Marcos restores PNP's IT budget

President Marcos yesterday ordered the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to restore the outlay for the Philippine National Police (PNP)'s information technology projects as he continues to address the changes made by Congress to his administration's expenditure program.

- By ALEXIS ROMERO

Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the budget of the DILG for this year contains several "variances" that are not included in its programs.

He noted that the allocations for the components of the PNP's information technology program were reduced under the budget law, including that of the enhancement of the national police clearance system, which was cut from P619 million to P232 million, and the establishment of the safe camp security system, which was lowered from more than P472 million to P161 million.

The PNP drug-related data integration and generation system’s allocation was also reduced from P553 million to P196 million.

Lawmakers realigned almost P1 billion to all-terrain amphibious rescue vehicles for the Bicol region and provided an additional P500 million to intelligence funds, according to Remulla.

“So as instructed by the President to our budget secretary, the budget of the IT (information technology) program will be reverted and the additional P500 million intelligence fund placed in the GAA (General Appropriations Act) will be removed,” the DILG chief said at a press briefing at Malacañang.