By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio has questioned the proposed P4.55 billion in confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) for the Office of the President (OP) in the 2027 national budget, saying the allocation raises serious questions about transparency and accountability in government spending.
Under the proposed P7.2-trillion 2027 National Expenditure Program, the OP is slated to receive P2.25 billion in confidential funds and P2.30 billion in intelligence funds, bringing its total CIF allocation to P4.55 billion, according to Tinio.
The lawmaker said the amount represents about 44.9 percent of the OP’s proposed budget and roughly 42 percent of the government’s total P10.773 billion CIF allocation.
“Why is nearly half of the entire country’s confidential and intelligence funds in the hands of the Office of the President? Is this consistent with transparency and good governance?” Tinio asked.
He said the massive allocation should be subjected to the same level of scrutiny being applied to confidential funds previously questioned in other government offices.
Tinio specifically cited the impeachment case involving Vice President Sara Duterte, where allegations include the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President and P112.5 million from the Department of Education.
“Right now, public attention is focused on the impeachment of VP Sara and the scrutiny of her confidential funds. It is only right that she be held accountable for the irregularities. But there cannot be a double standard,” he said.
Tinio then challenged whether the OP’s proposed CIF would withstand the same level of examination.
“If we scrutinized the P612.5 million CIF of the OVP and DepEd this intensely, would the Office of the President pass that kind of scrutiny — given its P4.55 billion in secret funds and the lack of clear expenditures to show the public?” he said.
The ACT Teachers lawmaker renewed his call for the abolition of confidential and intelligence funds in the national budget, rejecting the Department of Budget and Management’s position that such funds remain subject to liquidation and auditing rules.
“The DBM can claim all it wants that these funds are subject to liquidation and auditing rules, but the reality is that the Filipino people are kept in the dark. P4.55 billion in the hands of one office, with no meaningful public scrutiny, is a recipe for corruption and abuse,” Tinio stressed.
Rather than maintaining billions in secret funds, Tinio said the money should be redirected to government agencies facing severe funding shortages, particularly those handling social services, education and agriculture.
He argued that the proposed allocation comes as Filipinos contend with rising prices, stagnant wages and persistent shortages in basic public services.
“The people are reeling from record-high inflation, stagnant wages and chronic underfunding of basic services. Yet Malacañang insists on keeping billions in slush funds that escape meaningful public audit,” Tinio said.
“Let’s push through with abolishing CIF and redirect the funds to genuine public services,” he added.
ia/xf
