MANILA, Philippines – Umabot lamang sa sampung minuto upang maaprubahan ang 2025 budget ng Office of the President sa ginanap na pagdinig ng Senate committee on finance sa pamumuno ni Senador Grace Poe.
Sa ginanap na deliberasyon sa komite, kaagad inihayag ni Poe na isasalang sa deliberasyon ng plenaryo ang badyet ng OP.
Ayon kay Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, mas mababa ng 1.88 porsiyento ang badyet ng OP sa susunod na taon kumpara sa kasalukuyan.
Naniniwala si Bersamin na makasasapat ang susunod na badyet ng OP sa pagtupad ng tungkulin nito bilang lider ng bansa, gobyerno, chief architect ng foreign policy at commander-in –chief.
“Despite the reduction in the budget being proposed, rest assured Your honors tat the same will not affect the delivery of services of the President to the people,” ayon kay Bersamin.
“Our presence here manifests the President’s commitment to work closely with the Senate in upholding our mutual objective of promoting the welfare of our people and the country’s national interests,” ayon kay Bersamin.
Sinabi naman ni Poe na dulot ng ilang pagbabago tulad ng nilikhang poisyson at binawasang pondo sa pagbibiyahe, kaya nabawasan ang badyet ng OP.
Kasama sa tanggapan na nasa ilalim ng OP ang Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) na kinilala ni Poe dulot ng pagtulong nito sa pagsugpo ng illegal na Philippine Offshore Gaming Organization (POGO).
“The President has created the new presidential office fr child protectin and I think it is high time fo that and many of us are very grateful to protect our children, the most vulnerable in society,” ayon kay Poe.
Sa kanyang presentasyon, sinabi pa ni Bersamin na tutugunan ng badyet ng suporta para sa mahahalagang serbisyo, direksiyon ng patakaran at inisyatibang diplomatiko upang makaakit ng pamuhunan na lilikha ng trabaho para sa post-pandemic recovery.
“Your Honors, the President values the cooperation between our branches in the fulfillment of our common goal of development; thus, the Office of the President will fully cooperate with the Congress in its exercise of its constitutional mandate as the keeper of the purse,” aniya.
“Infrastructure projects within the Palace Complex, aligned with the Build Better More program of the Marcos Administration, will also be supported by the proposed budget,” paliwanag pa ni Bersamin.
Senugundahan naman ni Senador Nancy Binay ang mosyon na isalang sa deliberasyon ng plenaryo ang badyet ng OP. Ernie Reyes
