TRADITION, PARLIAMENTARY COURTESY

House panel swiftly terminates deliberations on OP budget

The House appropriations committee on Friday swiftly terminated the briefing on the Office of the President's more than P9 billion proposed budget for 2023.

The 2023 National Expenditure Program (NEP) indicated that the Office of the President has proposed a total of P9,031,722,000 budget to sustain its operations for next year.

At the start of the deliberations, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose "Mannix" Dalipe immediately moved to terminate the budget hearing, citing tradition and parliamentary courtesy.

"Mr. Chairman, by tradition we are sending parliamentary courtesy to a co-equal branch in government, I move to terminate the budget briefing of the Office of the President," Dalipe said.

Dalipe's motion was duly-seconded and approved by the committee. House Minority Leader Representative Marcelino Libanan also manifested support to the motion to terminate the budget deliberation.

Executive Secretary Atty. Victor Rodriguez, meanwhile, expressed gratitude to House leaders and other lawmakers for their support to the Office of the President as he committed that the OP will work with them in ensuring the Filipinos' welfare.

"In line with the instructions of His Excellency, President Ferdinand Martin Romualdez Marcos Jr., you can be assured that the Office of President is here together with you your honors in meeting the expectations and hopes of the more than 112 million Filipinos, which the President now leads, founded on a solid foundation of 31.5 million votes, more or less, in promoting the people's welfare and upholding the interest of the nation," Rodriguez said.

Meanwhile, Kabataan party-list Representative Raoul Manuel made a manifestation, saying that he will raise questions on the OP's confidential and intelligence funds before the plenary deliberations.

The Marcos administration is seeking P4.5 billion for confidential and intelligence funds.

In fiscal year 2022, the office of then President Rodrigo Duterte was appropriated with an amount worth P8.23 billion for its expenses. — RSJ, GMA News