Lawmakers tackle confidential funds of OVP, DepEd during 2024 budget hearing
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00:00 Vice President Sara Duterte may have the super majority behind her in the House and Senate,
00:05 which agreed to nearly all her requests, but her proposed budget request,
00:09 seeking to breeze through proceedings, was far from a cakewalk this afternoon.
00:13 From her controversial confidential fund allocation to funding for increased security,
00:18 the Vice President had to fight tooth and nail for each of them
00:22 that our Daniel Manalastas sums up in this report.
00:27 Senators took a deep dive into the confidential funds of the office of the Vice President
00:33 and the Department of Education as well during the committee hearing on its proposed budget for next year.
00:39 Vice President Sara Duterte herself told lawmakers they can live without it. However,
00:45 We can only propose, but we are not insisting. We can live without confidential funds.
00:51 But of course, our work will be much easier if we have the flexibility of confidential funds
00:59 in monitoring the safe, secure, and successful implementations of the programs, projects,
01:06 and activities of the office of the Vice President.
01:09 Which mandates of the office of the Vice President will be supported
01:14 by the aforementioned allocation of the confidential funds?
01:17 It is intended for the safe, secure, and successful implementations of programs, projects, and activities
01:24 and engagements of me and all the satellite offices.
01:31 On DepEd's confidential funds, Undersecretary Michael Powa told the committee its purpose,
01:37 such as for the fight against illegal drugs and recruitment of rebels.
01:42 The numbers, for example, for recruitment, 12.3% of the rebels, those who surrendered 2016 to 2020,
01:50 were minors, 12 to 17 years old. In fact, we have information that 16 schools just within Metro Manila
01:57 are involved in recruitment activities.
02:00 Meanwhile, Senator Rafi Tulfo grilled the DepEd on the alleged voluntary contributions involving students
02:07 and parents, wherein Tulfo alleges those who contribute get high grades.
02:13 Now that I'm a senator and they elected and voted me to give a solution to this problem
02:18 that parents are studying, I have to do something.
02:21 Number one, you asked the question on how you can help. How can you help as a senator now?
02:26 Can you make a law that prohibits voluntary contributions to PTAs?
02:32 First of all, there is no power to stop that. However, there is a power of DepEd to stop the so-called voluntary contributions to PTA.
02:41 Madam Chair, Your Honor, we take note of your advice. You don't answer, you don't sign department orders.
02:49 We take note of your comments.
02:51 Thank you, but Your Honor, they must answer these questions because this question came from parents who are studying.
02:58 The OVP told senators their current programs like the Libreng Sakay, Fight Against Insurgency,
03:06 programs for education, health, and assistance to different individuals, also their programs for disaster response and mitigation.
03:14 The OVP also defended the issue on its security detail.
03:19 As to the number of VPSPG personnel, the determination on the number and deployment of VPSPG personnel is largely dependent on the assessment of the AFP and the PNP.
03:34 I suspect, because I have security, let's say we have six or four. They are not together, right?
03:41 Because someone is taking a rest, there is a shifting, right? There is no need for an alert. There is a day shift, there is a night shift.
03:47 Meanwhile, the budgets of the DepEd and OVP are dimmed submitted to the Senate's plenary.
03:53 Daniel Manalastas for the Nation.