Pondo sa agrikultura, kabilang sa mga binusisi sa pagharap ng economic managers sa Senate budget deliberations; lagay ng Maharlika Investment Fund, inalam din
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00:00The economic managers of PAMALAAN once again faced the Senators in the continuation of the Senate's decision on the 2025 budget and the current situation of the Maharlika Investment Fund.
00:15One of the speakers is Daniel Vandalasta from Centro ng Balita. Daniel.
00:21Yes, Adlo. The Senate Committee on Finance continued the decision on the 2025 national budget, where the economic managers of PAMALAAN met with the Senators.
00:31One of the speakers this morning is if there is enough funds for their program for agriculture, like irrigation. The Department of Budget and Management also explained that it is not enough.
00:43The 56 billion this year, most of it is still undergoing procurement. So we cannot provide the same amount for next year, Madam Chair, if they cannot use it.
00:59They are talking about underspending, if they cannot use it because irrigation projects are highly technical. It takes time.
01:09Meanwhile, Aljo, one of the Senators asked how the Maharlika Investment Fund is doing.
01:15Finance Secretary Ralf Recto said that the board members of Maharlika are now complete. But one of the Senators asked, how is the investment going?
01:24Admittedly, it is taking time to identify investments that the Maharlika can make. As you know, it is like a startup.
01:36We just passed the law last year. They have been in operations for about six, seven months right now. So it is like a startup.
01:45That it is a worthy investment to make, that you have vetted it. Can you already invest, seeing that you are still looking for office space and organizing?
02:01No decisions have been made yet where to invest. The CEO is looking for opportunities. But no, he has not come to the board for any particular investment.
02:13But let's say tomorrow something very enticing comes up and we might lose our opportunity to invest. Because we can also invest abroad, correct?
02:28Yes, but I do not think that the first investment should be invested abroad.
02:32No, I understand that. Okay, let's just make it local. An investment here, an investment opportunity, let's say, but needs to be decided immediately.
02:44Is this something that the Maharlika board can already, are authorized already to invest, even without the entire physical structure set up accomplished?
02:57Yes, that's possible.
03:00At this point, Aljo, the Senate Committee on Finance is still ongoing. We are waiting to hear the questions of the economic managers of the government at the committee level.
03:11But after that, Aljo, it's clear that it's not the senators at the committee level, but other government agencies. Aljo.
03:21Thank you very much Daniel Manalastas.