MANILA — The Marcos administration's intelligence and confidential funds for next year have grown by P120 million, the budget department said on Thursday.

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said the P120 million increase was due to the additional confidential and intelligence funds from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Presidential Security Guard, and the Anti-Money Laundering Council.

Intelligence expenses in the budget refer to information-gathering activities of uniformed and military personnel, and intelligence practitioners that have a direct impact on national security. These may only be used upon the approval of the President.

Confidential expenses meantime refer to surveillance activities in civilian government agencies that are intended to support the mandate or operations of the agency. These may be used upon the approval of the Department Secretary.

"Yes, mayroong increase na 120 million for the confidential and intelligence funds," Pangandaman told Palace reporters.

Its share to the national government, however, is "on a decreasing trend" at just 0.176 percent for 2024 and 0.190 percent in 2023, 0.183 percent in 2022, 0.212 percent in 2021, and 0.235 percent in 2020.

The share to the national government of confidential and intelligence funds this year is the "lowest" in the time series, noted Pangandaman.

"Ibig sabihin, iyong share niya doon sa kabuuang budget natin while you look at it, it’s 10 billion pesos, it’s actually decreasing naman," she said.

Budget Assistant Secretary Mary Anne Dela Vega said the DICT's confidential and intelligence funds will cover its cyber programs worth about P300 million.

"For the PSG, that will cover the intelligence activities usually during the out-of-country [trips] ni Presidente, and that’s only an increase of 50 million," Dela Vega added.

No details were provided for the AMLC's confidential and intelligence funds.

Pangandaman defended the necessity of DICT's confidential funds for its cyber security projects to protect the procurement process from potential hackers.

"hindi mo siya puwedeng ilagay po iyong technical specifications ng cyber security projects mo.. E di wala rin, hindi rin po natin maano iyong cyber security project natin and programs," she said.

Pangandaman also played down concerns that the confidential funds may be abused.

"Mayroon din ditong… Section 4 of the joint circular, may detalye din po on how to disburse the funds. So, if you look at it, may accountability din po iyong mga finance/admin officers natin and disbursing officers natin."

Based on the 2024 National Expenditure Program (NEP), the total amount of proposed intelligence and confidential funds next year slightly increased compared to the current fiscal year.

For 2024, proposed intelligence funds amount to P5.77 billion, compared to P5.217 billion in 2023 and P6.405 billion in 2022.

Meanwhile, confidential funds in the 2024 NEP totaled at P4.864 billion, compared to P4.804 billion in 2023 and P3.864 billion in 2022.

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