THE House of Representatives on Wednesday wrapped up deliberations on the proposed ₱2.808 billion budget of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) led by Acting Secretary Dave Gomez.
Budget sponsor and Mandaluyong City Rep. Alexandria “Queenie” Gonzales said the PCO and its attached agencies are the primary tools of the government that act as communication channels to the public to serve them accurate and consistent information about government policies, services and programs.
“Through them, the public can have access in information to the most helpful activities and flagship programs available to the people.Each attached agency under their department is foremost the President’s arm in promoting transparency, and accountability in his policies, as well as serve as his window to show his most important future plans for the country,” Gonzales said.
For next year, she said the PCO will also act as a power agency in externally projecting or showcasing the Philippines’ image internationally not only in promoting the country’s tourism and national achievements but more importantly, 2026 is the year that the country will bid to have a non-permanent seat at the UN National Security Council. “PCO will be a partner in image-building and projecting our country in the best light in this important milestone and international aspiration of the national government,” she said.
Gonzales also mentioned that the country will host the ASEAN next year where there will be about 167 cluster meetings and other related meetings. The PCO has alloted about P600 million of its 2026 budget for the ASEAN hosting, she said. “The PCO will do all communication in all forms of media before, during, and after the ASEAN,” she said.
The House also terminated Wednesday evening the plenary deliberations on the proposed budgets of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and their attached agencies and corporations : DFA budget, sponsored by Lanao del Sur Rep. Alonto-Adiong, P30.1-billion; and, DOST budget, co-sponsored by Laguna Rep. Loreto Amante and AGAP Party-list Rep. Nicnor Briones, P30.4-billion. The deliberations on the proposed P196.27-billion budget of the Department of Transportation, and its attached agencies and corporations, co-sponsored by Northern Samar Rep. Edwin Ongchuan and Quezon Rep. Reynante Arrogancia, were also terminated at 3:37am of Thursday.
Deputy Majority Leader and Oriental Mindoro Rep. Arnan Panaligan moved to put the proposed budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) again in today’s agenda. “To give the Vice President another opportunity to defend the proposed budget of her office, I move that the consideration to the proposed budget of the OVP be put in the agenda again tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025,” he said.
The decision was made after Vice President Sara Duterte for the second time yesterday, Wednesday, failed to show up at the House plenary to defend her office’s P902.8-million proposed budget for fiscal year 2026. Panaligan reported that the Vice President was not present but sent officials of the OVP headed by an Assistant Secretary.
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