By Filane Mikee Cervantes | Philippine News Agency
The House of Representatives appropriations committee swiftly terminated on Friday the hearing for the proposed PHP9.03 billion budget of the Office of the President (OP) for 2023.
Seven minutes into the budget briefing, the panel, chaired by Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co, terminated the deliberations on the OP budget without any interpellation upon the motion of House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, citing tradition and courtesy to the executive.
“By tradition, we are sending parliamentary courtesy to a co-equal branch in government. I move to terminate the budget briefing of the Office of the President,” Dalipe said.
Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez thanked the House for their support for the OP, assuring that they would work with the legislature to promote public interest and nation building.
“You can be assured that the Office of the President is here together with you, your honors, in meeting the expectations and hopes of the more than 112 million Filipinos which the President now leads, founded on a solid foundation of 31.5 million votes – more or less – in promoting the people’s welfare and upholding the interest of the nation,” Rodriguez said. “We are one with you, your honors, in nation building.”
The bulk of the budget will go to the maintenance and other operating expenses at PHP6.87 billion, followed by personnel services at PHP1.501 billion, and capital outlay at PHP590.794 million.
The approval of the motion to terminate means that the panel will endorse the proposed budget to the plenary for another round of deliberations. (PNA)
