Quimbo seeks creation of special panel in use of CIFs
IN a bid to increase transparency, Senior Vice Chair of the House committee on appropriations and Marikina City Rep. Stella Quimbo is proposing the creation of a special oversight committee in the use of confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) by government agencies.
At the continuation of budget deliberations, Quimbo sponsored the proposed budget of Commission on Audit (COA) for 2024, to which she called on her colleagues in the House of Representatives to rally behind the establishment of the special oversight committee that will ensure the proper use of people’s money under CIFs.
“Naniniwala ako na ang kaban ng bayan ay dapat ginagastos para sa kaunlaran ng bayan. This can only be achieved with a stronger push towards transparent governance,” Quimbo said in her sponsorship speech.
“In this spirit . . . may I remind our colleagues that during the debate on the General Principles, I specifically mentioned the opportunity for Congress to increase transparency in the use of confidential and intelligence funds with a proposal to create a special oversight committee,” she added.
In the proposal, she wanted at least three House majority members and one minority member to join the Speaker in the special oversight committee, whose primary task is ensure that the CIFs are used properly and judiciously.
According to Quimbo, the special committee shall have the privilege of complete access to the reports submitted to COA-DBM (Department of Budget and Management) joint circular 2015-01.
The joint circular, issued by COA together with DBM, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of National Defense and the Governance Commission for Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations, outlines the government agencies and intelligence practitioners and experts that are authorized and eligible to receive CIFs.
