Sara Duterte —PHOTO FROM HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Vice President (OVP) on Monday denied reports that Vice President Sara Duterte was on a beach as she skipped the House plenary debates on the 2025 budget of her office.
In a statement, the OVP tagged the reports as efforts to “besmirch” Duterte.
“The public is cautioned about the attempts of some media outlets to once again besmirch the reputation of the Vice President by publishing stories that she is on the beach while the House of Representatives is conducting the plenary deliberations on the budget,” said the OVP.
It explained that Duterte was making “stops” in parts of Camarines Norte Albay to “talk to people” about the country.
“The Vice President was on the road today talking to the people about the current events in our country. She made stops in Vinzons and Daet, Camarines Norte and Legazpi, Albay,” it said.
“It is quite easy to confirm her activities through social media posts of the residents in these areas. The OVP condemns fake news and media releases for clickbaits and profit,” it added.
Duterte’s absence in the plenary debates was the second time she skipped a congressional hearing determining the OVP’s budget.
The OVP was originally allocated a P2.037-billion budget under the National Expenditures Program (NEP), but House lawmakers decided to cut this down after Duterte refused to directly answer their queries at the August 27 hearing.
READ: Sara Duterte, OVP rep no-show yet at House plenary debate on budget
This also isn’t the first time the Vice President went viral for allegedly being on a vacation. In July this year, Duterte and her family left the country for an unannounced trip to Germany — right in the middle of the onslaught of Typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon, which battered and left floods in several parts of the country.
READ: VP Duterte, kin fly to Germany; OVP mum on trip
During that time, the press asked the OVP for days regarding Duterte’s whereabouts, then weeks after it was confirmed that she had left—but barely received a response.