House Questions Office of the President Budget
For the first time since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office, the Office of the President budget faced scrutiny during discussions at the House of Representatives’ committee on appropriations. This marked a significant shift as the executive branch’s spending plans came under closer examination.
During Monday’s hearing, parliamentary courtesy was still extended to the Office of the President. However, Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan challenged statements made by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin over the weekend. Bersamin had openly criticized the House for allegedly attempting to deflect blame for corruption and failures within the budget process, intensifying the tension between the branches of government.
Debate Over Flood Control Probe and Budget Deliberations
After Bersamin responded to questions regarding his remarks and the possibility of an independent flood control investigation, Libanan sought to end the budget deliberations. His motion respected the input from several party-list representatives, including ACT Teachers’ Antonio Tinio, Kabataan’s Renee Co, and Mamamayang Liberal’s Leila de Lima, who had raised concerns earlier.
Opposition came from party-list representatives such as Kamanggagawa’s Elijah San Fernando and Sagip’s Paulo Henry Marcoleta. Marcoleta argued that the Office of the Vice President had been treated differently and that similar respect should be extended to the Office of the President during budget discussions.
Committee Votes and Hearing Timeline
The committee ultimately split on the motion. Out of 56 members present, the majority voted to terminate the budget deliberations, with only five opposing. Nueva Ecija 1st District Representative Mikaela Suansing, the committee chairperson, opened the session at 9:36 a.m., and the hearing concluded swiftly at 10:13 a.m.
This contrasts sharply with the previous year’s OP budget hearing on September 9, 2024, which was abruptly ended in under 20 minutes, reflecting ongoing tensions in budget oversight.
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