

The proposed PHP 10.7-billion budget for 2024 of the Office of the President was swiftly approved by the House Committee on Appropriations during a budget hearing on Tuesday, September 5.
Abra Rep. Ching Bernos was quick to move the termination of the budget hearing shortly after Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin delivered his opening presentation, citing"parliamentary courtesy," a long-standing tradition wherein they quickly terminate the budget hearings of the Office of the President and Office of the Vice President out of respect to both offices.
However, this was questioned by the members of the minority bloc, who asked to be allowed to manifest their opinions and objections.
Appropriations Committee Senior Vice Chair Stella Quimbo then allowed the minority bloc members to have 2 minutes each to make their points.
Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel said members of the minority blocs should be given time to raise their objections. He also flagged the panel for allegedly railroading the budget deliberations.
"Ni-rerailroad po natin ang deliberations again. We should give members the right and the time na maghabol ng kanilang mga objections. Di pwede again na minamadali natin ito. Office of the President yung budget na pinag-uusapan," Manuel said.
He also questioned the "excessive" travel expenses of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the expansion of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
A similar scenario also occurred during the deliberation of the PHP 2.385-billion budget request of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for the year 2024\, which was passed in just 15 minutes.