FILE PHOTO: House committee on appropriations senior vice chairperson and Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo says in a press conference on Thursday, September 12, 2024, that the panel recommended slashing the Office of the Vice President (OVP) budget for 2025. She said the proposed OVP budget of P2.037 billion was reduced to only P733.198 million. | PHOTO: Facebook page of Teacher Stella Quimbo
MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives committee on appropriations recommended slashing the proposed Office of the Vice President (OVP) budget of P2.037 billion for 2025 to only P733.198 million.
Panel senior vice chairperson and Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo said the OVP budget was cut by P1.29 billion, affecting the social service programs of Vice President Sara Duterte’s office, and that lawmakers intend to realign that money to other government agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Health (DOH).
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“The committee on appropriations decided to recommend a reduced budget for the Office of the Vice President and the reduction shall be split by the DSWD AICS (Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation) program and the DOH MAIFIP (Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients) program,” Quimbo said in a press briefing on Thursday.
“This is a committee decision and the committee on appropriations has 139 members and with respect to the budget cut of the OVP ito po ay naging (this is a) unanimous decision among members,” she added.
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“Hindi pa ito final approval ng Congress recommendation pa lang po ng committee on appropriations for the plenary,” Quimbo, however, clarified.
(This is not yet the final approval of Congress, it is just a recommendation by the committee on appropriations for the plenary.)
Quimbo revealed that plenary debates on the proposed 2025 national budget will begin on September 16 and are expected to end on September 25.
