The Senate Finance Committee swiftly approved the Office of the Vice President’s proposed ₱785.204 million budget after a hearing lasting 16 minutes, despite Vice President Sara Duterte’s absence.
OVP Chief of Staff Atty. Zuleika Lopez represented the office and defended its proposed funding during the proceedings.
The proposed budget is 11.7% lower than the office’s current-year allocation of ₱889.236 million.
Before the committee approved the proposal, several senators raised questions. Senate President Win Gatchalian opened the discussion by asking why Duterte was not present, noting that agency heads typically attend budget hearings to defend their offices’ proposed funding.
Lopez explained that Duterte was attending the burial of a long-serving Davao City planner as a representative of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
After Gatchalian’s question, Sen. Imee Marcos and Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go supported the motion to approve the OVP’s proposed budget.
The committee subsequently approved the funding request within the short hearing.
Gatchalian and Sen. JV Ejercito expressed hope that Duterte would personally defend her office’s proposed budget during the upcoming plenary deliberations.
The committee-level approval marks an initial step in the budget process. The proposal is still expected to undergo further deliberations in the Senate plenary.
The hearing focused on the OVP’s proposed allocation, its representation during the proceedings and the absence of the vice president.
Lopez’s explanation addressed Duterte’s whereabouts during the hearing, while senators supporting the motion moved for the committee’s approval of the proposed funding.
The account did not indicate whether the proposed budget would be changed during the subsequent plenary deliberations.
