House Solon Speaks on VP Sara Duterte, OVP Staff Absence at Budget Hearing
SARA DUTERTE – The Vice President and all the staff of the OVP did not appear at the recent inquiry at the House of Representatives over the office’s 2026 proposed budget.
After the turn over of the National Expenditure Program or NEP by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the Senate and the House of Representatives are now deliberating the proposed budget of the different government offices and departments. Recently, the lower chamber conducted its first hearing on the proposed budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP).
Vice Pres. Sara Duterte is proposing for a P902.8 million budget for 2026 but, ahead of the hearings, she sees cuts from her office’s proposed fund. The Vice President who previously claimed that she did not opt to ask for a bigger budget for the OVP citing that she is not an ally of the Marcos administration stressed that the President and the House Speaker are still the same people.
According to the OVP, their proposed budget for 2026 is enough for their programs. Duterte’s office also claimed that whether their proposed fund will be increased or decreased, it will be the same thing for them. Meanwhile, the office stressed that a bigger budget would mean more programs.
Recently, the House of Representatives held its first hearing on the P902.8 million proposed budget of the Office of the Vice President. However, based on a report on Inquirer, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte and not one of the staff of the OVP appeared at the House inquiry. Meanwhile, a solon clarified that their absence came with an advice.
House Committee on Appropriations Vice Chairman and Palawan Representative Jose Alvarez revealed that they received a letter from the OVP disclosing that the budget inquiry will be attended by an assistant secretary. According to the lawmaker, after knowing that an assistance secretary will be the one to defend the proposed budget of the OVP, he advised them to skip the hearing.
Alvarez stressed that OVP assistant chief-of-staff Lemuel Ortonio is not an undersecretary-level officer. According to the Palawan Congressman, it is either the head of Duterte’s office or an undersecretary should be the one to defend the proposed budget of the office.
“Knowing that and consistent with the tradition of the House that it’s either the head of agency or at the very least, an undersecretary who should defend the budget of the agency […] I advised them to refrain from attending if Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez is not present,” Alvarez said.
Meanwhile, based on the report, the OVP has committed to Palawan Rep. Jose Alvarez that Vice Pres. Sara Duterte will attend the next House budget hearing on Tuesday, September 16. Previously, the OVP confirmed that it has removed the budget allocation for the Isang Kaibigan book written by Vice Pres. Duterte herself.