Manila: Voting 56-5, the House Appropriations Committee approved the PHP27.362-billion budget of the Office of the President, despite opposition from several lawmakers who argued against terminating the hearing prematurely.
According to Philippines News Agency, the opposition's concerns were rooted in a desire for further discussion and clarification on several pressing issues. House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Representative Marcelino Libanan initially moved to terminate the proceedings as a traditional gesture, but emphasized that members of the House should have the opportunity for clarifications and questioning post-approval.
One of the main issues that prompted debate was a statement from Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin. Bersamin had claimed that certain members of the House were attempting to shift the blame for their own corruption and failures to the executive branch. He later clarified that his statement was not intended to malign the House of Representatives, but rather to underscore the institutional separation between the executive branch and the legislative body.
Bersamin explained, "Any part of that statement is our statement. We will not shirk from that or avoid the impact. But we would like to emphasize today that that statement was more to stress our institutional separation from the House of Representatives." He reassured that there was no intention to increase tensions between the departments and sought support for the institutional budget of the President's Office.
Additionally, Bersamin confirmed that the Office of the President is working on an executive order to establish an independent body to investigate questionable flood control projects. He noted that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., currently in Cambodia, would address these developments upon his return. The executive order is intended to fulfill promises made by the President regarding an independent inquiry into issues highlighted in his State of the Nation Address and subsequent statements.
The proposed executive order will not interfere with Congress's authority to conduct its own investigations or to legislate the creation of an independent investigative body. Deputy Speaker and Isabela 6th District Representative Faustino "Bojie" Dy III supported the motion to terminate the proceedings, citing the tradition of extending institutional courtesy to the Office of the President. He asserted that this action does not impede Congress's constitutional authority to review, amend, or deny items in the general appropriations bill.
The motion to terminate was promptly seconded and approved through a vote, concluding the budget deliberations for the Office of the President.
