Solons mull cutting OVP budget to allocate it to social services

MANILA, Philippines — Several lawmakers, including House of Representatives committee on appropriations chairperson Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co, are considering cutting down the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) proposed funding and transferring it instead to social services.

Co and other members of the committee raised this possibility on Tuesday after Vice President Sara Duterte skipped the deliberations on the OVP’s proposed 2025 budget.

During his turn to interpellate the OVP budget, Co asked members of the panel if they would still give Duterte’s office the P2.037 billion budget for 2025 if the Vice President could not answer questions from lawmakers.

“Ayaw niya kasing mapagpaliwanag […] kung bakit sa gitna ng lahat ng kapalpakan at katiwaliang ito ay dapat siyang pagkatiwalaan ng P2 billion sa 2025,” Co said.

(She just does not want to explain why amid all these alleged funds misuse and apparent corruption we should still entrust her with another P2 billion in 2025.)

“Ngayon, bibigayan pa ba natin siya ng P2 billion na ipanggagastos daw sa mahihirap? Ibigay po natin ito sa tamang ahensya. Huwag po nating hahayaan na waldasin na naman ang kahit pisong sentimo na dapat nating bantayan,” he added.

(Now, should we give her P2 billion that she claims the OVP will use to help the poor? We should give this instead to the right agency. We will not allow even a single peso to again be squandered.)

Makabayan lawmakers like Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas and Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel also said the OVP budget should be reallocated to other agencies that need it more.

“Her absence speaks volumes about her unwillingness to confront the people regarding the questionable transactions in her past budgets,” Brosas said.

“The requested budget for the OVP Kalusugan Food Truck (P43.76 million) and Magnegosyo Ta ‘Day (P150 million) should be reallocated, as these programs have a low utilization rate and overlap with the mandates of other government agencies.  These funds should be placed to feeding and livelihood programs of the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) or other agencies with the same project if the vice president does not use it properly,” she added.

Manuel also echoed Brosas’ suggestions.

“It seems that the Office is not serious in ensuring that the services are provided because they do not answer questions when they are present, and now they failed to attend the hearings.  So it is up to the people to judge if the OVP is trustworthy enough to continue these services,” Manuel said.

“If I am to propose, what we are advocating for is to remove the funding for the OVP’s socio-economic program delivery, as it may be better for the people to go directly to other government agencies for services,” he added.

Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, who is set to sponsor the OVP’s proposed budget during plenary discussions, also opened the possibility for a slash in the office’s allocations for 2025.

“That’s one of the recommendations but it is just merely a recommendation unless it is acted upon by the Majority, I mean members of the House, so the final determination really is once the plenary approves the budget.  But remember there’s still the bicam,” he noted.

The OVP was supposed to be present at the House panel’s hearing on Tuesday, as deliberations on their proposed budget last August 27 were deferred due to Duterte not directly answering lawmakers’ questions.

However, neither Duterte nor any representative from the OVP was present to address the questions, with the vice president opting to send a letter to Romualdez and Co to inform them that the OVP had already submitted the necessary documents to the House panel.

House members have condemned Duterte for her absence, with Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante saying that not even the country’s second-highest official can insult Congress.

READ: Sara Duterte told: Even if you’re VP, you can’t insult House

Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe also believes these statements from Duterte are just squid tactics, agreeing with observations from Minority lawmakers particularly ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro that the vice president is allegedly using smokescreens to deflect issues.

READ: Sara Duterte’s secret fund spending ‘a violation twice over’