VP Sara skips House hearing on 2025 OVP budget, sends letter instead

Vice President Sara Duterte (PHOTO FROM THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES)

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte did not show up at the House of Representatives hearing on the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) proposed 2025 budget, and instead sent a letter to Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co stating that they have submitted all necessary documents.

In the letter, dated September 10, Duterte said the OVP had already submitted documents to the House committee on appropriations, which is discussing her office’s budget.

 “The [OVP] has submitted all necessary documentation to the House of Representatives – Committee on Appropriations, including a detailed presentation on the proposed budget for fiscal year 2025,” Duterte said in her letter to Romualdez.

 “I have also articulated my position on the issues outlined in my opening statement during the previous hearing on 27 August 2024.  We defer entirely to the discretion and judgment of the Committee regarding our budget proposal for the upcoming year,” she added.

 The OVP’s proposed budget is being discussed at the appropriations panel as of posting time, after previous deliberations last August 27 were deferred.

Panel members decided to defer the OVP’s budget deliberation because Duterte did not directly answer the lawmakers’ questions, particularly regarding confidential funds.

The OVP is requesting a P2.037 billion allocation for 2025 — higher than any budget received by then vice president Leni Robredo. 

On Monday, Duterte said that she is not a brat, noting that lawmakers just did not like her answers.