Under the pretext of “parliamentary courtesy,” Congress railroaded the budget for the office of Ferdinand Marcos Jr without allowing any questions on September 9. The House Committee on Appropriations quickly wrapped up deliberations in just 20 minutes.

Only Makabayan representatives Rep. France Castro of the ACT Teachers Party, Rep. Arlene Brosas of the Gabriela Women’s Party and Rep. Raoul Manuel of Kabataang Partylist opposed the railroading. They said the members of the committee showed their “double standard” in fast-tracking the president’s budget, in contrast to the committee allowing members to question Sara Duterte’s OVP budget last August. In the past two years, the Makabayan representatives have been the only ones to oppose the trend of minimal discussion on both the president and vice president’s budgets.

Rep. Manuel reminded that Marcos Jr himself said that all agencies go through the process of Congress when Duterte questioned why she was not given “parliamentary courtesy.” (Duterte did not attend the second hearing related to her office’s budget on September 10.)

Rep. Castro reminded that Congress has the mandate to scrutinize the budgets of all government agencies without exception. “Even if it’s the president’s office,” she said.

Makabayan representatives wanted to ask about the ₱4.56 billion confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) requested by Marcos. Legislators want it removed amid escalating human rights violations under Marcos’ leadership.

In total, Marcos is asking for ₱10.506 billion for his office, several times higher than the ₱2 billion demanded by his vice president, Duterte.

Makabayan lawmakers also wanted to scrutinize the ₱158.665 billion “unprogrammed funds” included in the proposed budget. This fund has no specific programs and projects listed and is under the office of the president. Thus, it can be considered the president’s discretionary fund or pork barrel since he can use it wherever and however he wants.

Makabayan also wanted to scrutinize the sharp increase in the president’s “unprogrammed funds” in this year’s budget, which ballooned from ₱281.908 billion in the proposal submitted to Congress to ₱731.448 billion in the final General Appropriations Act. They said the unprogrammed funds held by the president is 99.74% greater than what it requested and passed by Congress. Compared to 2023, it is also 160% higher.

On the day of the deliberation, national-democratic groups protested in front of Congress to call for the removal from the national budget of Marcos’ discretionary funds and CIF, which they called the presidential pork barrel. They instead called for the funds to be allocated to social services that the Filipino people desperately need.