VP Duterte: Donate to storm victims instead of OVP

Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio (Official Facebook page of Inday Sara Duterte)

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday urged supporters to extend aid and donate to Tropical Storm Enteng victims instead of her office.

Office of the Vice President (OVP) spokesperson Michael Poa told INQUIRER.net that Duterte made the pronouncement after seeing several social media posts aimed at initiating donation drives for Duterte’s office.

“But with the damage caused by Tropical Storm Enteng, we encourage those who want to donate to give it to our countrymen badly affected by the rains and floods,” Duterte said in Filipino in a statement, in which she also thanked those who were thinking of donating to the OVP.

“Any form of assistance will mean a lot and help them recover from the calamity,” she added.

“At the same time, despite the increase in the prices of food and other basic goods, we also want to inform you that it is more important that you prioritize your own needs and the well-being of your family,” she went on.

She likewise assured her supporters that the OVP would remain committed to delivering its programs.

The OVP’s proposed P2.037 billion budget for 2025 is currently facing heavy scrutiny.

Duterte made the pronouncement amid heavy scrutiny of the OVP’s proposed P2.037 billion budget for fiscal year 2025.

The House of Representatives has deferred the OVP budget’s deliberations after Duterte refused to answer queries from lawmakers about how her office used its budget in the past.

Before that, also in the Senate, Duterte had a heated exchange with Sen. Risa Hontiveros who questioned the OVP’s requested P10 million allocation for the publication of the vice president’s self-authored children’s book “Isang Kaibigan.”