Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel on Saturday, August 5 expressed his concern over the proposed P10.142 billion in confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) in the National Expenditure Program (NEP) for 2024.
"This budgetary decision is a huge mistake; it shows the lack of empathy and understanding of the real needs of ordinary Filipinos," said Pimentel.
"While our fellow Filipinos in calamity-stricken areas suffer, it raises serious questions about the government’s understanding of the real needs and challenges faced by our country," he added.
Based on the Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing (BESF) uploaded on the DBM website, the administration has allocated P5.277 billion to intelligence expenses and P4.864 billion to confidential expenses.
The P10.142 billion is higher by P120 million from the P10.02 billion set aside for the CIF in 2023.
The P120 million increase in the CIF, according to Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, is due to new funding for the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Presidential Security Group (PSG), and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
The previous NEP defined intelligence funds as "related to the intelligence information gathering activities of uniformed and military personnel and intelligence practitioners" that had a direct influence on national security.
Meanwhile, confidential funds are those "related to surveillance activities in civilian government agencies that are intended to support the mandate or operations of the agency."
The biggest share of the proposed CIF will go to the Office of the President (OP) with P4.51 billion.
The Department of Agriculture (DA), likewise headed by Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., is also set to get P50 million.
Pimentel, however, noted the need to focus on those affected by recent typhoons.
