Bicam approves P5.

77-trillion budget for 2024

By: Niel Jazel Flor Baguio

Manila, Philippines- The final version of the P5.768 trillion national spending plan for 2024
was approved by the bicameral conference committee on Monday. It will now be separately
ratified by the Senate and the House of Representatives before being forwarded to President
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for his approval prior to Congress's December 15th break for the
Christmas holidays.
The committee's House and Senate panels refused to change their previous decision to
deny confidential and intelligence funding (CIFs) to civilian state entities.
“This is a (national) budget to sustain our (economic) growth and to give our people hope
amid these uncertain times,” Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara, chair of the Senate finance committee,
told reporters after the committee concluded the budget deliberations at the Makati Shang-ri
La Hotel.
Therefore, the offices of Vice President Sara Duterte will not get any covert funding of any
kind in 2019. In a previous request, P650 million in secret funding for 2024 was made by the
Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd), which Duterte
simultaneously leads.
“The 2024 budget shall devote significant funds for infrastructure, for greater mobility
through more roads, bridges, railways, and seaports,” Angara later said in his sponsorship
speech of the General Appropriations Bill.
In addition, Angara mentioned that the committee adopted Sen. Risa Hontiveros’ proposal
in order to forbid the OP from using its contingent funds for confidential expenses.