MANILA — The House of Representatives' Budget Amendments and Review Subcommittee (BARSc) on Thursday recommended a total of P478 million in additional funding for various agencies and programs under the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) during deliberations on the proposed 2027 national budget.
The panel first approved a motion to grant an additional P10 million to the National Police Commission (Napolcom) to strengthen independent police oversight through its confidential and intelligence funds.
Camarines Sur 4th District Representative Arnie Fuentebella said the allocation was relatively small compared with the agency’s workload, noting that Napolcom had cleared its long-standing case backlog.
“Napolcom had 4,000 cases, 25 years backlog, and now zero na po sila. So this is a very small amount. This is a functioning agency on where we, uh, discipline and police our policemen,” Fuentebella said.
The motion was approved without objection.
The panel also approved an additional P100 million to establish a PNP Counter-Terrorism Center, which is envisioned to serve as an operations and data center integrating counter-terrorism, cybercrime, and cybersecurity efforts.
Fuentebella initially sought P200 million, saying the proposed facility was ready for implementation and that its information technology component alone would cost around P150 million.
“Yes, actually, I have everything. That’s why I’m moving for the 200, because yung IT pa lang po will cost 150. So we have the design, we have the structure, we have everything,” he said.
“So bago po sila nag-propose is kinumpleto po nila. So even lahat po per floor up to the sixth floor, it’s a complete design, and I’m willing to give the data to the BARSc members or even in the plenary na kumpleto,” Fuentebella added.
Fuentebella said the proposed center should involve multiple government agencies, including the DSWD, PNP, DILG, and DepEd.
He also mentioned coordination with the Department of Information and Communications Technology and online platforms, including Discord and Reddit.
Fuentebella ultimately asked lawmakers to approve at least P100 million if the full P200 million could not be allocated.
The panel approved the P100-million allocation.
The panel also approved P100 million to establish police facilities in the newly created Negros Island Region, which currently lacks a regional office.
Fuentebella explained that the original proposal covered the construction of a regional headquarters and a Regional Mobile Force Battalion facility in separate locations, with a total estimated cost of P505 million.
The congressman also pointed out that the Regional Mobile Force Battalion is located in an area considered a hotspot for insurgency.
“Yung isa po kasi, yung Regional Mobile Force Battalion, hotspot insurgency po yun,” Fuentebella said.
He said that if the full amount could not be allocated due to fiscal constraints, an initial P100 million could be provided to start constructing the two camps.
FUNDING FOR FIRE TRUCKS, AMBULANCES, SEARCH AND RESCUE VEHICLES
The subpanel also approved P235 million for the Bureau of Fire Protection to procure additional fire trucks.
An additional P18 million was approved to procure ambulances.
Another P15 million was approved to procure search and rescue vehicles.
The additional funding approved for the DILG agencies and programs during the deliberations totaled P478 million.
The BARSc’s proposed amendments to the house bill on the 2027 national budget will be up for the consideration of the House Committee on Appropriations and the House plenary.