Senate, House adopt 2024 GAA excluding confidential, intel funds of civilian agencies

THE Senate and the House of Representatives adopt the final version of the proposed P5.768-trillion 2024 General Appropriations Act, Monday, December 11, 2023, which excluded confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) of civilian agencies.

Sen. Sonny Angara Sonny Angara, chairperson of the Committee on Finance, led the Senate panel tasked to reconcile the two versions of the proposed GAA. Angara said both chambers agreed to allocate additional funds for defense and national security.

He added the Senate’s proposal to prohibit the use of contingent funds for CIF was adopted by the House of Representatives.

“We increased the budget of some agencies but these are no longer confidential funds,” Angara said in Filipino.

Aside from Angara, senators present during the signing of the Bicam Report on HB 8980 were Sen. Win Gatchalian, JV Ejercito, Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, Nancy Binay, Cynthia A. Villar and Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros.