House bill filed to create permanent official site for OVP

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte’s plan of having a permanent site for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) is getting support in the House of Representatives.

Rep. Shernee Tan-Tambut of the Kusug Tausug party-list group has filed House Bill No. 2698 that seeks to build an official residence for the vice president, noting that previous holders of the position had used various temporary locations as an office.

The bill was referred to the appropriate committee during Wednesday’s session at the House.

If this is enacted, the incumbent vice president would be tasked with forming a technical working group that would scout possible sites for the official residence. The group would plan, design, and make a cost estimate to be presented after six months after the bill is signed into law.

“Any amount necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be included in the appropriations of the Office of the Vice President of the year following its enactment into law,” the bill said.

Tan said in the bill’s explanatory note that the vice president would need a presentable office for meeting with official visitors and ordinary citizens seeking assistance.

Past vice presidents, Tambut noted, had used the Coconut Palace at the Cultural Center Complex in Manila, and the Quezon City Reception House in New Manila, Quezon City.

Finding a permanent office for OVP became one of Duterte’s initial plans after she tried using the Quezon City Reception House, where her predecessor, Leni Robredo, used to hold office.

However, Duterte decided to transfer to a new office in Mandaluyong, which is roughly at the geographical center of Metro Manila, to make the office more accessible to its employees and the public.

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