Villanueva says over 5 senators want hike in OVP budget

Sen. Joel Villanueva during one of the Senate proceedings in November 2024. (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — More than five senators have so far signified their intent to increase the 2025 funding of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), at least according to Sen. Joel Villanueva.

Speaking to reporters in an ambush interview on Friday, Villanueva said apart from himself, he had talked to at least four or five Senators regarding the budget increase.

“I’ve spoken to like four or five members na pareho ng aking pananaw na increase-an ang budget ng OVP mula doon sa General Appropriations Bill (GAB) na ipinasa ng Congress,” said Villanueva.

(I’ve spoken to like four or five members who share my view of increasing the budget of the OVP from that in the GAB passed by Congress.)

While he refused to give specifics on what they talked about, Villanueva said he, himself, has been consistent and vocal about his stance on the P1.29 billion cut made by the lower chamber in the OVP’s funding for next year.

“As I mentioned earlier, I’m also in that position to somehow increase the budget, not necessarily restore everything. I’m sure, I’m sure, there’s no problem with what the House did,” he said in a mix of Filipino and English.

“But to increase — that, I hear a lot from our colleagues. And I, for one, would like to put some more. Because it’s like, if you look at the office, and we shouldn’t be looking at whoever is sitting there as the vice president, right? We should not be looking at the personalities involved here. So, I’m looking at the office, and I feel like we need to put some more social funds that our vice president can use. Because that’s the vice president’s office,” he added in a mix of Filipino and English.

The House of Representatives on September 12 recommended slashing the proposed OVP budget of P2.037 billion for 2025 to only P733.198 million.

Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo, the panel’s senior vice chairperson, said the OVP budget was cut by P1.29 billion, adding that lawmakers intend to realign this fund to other government agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Health.

Not less than P150M increase

In the same interview, Villanueva was pressed if it was in his immediate plans to bat for a P2 billion increase in the OVP’s budget, but he denied such allegations.

He said could only speak for himself, emphasizing that he can’t see a justified reason for the OVP’s fund — which was greenlighted by the President himself — to be slashed in half.

“I don’t look at personalities, I don’t look at whatever some politicians are looking at right now, I’m just after the office itself. The office of the vice president deserves more,” he said.

“So, I’m looking at increasing the budget of the Vice President. We have yet to discuss the exact amount. [But], for me, at least a hundred, a hundred fifty is decent enough to increase the budget. So, we’ll see,” he added.

Being the chairperson of the Senate’s panel on labor, Villanueva said a part of his considerations also include those employees of the OVP office who would be laid off and affected by the budget deduction.