Philippine Vice President Sara Durterte, the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, took center stage to defend the allocation of a substantial $2.6 million in confidential funds to the Department of Education (DepEd).
In the midst of speculation and public scrutiny, Duterte asserts that these funds are an essential component of safeguarding the nation's future.
Philippine VP Sara Duterte Defends $2.6 Million Confidential Funds
As per CNN Philippines, VP Duterte has defended the roughly $2.6 million proposed confidential funds for the Department of Education (DepEd) in the 2024 budget.
The former President's daughter also heads the education department, apart from her duties as the veep.
The Education Secretary and VP justified the staggering amounts of confidential funds to the tune of 150 million Philippine pesos (PHP), or around $2.6 million. Duterte argued that the education sector is apparently "intertwined" with national security affairs.
Inquirer reports that she adds that "[it is pretty crucial] that we mold children who are patriotic, children who will love our country and who will defend our country."
Duterte's defense of the confidential funds faces mixed reactions. Some have argued that the funds are unnecessary and that they could be better used to improve the Philippines' education quality. Others have said that the funds are necessary to protect students and teachers from threats, particularly terrorism.
In a separate CNN PH report, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies or PIDS says that the national government needs to focus on boosting the quality of education in the Southeast Asian country.
In 2021, a World Bank study showed that roughly 80 percent of Filipino youth "do not know what they should know."
Sara Duterte and Confidential Funds
For the 2024 Philippine budget, Duterte is seeking $2.5 million in confidential funds for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and DepEd.
As Vera Files reports, Duterte proposed a P500 million or $8.9 million confidential fund for the OVP during the 2023 budget proposal. The Philippine VP also wanted another P150 million or $2.6 million for the Education Department. The House of Representatives granted the $11.5 million funding for her first year in office.
For 2024, CNN PH reports that the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. seeks confidential funding of a whopping P10.14 billion or $180 million for the President's office alone.
The issue of confidential funds has been a source of controversy in the Philippines for several years. These funds, as the name gives away, are spent confidentially. Thus, some raise the worry that the multi-million funding could be misused.
