Photo Release

Angara defends OP budget: Sen. Sonny Angara faces his colleagues during the marathon plenary session Thursday, November 9, 2023 to defend the P10.6-billion budget of the Office of the President (OP) for 2024. During the plenary debate, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III asked Angara why the OP is requesting a P2.3-billion intelligence fund when it is not a uniformed or military agency or an intelligence practitioner. Angara, quoting an earlier statement of Exec. Sec. Lucas Bersamin, stated that the President is both user and generator of confidential intelligence information and as the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces he needs to make very crucial decisions. The OP budget was deemed submitted for plenary approval. (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)