the Office of the President (OP) for 2025 in just under 20 minutes — a move that was opposed by the lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc.

During the hearing on Monday, Abra Lone District Rep. Ching Bernos on Monday moved to terminate the OP budget discussions at 9:39 a.m., or just 15 minutes after the appropriations panel convened its hearing at 9:24 a.m.

However, Makabayan bloc members including Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel objected to the motion, saying that it would appear that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would be lying if the panel approves the OP budget, as the Chief Executive previously said that all agencies have to go through the budget deliberations.

“Mr. Chair, as part of the long-standing tradition and practice of the House of Representatives and the committee on appropriations to extend parliamentary courtesy to the Office of the President, in recognition of its distinguished role and significance in government, I move that we terminate the budget hearing of the [OP],” Bernos moved, which was seconded.

“Mr. Chair, I object dahil ang sabi po ng Presidente, all government agencies undergo the same process tuwing budget deliberations, bilang sagot sa Office of the Vice President. So kung ganoon, Mr. Chair, na ite-terminate natin ngayon ang deliberations, we are affirming ang pagiging brat ng Vice President,” Manuel said.

(Mr. Chair, I object to this motion because the President said all government agencies undergo the same process during budget deliberations, as an answer to the Office of the Vice President. So if that’s the case, Mr. Chair, if we terminate the budget deliberations, we are affirming the brat attitude of the Vice President.)

“And in fact, Mr. Chair, pinapalabas natin na nagsisinungaling ‘yong mismong Presidente by evading the process of government na mag-undergo ng scrutiny, Mr. Chair,” he added.

(And in fact, Mr. Chair, we’re making it seem like the President himself is lying by evading the government’s process of undergoing scrutiny, Mr. Chair,” he added.

READ: Marcos: No politics in OVP budget deliberations

Appropriations vice chair and presiding officer, Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco, asked Manuel to take back his statements, saying that the decisions of the House panel and the chamber itself are independent of those of the Executive.

READ: Politicizing the VP’s budget? 

“We have to delete that portion where you’re insinuating that there will be pagsisinungaling (lies) if we follow tradition, because everything that is tackled in this committee and everything in the House is voted upon by the Majority. So whatever the Majority rules on does not mean that there is pagsisinungaling, it is just the will of the majority by which a democracy performs,” Tiangco explained.

After Tiangco’s explanation, 48 lawmakers present during the hearing voted in favor of Bernos’ motion, with only three — Makabayan lawmakers Manuel, Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro — who were against it.

Manuel’s statements, meanwhile, led Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin to move that they be struck off the record.

Eventually, all three Makabayan lawmakers were allowed to make manifestations and speak on the issue.

“Mr. Chair, the Office of the President is there to supposedly set the tone regarding the protection of the rights of people. And when we say rights, it includes the economic rights of the people, commitments to raise the wages of our workers, and of course, civil and political rights. Mr. Chair, while the current administration seeks to distinguish itself, that it is no longer the era of darkness but the actual experiences of the Filipino people say otherwise,” Manuel said.

“And that is what we would like to ask so that the Office of the President can answer. Why is it that from July 2022 to June 2024, Mr. Chair, there are still many violations — 42,000 victims of forced evacuation, 105 victims of extrajudicial killings, 75 victims of frustrated EJK, 145 victims of illegal arrest and detention,” Manuel added.

Brosas, on the other hand, spoke about the Philippines’ closer ties with the United States (US), particularly on the issue of the West Philippine Sea. Also, she said that giving parliamentary courtesy to the OP only shows supposed double standards, as the Office of the Vice President had to endure over five hours of grueling discussions.

READ: OVP budget deferred after Duterte evades questions at House hearing

“The government’s closeness to the US is very concerning because despite the worsening tensions over the West Philippine Sea, the increase in EDCA bases, Balikatan exercises, war-provoking missile systems at Ilocos Norte […] It seems the government is preparing for war,” she said.

“We grilled the Office of the Vice President here but now we are giving courtesy to the Office of the President. This reeks of double standards, depriving the Filipino people of information on how the President, the highest official of the land, spent his funds,” she added.