The proposed budget for confidential and intelligence funds in 2025 has been knocked down by 16 percent, equivalent to P2 billion less, in comparison to this year's P12.3 billion.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said on Monday that only P10.286 billion will be allotted out of the P6.35 trillion overall proposed budget for government entities that require the funds.
"We just limit it in the departments and agencies na nangangailangan talaga ng confidential at (intelligence) funds (that really need the confidential and intelligence funds)," DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said in a press conference.
The DBM, with the Commission on Audit (COA), the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Governance Commission for Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations (GCG), and the Department of National Defense (DND) delineated confidential and intelligence funds in a 2015 joint circular.
As their names indicate, confidential funds are used on confidential expenses associated with surveillance activities in civilian government agencies, whereas intelligence expenses are spent on activities conducted by police and the military for gathering information immediately concerning national security.
The DND is to be given the lion's share at some P1.8 billion, according to the DBM.
The DILG will receive P906 million, which will be split between the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the DILG's Office of the Secretary, which will have P806 million and P100 million respectively.
Of the P579.4 million apportioned for the Department of Justice (DOJ), P364.8 million will go to the DOJ's Office of the Secretary.
Under the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will be given about P400 million.
P175.4 million has been set aside for the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), P20 million for the Bureau of Immigration, and P19.2 million for the Office of the Solicitor General.
Confidential and intelligence funds have also been allocated for executive offices like the National Security Council (NSC), which will be granted P250 million; the Department of Finance (DOF), P79.5 million; the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Peace (OPAPRU), P60 million; and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency or PDEA, which is to accept P500 million.
Counted among the recipients of confidential and intelligence funds are the COA, Office of the Ombudsman, Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and Commission on Human Rights (CHR).
According to the budget secretary, government agencies requested a total of P11.39 billion in confidential and intelligence funds. However, she approved only P10.286 billion.
