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Properly using CIF

In order to help the Philippines improve its defenses against cybercrime and China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea, the Senate and four House of Representatives leaders have agreed to reallocate confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) from civilian government agencies to agencies responsible for intelligence and surveillance.

During Senate deliberations on the proposed 2024 budget of the Department of National Defense, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri vowed to augment the country’s defense spending budget. “We are fully committed to support your budget, and the reason being they are fully committed to support and defend our country, no matter what it takes, even with their lives,” he said.

The House leadership has also decided to reallocate CIF away from civilian agencies, as four leaders of dominant political parties said they will reallocate funds to agencies responsible for intelligence and surveillance, such as the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, National Security Council, Philippine Coast Guard, and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, as they expressed “serious concern” over the China Coast Guard’s recent installation of a 300 meter ball buoy barrier southeast of Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal).

Sen. Risa Hontiveros supported Congress’ decision to reallocate CIF, noting “it is not right” for civilian agencies that have nothing to do with national security to have a P500-million confidential fund while the PCG only has a P10-million confidential fund in 2024.

House committee on appropriations chairman Rep. Zaldy Co said the confidential funds sought by Vice President Sara Duterte will be realigned.

The executive department has earmarked P10.14 billion in CIF in the 2024 National Expenditure Program, bulk of which is for the Office of the President at P4.56 billion, and the most controversial being the P650 million for the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, as requested by Duterte, who also heads DepEd.

The Office of the Ombudsman, Department of Migrant Workers, and Department of Foreign Affairs have already expressed their intention to give up their confidential funds.

Asking for confidential and intelligence funds has become trendy among government agencies and officials who have seen it being granted to those either see themselves as special or find reason to demand special funds. But now that the practice has come to the attention of the public and our legislators, it is good that the trendy practice is being reviewed and its usage could be regulated before things get out of hand and all government agencies get CIFs, whether they deserve it or not.

Hopefully our government clamp down on the potential for CIFs to be abused and provide it only to the agencies that really need such funds in order to fulfill their mandate.*

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February 2025
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