VP Duterte: Set budget issues aside, focus on hard times ahead

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Vice President Sara Duterte attends the Senate Finance Subcommittees A and D hearings on the proposed 2024 budgets of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) September 4, 2023. Bibo Nueva España, Senate PRIB" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/10/18/20230904-senate-duterte-prib-2.jpg"/><figcaption>Vice President Sara Duterte attends the Senate Finance Subcommittees A and D hearings on the proposed 2024 budgets of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) September 4, 2023. <em>Bibo Nueva España, Senate PRIB</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte, who is also education secretary, on Wednesday urged her supporters to focus on challenging times ahead, saying she is moving forward from issues involving her offices.</p><p>In a statement, Duterte described the debacle on confidential funds as part of politics. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/10/23/house-panel-moves-some-confidential-funds-to-publicly-auditable-items">House panel moves some confidential funds to publicly auditable items</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Naiintindihan ko ang inyong pagkadismaya at galit hinggil sa mga isyu tulad ng pakikialam sa budget at usapin ng confidential fund,&quot; she told her supporters.</p><p>(I understand your dismay and anger about the issue of meddling in the budget and in the confidential fund.)</p><p>Confidential funds — including those for the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education — were the subject of intense debate during budget deliberations at the House of Representatives. </p><p>Duterte urged her supporters, however, to focus on trying times ahead.</p><p>&quot;Hinihikayat ko ang bawat isa sa inyo, tutukan ang paghahanda sa darating na panahon ng taghirap lalo na sa patuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng pagkain at iba pang bilihin,&quot; she said.</p><p>(I am calling on each of you to focus on preparing for hard times ahead, especially as the prices of food and other goods continue to rise.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/10/23/house-panel-moves-some-confidential-funds-to-publicly-auditable-items">House panel moves some confidential funds to publicly auditable items</a></li></ul><div><strong>&#x27;Economy a more pressing problem&#x27;</strong></div><p>&quot;The [vice president] said political issues pale in comparison to the potential impact on the economy of the war between Israel and the militant Hamas organization, and the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.</p><p>What is important, she said, is for the public to be united and for them work together &quot;for the sake of the country.&quot; </p><p>&quot;May oras para sa lahat at hindi ito ang panahon ng paninira at pamumulitika lalo na malayo pa ang susunod na eleksyon,&quot; she also said.</p><p>(There is a time for everything and this is not the time for mudslinging and politicking, especially since the next national elections are still far away.)</p><p>She said unity, cooperation and making sure families are safe and stable in the coming months is more important than these issues.</p><div><strong>Confidential funds</strong></div><p>Members of the Makabayan bloc earlier questioned why the Office of the Vice President had P125 million in confidential funds in 2022 even if this was not authorized in last year&#x27;s General Appropriations Act.</p><p>Critics say there was no item for confidential funds in the OVP&#x27;s 2022 budget and that the transfer of the P125-million confidential fund was improper.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/30/23/reallocate-funds-into-basic-services-too-lagman">Reallocate funds into basic services too: Lagman</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/26/23/vp-duterte-originally-sought-p250m-confidential-funds-in-2022">VP Duterte originally sought P250M confidential funds in 2022</a></li></ul><p>State auditors, meanwhile, noted the increase in the OVP&#x27;s spending in confidential funds since Duterte&#x27;s predecessor, former Vice President Leni Robredo, did not have any in 2021.</p><p>The House of Representatives earlier announced that confidential funds for some civilian agencies will be put into the Philippine Coast Guard, the fisheries bureau and intelligence agencies instead.</p><p>This week, leaders of political parties in the House issued a joint statement clarifying that their decision to give away the confidential funds under Duterte and the Department of Education is <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/15/23/realignment-of-confidential-funds-not-an-affront-to-vp-duterte">not an attack</a> on her.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2830315" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

In a statement, Duterte described the debacle on confidential funds as part of politics. 

VP Duterte: Set budget issues aside, focus on hard times ahead | ABS-CBN

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VP Duterte: Set budget issues aside, focus on hard times ahead

VP Duterte: Set budget issues aside, focus on hard times ahead

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 18, 2023 02:21 PM PHT

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Updated Oct 18, 2023 02:41 PM PHT

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