Vice Pres. Sara Duterte Speaks on OVP Ongoing, Halted Projects & Programs amid 2025 Budget Cut
SARA DUTERTE – The Vice President shared an update about the programs of the OVP including the Tree Planting project that targets 1-million trees.
After a series of trips abroad, Vice Pres. Duterte is now back in the Philippines from Malaysia. She previously flew to Doha, Qatar after the 2025 Midterm Elections then to The Hague, Netherlands for scheduled visits to her father, former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
In Malaysia, Vice Pres. Duterte, together with senator judges Robin Padilla and Imee Marcos, joined the Philippine Independence Day celebration of the Filipinos abroad. In the same event, Sen. Robin Padilla called Vice Pres. Duterte as “the next president of the Philippines” as he recognized her in a speech.
Furthermore, Padilla also claimed that he will not be a politician in 2028 but the campaign manager of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte and Sen. Imee Marcos. The Vice President claimed that she was also surprised by the Senator’s statement. She is currently faced with a looming impeachment trial.
Vice Pres. Sara Duterte who previously said that she is ready regardless of the outcome of her impeachment trial left the matter to her lawyers. Recently, the Office of the Vice President held its 2025 Pasidungog. It is an annual event of Duterte’s office since 2023.
The Pasidungog is an event held by the Office of the Vice President to thank its partners including the government, the private sectors, the non-government organizations, and the CSOs in their help to the office on its programs and work. According to the Vice President, they will not be able to do all their work and programs with their partners’ help.
During the press conference for the 2025 Pasidungog, Vice Pres. Duterte also expressed her gratitude to the healthcare institutions for their partnership with the OVP. She also thanked the healthcare institutions for the recognition of the value of the service that the office provides to the underserved communities in the country.
However, with regards to the programs and projects of the Office of the Vice President, VP Sara Duterte admitted that they no longer offer medical and burial assistance. According to her, they can no longer put a budget for it since the line item for it was allegedly removed from the General Appropriations Act.
Meanwhile, the Vice President stressed that while it is saddening that the OVP can no longer offer medical and burial assistance, she is glad that there are still healthcare institutions that can provide services. During the press con, she also revealed that the office has stopped the feeding program as well as their budget cannot afford it.
“Nakakalungkot lang dahil wala na kasi kaming medical and burial assistance. Ito ay tinanggal. Hindi namin siya malagyan ng budget dahil tinanggal talaga ‘yung line item sa Office of the Vice President noong lumabas ‘yung budget ng Office of the Vice President sa General Appropriations Act. Kaya matitigil ‘yung Medical and Burial Assistance pero masaya kami dahil nandiyan pa rin ‘yung mga healthcare institutions,” she said.
The OVP was granted a P700 million budget for 2025. Meanwhile, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte gave an update on the 1 million trees program of her office. According to her, the office is already near to reaching its target as they have already planted 800,000 trees.
“In fact sa aming one million trees na sana ay target ngayong 2028 matapos noh isang milyon, kung makikita niyo kanina approximately nasa 800,000 na tayo so expectation namin ay matatapos natin ngayong taon ang 1 million trees. Itutuloy pa rin namin ‘yung tree planting beyond sa target namin,” the Vice President said.
During the 2025 Pasidungog press con, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte was also asked about the budget that the OVP will ask for 2026 from the national government.