FACT CHECK: Claire Castro quote dismissing scrutiny of Marcos’ confidential funds is fake

Claim: Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s use of P1 billion in confidential funds does not require receipts and should not be questioned by the public.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: A quote card from Pinoy Celebrity News is spreading on Facebook, and has garnered more than 64,000 reactions, 16,000 comments, and 3,300 shares since February 13.

The quote card features an image of Castro and her alleged quote: “Confidential fund po ito kaya hindi kailangan ng resibo.”

(These are confidential funds and they don’t require receipts.)

According to the post’s caption, Castro was supposedly referring to the President’s P1 billion confidential fund allocation, which is allegedly being used for activities such as overseas trips to secure investments for the country.

Several commenters have drawn comparisons to Vice President Sara Duterte and the controversy surrounding her use of confidential funds, saying that if Castro dismissed the need for receipts for Marcos’ use of the secret funds, the same standard must also apply to the Vice President’s case.

The facts: There is no credible source proving that Castro made the statement that confidential funds “do not require receipts” or “should not be questioned.” The quote appears only on unverified social media cards and a blog post that fails to cite any official sources or specify when the statement was supposedly made.

The Presidential Communications Office website shows no recent press briefings in which Castro talked about Marcos’ confidential funds.

Reports from major news outlets have covered Castro’s statements about confidential funds, but none match the one in the viral post. In an August 14, 2025, briefing, Castro made this statement in defense of the Office of the President’s request for confidential and intelligence funds in the 2026 national budget: “Ang tandaan po natin, ang confidential funds o ang pera ay hindi naman masama kung ginagamit sa tama. Ang confidential funds or pondo ay nagiging masama kung ginagamit ng isang corrupt.”

(Let’s remember that confidential funds are not bad as long as they are properly used. Confidential funds or money only become bad if used by someone corrupt.)

Incorrect figure: The claim that the President’s confidential funds amount to P1 billion is incorrect. Under the 2026 national budget, the Office of the President will receive P4.5 billion in confidential and intelligence funds.

Confidential funds auditing: The classification of these funds as “confidential” refers to the nature of the activities they support, but these are still subject to auditing, following certain documentation and review procedures.

The liquidation of confidential and intelligence funds is audited by the Commission on Audit, specifically the Intelligence and Confidential Fund Audit Unit.

A 2015 joint circular laid down guidelines on confidential and intelligence funds, including rules on reporting and auditing. Agencies allocated confidential funds should prepare a physical and financial plan supporting their request for the funds and submit quarterly accomplishment reports supported by documentary evidence. (READ: [Ask The Tax Whiz] How do confidential funds work?) – Princess Leah Sagaad/Rappler.com

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