House Speaker Martin Romualdez Speaks on OVP Budget for 2025 at P733 Million
OVP BUDGET FOR 2025 – House Speaker Martin Romualdez said that the fund for the Office of the Vice President is similar to the budget given to then Vice President Leni Robredo’s office.
The House of Representatives has passed the national budget at a speedy pacing. The Php 6.352 trillion 2025 national budget was certified as “urgent” by President Bongbong Marcos thus, in the same day, it was passed on the second and third reading in the lower chamber of the legislative body.
Included in the Php 6.352 trillion national budget for 2025 is the Php 733 million for the Office of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte as decided by the lower chamber. The said OVP budget for 2025 is Php 1.2 billion less compared to the Php 2 billion budget that Duterte’s office is requesting for next year.
The Php 733 million budget for the office of Vice Pres. Duterte was decided by the House after the Vice President’s absence in the hearings set by the lower chamber. Duterte had a spar with the members of the Senate and the House during the deliberation of the proposed budget of the OVP for next year.
On the resumption of the deliberation of the budget proposal of the OVP at the House of Representatives, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte did not show up. She sent a letter saying she is leaving the decision to the members of the House. According to the Vice President, she has presented her position on the issues surrounding her office’s budget proposal.
Recently, House Speaker Martin Romualdez spoke on the OVP budget for 2025. Based on a report on GMA News, the House Speaker said that it is similar to the fund that was given to the office of former Vice Pres. Leni Robredo.
“Ang magiging budget para sa OVP ay P733 milyon na halos kapareho ng budget noong panahon ni Vice President Leni Robredo,” Romualdez said.
According to the House Speaker, the P733 million budget already includes the P30 million set to aid the office in adjusting to the effects of the inflation in the Philippines. Based on the report, he claimed that there are House members who want the OVP budget for 2025 reduced further but he declined it.
Romualdez further claimed that there are even House members who want a zero budget for the office of Vice Pres. Duterte following her act of not showing up at the House hearing. Based on the report, amid the calls of some House members, the Speaker believes that the OVP still needs sufficient budget to continue its service to the Filipinos.
The Vice President accuses House Speaker Martin Romualdez of being one of the two (2) persons from the House who allegedly control the budget. According to Duterte, the OVP can operate even without a budget.