MANILA, Philippines – Uproar and disbelief greeted the news that Vice President Sara Duterte’s office spent P125 million in confidential funds in 11 days in 2022. Since then, public scrutiny over confidential and intelligence funds has only increased.

Cielo Magno, an economics professor who was asked to resign as finance undersecretary over her opposition to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s rice price cap, has joined calls of many groups and individuals to abolish confidential funds from all government budgets.

With the 2024 national budget still being debated in Congress, will the advocates get their wish? What does it mean to take out confidential funds from the government’s spending plan? How can regular citizens push for transparency in the government budget? Are government critics just using the confidential funds issue to get ahead in the upcoming 2025 elections?

We tackle this and more in “Be The Good,” a Rappler show where we talk to people on a mission. We put the spotlight on advocacies and movements. We scrutinize them and ask your questions so you can be smarter about which advocacies to support.

Cielo Magno will be the guest in our first episode, airing live at 11 am on November 6. We’ll ask her about the group she has formed with other advocates for good governance, Wag Kang KuCorrupt.

During this first episode, our Digital Communications team will also walk you through how online conversations about confidential and intelligence funds are evolving.

Bookmark this page to catch the interview. – Rappler.com

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