00:00The Camera approved this week's budget for the National Budget, which is worth more than 6 trillion pesos for 2025.
00:10But before that, the Congress is one-by-one reviewing the budget of each agency.
00:16That's what Isaiah Mirafuentes has to say.
00:20After two weeks of plenary debates,
00:23the Camera approved the third and final reading of the 6.352 trillion-peso budget for next Wednesday.
00:35According to House Speaker Martin Romualdez,
00:38the early approval of the Congress will help the Senate have enough time to review the National Budget for next year.
00:50The Congress was busy this Monday with the budget hearing due to the number of agencies scheduled this day.
00:57One of the hot topics discussed in the budget hearing was the NICA, or National Intelligence Coordinating Council.
01:04It was hotly criticized by the Black community,
01:07who suspected that it was the beginning of red-tagging in the country.
01:13While Representative Ton Atcharon was one of the sponsors of the NICA budget,
01:19he was immediately flooded with questions from two members of the Black community,
01:24Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas and the young partylist Raul Manuela.
01:29Brosas asked if the NTF-ELCAC's red-tagging is related to the NICA.
01:40Some even said that there are still students who are being red-tagged.
01:45The NICA was criticized for using their fund properly,
01:50and that their fund is being used for the operation in the West Philippine Sea.
01:56Finally, the proposed 2025 budget of the NICA was revealed to the camera.
02:02It also discussed the fund of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Reconciliation in Unity.
02:09Lawmakers wanted to see the breakdown of the agencies that are helping to maintain peace in the country.
02:18Another thing that was revealed to the camera was the proposed budget for the Marawi Compensation Board or MCB.
02:26Lawmakers wanted the agency to prove that the Marawi was able to recover quickly
02:31from the crisis they experienced in 2017.
02:36Meanwhile, the Congress passed the budget of the Dangerous Drag Board,
02:41Presidential Management Staff and Mindanao Development Authority.
02:46It is also expected to discuss the budget for the Office of the Vice President today.
02:53The OVP said that they were the only ones who met all the requirements of the Congress
02:59and that it is up to them to decide on the funding of the OVP.
03:05Aisayan Mirafuentes for Pambansang TV in Bagong, Philippines.
