House Committee on Appropriations Explains Recommendation of Massive Budget Cut for OVP
HOUSE COMMITTEE – The Committee on Appropriations suggested a massive budget cut for Vice President Sara Duterte’s office in 2025.
Among the many budget proposals of the different offices and agencies of the government, the budget proposal of the office of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte is undeniably one of those surrounded by several issues. The Vice President even got involved in an exchange of heated arguments with the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
During the Senate deliberation of the proposed budget of the OVP for 2025, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte and Senator Risa Hontiveros spar over the former’s “politicizing” claim during the questioning. The Senator mentioned the similar assistance programs of the OVP with the other government agencies.
Aside from the similar programs that the OVP has with the other agencies, Hontiveros also asked about the P10 million budget allotted for the distribution of the book authored by Duterte.
During the House of Representatives deliberation of the 2025 budget proposal of the Office of the Vice President, Vice Pres. Duterte and ACT Teachers party-list representative France Castro also got into arguments. The latter accused the former of evading questions while the former asserts that she is answering but the House member did not like the response.
The House deliberation was moved but Vice Pres. Duterte was no show at the resumption of the deliberation of the budget proposal of the OVP for 2025. She claimed that she has presented her position on the issues surrounding the budget proposal of her office.
Vice Pres. Sara Duterte also stressed that the OVP can work even without a budget citing that it is a small office. However, seemingly contrary to it, she is asking for a P2 billion budget for her office for 2025.
Following her absence at the resumption of the House deliberation of the OVP budget proposal, the House Committee suggested to make a massive cut from the budget of the office of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, the Committee recommends reducing it from P2.037 billion to P733.19 million.
According to the report, the House Committee Senior Vice Chair Representative Stella Quimbo expressed that the P1.29 billion-cut from the OVP’s budget is recommended to be realigned for the programs of the DSWD and the DOH for indigents.
Here is a detailed outline on where the budget cut from the proposal of the Office of the Vice President will come from:
- Php 200 million — Supplies
- Php 92.4 million — Personnel services for consultants
- Php 947.4 million — Financial assistance
- Php 48 million — Rent/Lease expenses
- Php 5 million – Utility expenses
Meanwhile, based on the report, the said massive budget cut is still a recommendation. According to Quimbo, they are still open for debate and discussion regarding it. She assured that the House Committee is willing to listen if there would be an appeal from the OVP.