(Photo courtesy of Malacanang)
Todo-depensa si Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman hinggil sa isyu ng pagdoble ng pondo na nakatoka sa Office of the President mula sa proposed 2024 National Budget kung saan malaking halaga ang kakailanganin para sa official trips ni President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sa ibang bansa.
Nakasaad sa 2024 National Expenditure Program (NEP) na isinumite na sa Kongreso, hiniling ni Marcos ang P1.408 billion pondo para sa Office of the President upang matustusan ang kanyang foreign missions at state visits sa susunod na taon.
Ang naturang halaga ay mas mataas ng 58 porsiyento kumpara sa P893.87 million budget ng tanggapan ngayong taon.
“When I was asked previously po doon sa SONA (State of the Nation Address) kung ano po sa tingin ko ang nagawa ng… this administration in such a short time – I think to bring us back to the map as an investment hub and opportunity po for other countries,” pahayag ni Pangandaman.
“Kami po, hindi lang po ang Presidente, even the economic managers, if you will notice po, we’ve been going out of the country to present the Philippines as an investment hub po. So, I think iyong expenses ng travel, as long as it will be beneficial and mas may advantage po para sa bansa natin, I think okay lang po iyon. It’s justified.”