It's time to update confidential funds circular, says ex-COA official Heidi Mendoza (2025)

Apr 21, 2025 9:30 AM PHT

Rappler.com

'Wala pong kulay ang korapsyon, ang layunin natin ay magkaroon ng mas matibay, makatarungan, at makabuluhang polisiya ukol sa paggamit ng pondo ng bayan,' the senatorial candidate says

MANILA, Philippines –A 10-year-old circular that laid out regulations surrounding the use of confidential funds need to be revisited to better prevent corruption, according to former Commission on Audit (COA) commissioner and senatorial candidate Heidi Mendoza.

Mendoza, who was one of the COA commissioners who drafted and pushed for the approval of Joint Circular 2015-01, said that there are several parts that need to be reviewed and updated as its use has been severely abused over the past years. Doing so would help achieve greater transparency and uniform accountability, she said on X, SaturdayApril 19:

“Kaya alam ko po gaano kahalaga na repasuhin at palakasin ang mga patakaran [kasi] kung hindi natin ito iimbestigahan nang patas, paulit-ulit lang tayong maloloko ng sistema.”

(That’s why I know how important it is to review and strengthen our policies because if we don’t investigate things fairly, the system will just keep fooling us over and over again)

The circular was signed in January 2015 by then-COA chairperson Grace Pulido Tan and heads of the Department of Budget and Management, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of National Defense, and Governance COmmission for GOCCs.

It says that confidential spending shall only be used for activities and programs related to crime prevention and law enforcement; capability development for law enforcement personnel and volunteers; and initiatives addressing illegal drugs, illegal gambling, counterinsurgency, smuggling, human trafficking, as well as illegal logging, mining, and fishing.

Mendoza, who is running as an independent candidate, said parts that discuss “selection and allocation, as well as accounting, recording and audit” should be reviewed. She added that all use of confidential funds regardless of amount should be investigated using a sampling method.

“Hindi po ito dahil galit tayo sa isang tao o partido, dapat patas,” she said. “Wala pong kulay ang korapsyon, ang layunin natin ay magkaroon ng mas matibay, makatarungan, at makabuluhang polisiya ukol sa paggamit ng pondo ng bayan.”

(This is not because we are angry at a person or a political party. Things should be fair. Corruption has no color. Our goal is to have stronger, more just, and meaningful policies regarding the use of public funds.)

The use of confidential funds has come under intense public scrutiny following revelations about how it was utilized by Vice President Sara Duterte. Her offices, including when she was education secretary, disbursed P612.5 million in confidential funds between 2022 and 2023. The controversy further escalated when reports surfaced alleging the use of fabricated or questionable receipts to justify portions of the spending. – Rappler.com