Public pushback vs Sara’s confidential funds kept it out of 2024 budget — Senate finance panel chairMembers of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan troop to the House of Representatives along Batasan Road in Quezon City on September 26, 2023 to demand the abolition of confidential funds in different government agencies. MANILA, Philippines — Public sentiment against the confidential and intelligence funds under Vice President Sara Duterte influenced the decision of lawmakers to keep the controversial secret fund out of the proposed 2024 national budget, the Senate finance committee chairperson said on Monday. “It's also a reading of the public opinion, (and) the public opinion wanted greater transparency on the budget,” Angara said in an interview with ANC’s Headstart on Monday. But also because the vice president said she is not pursuing it. Controversy over the secret lump sum began after Makabayan bloc lawmakers sought to question Duterte about the P125 million in confidential expenses of the OVP in 2022 during budget deliberations at the House of Representatives.

Source: Philippine Star December 18, 2023 22:29 UTC