Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas
The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) represented by its chairperson emeritus Rafael Mariano today joined a multisectoral delegation and dialogue with House of Representatives Minority Floor Leader Rep. Marcelino Libanan to encourage House members to to realign the proposed budget for confidential and intelligence funds to much-needed social services for the people.
In a letter-petition, various sectors, organizations, budget stakeholders, and concerned Filipinos appealed to members of Congress to not rush the approval of the 2024 General Appropriations Bill and instead undergo a judicious deliberation process that ensures transparency, accountability, and the welfare of Filipinos above all.
Last week, President Marcos Jr. certified as urgent House Bill 8980 or the General Appropriations Bil, technically ordering Congress to fast-track the approval for 2nd reading, proposed amendments, and 3rd reading of the appropriations bill in one day.
We are alarmed that no action has been taken to remove or even reduce the Confidential and Intelligence Funds (CIFs) of agencies that have neither the mandate nor function that could justify the huge allocations of such funds in their budgets.
In particular, the Office of the President’s proposed CIF is at P2.25 billion, plus a P50 million CIF also under the President’s control in the Department of Agriculture. Meanwhile, the Office of the Vice President’s CIF is at P500 million, plus a P150 million CIF also under the Vice President’s control in the Department of Education. Between themselves, these top two officials have P2.95 billion in discretionary CIFs, dwarfing the CIF budgets of all the other intelligence and law enforcement agencies combined.
Such lumpsum funds, being discretionary, confidential, and not subject to regular auditing procedures of the Commission on Audit, could naturally lead to corruption and abuse. A clear case in point is the recent revelation about President Marcos’ anomalous transfer to, and Vice President Duterte’s anomalous use of, P125 million worth of CIF funds in 2022 in blatant violation of existing guidelines on the CIF.
The groups asked members of Congress to exercise their power of the purse to remove such huge slush funds from the hands of President Bongbong Marcos Jr and Vice President Sara Duterte who represent the most powerful and corrupt political dynasties in the country.
Instead of maintaining the CIF, the groups propose that the said CIFs and other inappropriate budget allocations, be realigned to the construction and repair of hospitals, health facilities, and public schools; to augment the salaries and benefits of teachers, health workers and other government employees; to provide production subsidies to small farmers and fisherfolk; or housing to poor families, among other more urgent needs.
𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝
KMP also seeks clarification on the Department of Agriculture’s allocation of P13.05 billion to the Support for Infrastructure Projects and Social Programs (SIPSIP) under Unprogrammed Appropriations for fiscal year 2022. Out of this budget, DA claimed that P8.984 billion was allocated to financial assistance to rice farmers while P4.107 billion was allocated for the fertilizer support voucher program. KMP said transferring the tariff revenues to SIPSIP makes it more vulnerable to corruption and misuse. Gusto naming malaman kung bakit inilagay pa bilang Unprogrammed Funds ang excess tariff revenues samantalang ang nakasaad sa batas ay direkta na itong gagamitin para sa mga programa para sa ating rice farmers. Kailangan rin magpaliwanag ang DA kung talagang nakarating nga ba sa mga dapat na benepisaryo ang pondo ng Rice Farmers Financial Assistance o RFFA.
KMP along with other peasant and fisherfolk groups will join the BAYAN-led mobilization outside the House of Representatives tomorrow to demand the abolition of the Confidential and Intelligence Funds. ###
Image from KARAPATAN.
