PASAY CITY, Philippines — Senator Erwin Tulfo directed the Senate Finance Committee secretary on Monday to summon Acting Budget Secretary Kim Robert De Leon after the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) skipped a scheduled budget hearing.
Tulfo demanded an explanation after finding no DBM officials present, despite an agency representative having previously registered for the session.
According to the panel secretary, a DBM delegate registered through the Senate’s Visitor Management System on Sunday and received approval to attend. However, the registration was abruptly canceled at 3:15 p.m., leaving the subcommittee without a budget representative.
The situation arose while Tulfo was presiding over a Senate Finance Subcommittee hearing reviewing the 2027 budget proposals for the Civil Service Commission and the Department of Tourism (DOT), along with their attached agencies and corporations.
Frustrated by the absence of budget officials, the journalist-turned-legislator instructed the committee secretary to contact De Leon immediately and order him to report directly to his office.
”Ayoko naman na panay patawag tayo dahil may mga questions ako dito para sa kanila, ayaw nilang sumagot,” Tulfo said.
”Ano ang problema? Is it binabastos nila … itong subcommittee na ito? I want to find out,” he added.
Tulfo mandated that staff reach out to De Leon that evening.
”If you cannot reach the Secretary (De Leon), you call the Department of Finance Secretary (Frederick Go) to send someone to my office tomorrow,” he directed.
”Hindi naman pupuwede itong pupunta pagkatapos kakanselin, ano ’yun, kabastusan?” he added.
The inquiry was triggered during deliberations on the DOT Office of the Secretary’s proposed ₱3.52-billion budget, shortly after Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay presented a request for an additional ₱1.732 billion for her office and attached units.