Ginamitan ng legal basis ng Office of the President (OP) ang desisyon na i-release ang P221.424 million para sa maintenance operating and other expenses (MOOE) ng Office of the Vice President (OVP) noong nakaraang taon.
Pahayag ito ng OES, makaraang mabuksan sa pagdinig ng Senado sa proposed 2024 budget ng OVP na nakatanggap ito ng P125 million mula sa OP, noong December, 2022, para sa confidential funds.
“Upon request of the OVP, the Office of the President approved the release of the amount of P221.424 Million to the OVP for the following MOOE items:
a) Financial Assistance/Subsidy – P96.424 Million, and b) Confidential Funds (for newly created satellite offices) – P125.0 Million, chargeable against the FY 2022 Contingent Fund.” —OES.
Ayon sa Office of the Executive Secretary (OES), ang confidential fund ay inilabas alinsunod sa Special Provision No. 1 sa ilalim ng 2022 Contingent Fund, na nagbibigay kapangyarihan sa OP na aprubahan ang pagre-release ng pondo na magko-cover sa funding requirements ng bago o urgent activities na kailangang maipatupad.
“The release was done pursuant to Special Provision No. 1 under FY 2022 Contingent Fund. Under Special Provision No. 1, the President is authorized to approve releases to cover funding requirements of new or urgent activities of NGA (national government agencies), among others, that need to be implemented during the year,” —OES.
Binigyang diin rin ng OES na nakita ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ang pangangailangan na maglabas ng pondo, upang suporahan ang mga inisyatibo ni Vice President Sara Duterte, alinsunod na rin sa rekomendasyon ng Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
“Vice President Sara, who was newly elected then, needed funds for her new programs for the remaining period of 2022. The President supported this initiative and released the funds, with the favorable recommendation of DBM,” —EOS. | ulat ni Racquel Bayan
