The proposed 2024 budget of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) must be increased to address the lack of agents.

Senator Raffy Tulfo found out during Monday’s budget hearing of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and its attached agencies that NBI has less than 500 agents operating nationwide.

In Palawan province, only three NBI agents are assigned.

“Dapat puspusan po ang inyong recruitment dahil, ‘yung sabi po kanina, too much expectation from the people sa NBI. Baka naman mawawala ‘yung kanilang tiwala dahil mahina po kayo sa (Your recruitment should be boosted because, as it has been said earlier, the people expect too much from the NBI, which might fade if you are slow in your) recruitment,” Tulfo told NBI officials.

Under its Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern (OSSP) that has yet to be finalized, the NBI targets to train and produce 120 agents next year.

However, its proposed budget for training was slashed by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) because of the unfinished OSSP.

The NBI asked for PHP290 million for training expenses but the DBM granted just PHP8 million, according to DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

“Meron po kaming bagong item sa OSSP dahil nilakad po namin nang todo na ma-approve ng DBM. Nagkaroon po kami ng bagong 400 items kaya lang wala tayong training fees kaya doon po kami humihingi sana ng tulong sa Senado, ma-restore lang po itong proposed PHP290 million for training (We have new items in the OSSP because we worked hard for it to be approved by the DBM. We have 400 new items but we have no training fees. That’s why we are asking the help of the Senate to restore this proposed PHP290 million for training,” Remulla said.

He also asked for a supplement budget of PHP100 million to support the NBI Academy.

“Sa training namin, inexpand namin ‘yan. Pupuwede naming gawin ng hanggang 40 agents per training at masusundan namin ‘yung figure na binigay sa amin ni Secretary Remulla na more or less 120 agents a year ang mare-recruit namin sa apat na batch (Our training was expanded. We can do it with 40 agents per training to keep up with the target recruitment given to us by Secretary Remulla of more or less 120 agents a year in four batches),” NBI Director Medardo de Lemos said.

Under the new OSSP, De Lemos said the entry level for NBI agents will be Salary Grade 22 which is between PHP71,000 and PHP79,000.

Of the DOJ’s proposed 2024 budget of PHP34.486 billion, the NBI will have PHP4.580 billion, which will enable it to process more than 7.6 million applications for clearance and investigate at least 57,000 cases. (PNA) 

Photo credit: Facebook/NationalBureauofInvestigationOfficial