Castro wants OVP’s P500 million in confi funds realigned to PCG

House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro on Tuesday asked the House of Representatives to transfer the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) proposed P500 million in confidential and intelligence funds for 2024 to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

In a statement, Castro stressed that it is “high time” the PCG’s intelligence funds are increased, amid its efforts to secure the country’s territorial waters.

She said that the OVP should not object to such realignment, and instead support it, if it is “so concerned with national security.”

"Ang PCG ang palaging humaharap sa pambubully ng China tapos ang intel funds nila ay P10 [million] lang mula 2009 samantalang ang OVP na wala namang kinalaman sa intelligence gathering ay napakalaki ng intel funds," Castro said.

(The PCG is always dealing with China's bullying but its intel funds has only been P10 million since 2009. The OVP, which has nothing to do with intelligence gathering, has huge intel funds.)

The OVP responded by saying that the matter of confidential funds "should be left to the wisdom of the entire membership of the House of Representatives and the Senate and not to Ms. France Castro."

A total of P10.142 billion has been allocated for confidential and intelligence funds across all government agencies in 2024.

This includes the proposed P500 million for the OVP, led by Vice President Sara Duterte, and another P150 million going to the Department of Education (DepEd), which she also leads as Secretary.

Castro earlier said that the DepEd's P150-million allocation should be channeled to child care development instead.

"Sa totoo lang ang confidential and intel funds sa DepEd at OVP na aabot sa P650 million ay pork barrel lang ng bise presidente. It is high time na i-realign ito sa PCG para magamit laban sa mga dayuhang nanghihimasok sa ating teritoryo," the teacher solon added.

(Actually, the confidential and intel funds of the DepEd and OVP, which will reach P650 million, is just the pork barrel of the Vice President. It is high time to realign it to the PCG to be used against foreign invaders of our territory.)

Duterte on Monday defended the confidential funds she is seeking for the DepEd, saying that it has to do with national security.

“Because education is intertwined with national security. Napakahalaga na [it is very important that] we mold children who are patriotic, children who will love our country, and who will defend our country,” she said.

DepEd spokesperson Undersecretary Michael Poa also said that the P150 million will be used to collect information on "recruitment" supposedly going on in academic institutions across the country. — BM, GMA Integrated News