Bicam approves final version of P5.768-T budget for 2024

The bicameral conference committee on Monday approved and adopted the final version of the bill containing the P5.768-trillion national budget for 2024.

Senate finance committee chairman Senator Sonny Angara said that the consolidated version of the 2024 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) has no allocated confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) for non-security agencies. 

Of the total proposed budget, Angara said at least P9 billion or 0.02% was allocated for CIF in 2024.

The bicameral conference committee also adopted the special provision introduced by Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros, which bans the use of contingent funds to augment the CIFs of other agencies. 

The final version of the 2024 budget gave importance to the country’s defense, according to Angara.

“I think, in light of world events, 'yung 'di ba may gera sa Europa? May gera sa Middle East? Hindi naman sa gusto nating magka-gera dito pero gusto natin na handa tayo,” he said.

(There's war in Europe and the Middle East, right? We don't want war to happen here, but still we want to be ready.)

“I think that’s been going on for quite some time. So that’s just one reason to help or defense forces,” Angara added.

With this, Angara said the bicameral conference committee increased the budget of the Philippine Coast Guard by P2 billion.

While the proposed 2024 budget gave importance to the country’s defense, Angara said budget for education, health and assistance to Filipinos were largely funded under the GAB. —KBK, GMA Integrated News