House committee approves OVP budget in 11 minutes

Photo by Hotaru Niitsu/INQUIRER.net

In a hearing which lasted only 11 minutes, the appropriations committee of the House of Representatives on Thursday approved the P230-million budget proposal of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for the fiscal year 2016.

Vice President Jejomar Binay’s office, led by its chief of staff Undersecretary Benjamin Martinez, proposed a P230,512,000 budget next year, 3.54 percent higher than its 2015 budget of P222,632,000.

In his brief presentation, Martinez attributed the slight increase to proposed improvements in personnel services and maintenance, among other operating expenses.

Martinez also assured the committee that the OVP’s proposed budget will not benefit Binay alone, but the next Vice President as well.

“This budget proposal is not solely dedicated to the present Vice President. The proposed budget is plainly intended to finance basic operations, particularly the administrative and technical support to the Office of the Vice President,” Martinez said.

“The OVP’s budget is not much. We believe that this year’s budget proposal will redound to the best interest of our kababayans (fellow Filipinos),” he added.

The proposed expenses for personal service, which amounted to P47,513,000, increased by 2.65 percent from P47,513,000 in 2015.

Maintaining and other operating expenses, meanwhile, increased by 4.23 percent from P172,435,000 this year to P179,722,000 in 2016. Martinez said the proposal included “all ongoing programs and projects adjusted for applicable inflation and P2 million for ISO (International Organization for Standardization) accreditation expenditures.”

The capital outlay, which Martinez said was dedicated for the replacement of ICT (information and communications technology) equipment and software, decreased from P2,684,000 this year to P2,019,000 in 2016.

Martinez said they will use properly whatever amount will be given to them.

“Who doesn’t want to have a bigger budget? We make the most of what we have within the realm of our responsibilities. Although right now, our main objective is to support the office, the office per se,” Martinez said.

Unlike budget hearings of other government agencies, the House committee approved the OVP’s proposed budget without much interrogation, with only Baguio Rep. Nicasio Aliping Jr. asking Martinez whom he thought will be the next vice president.

“I would rather not answer that question so as not to put political colors in this hearing,” Martinez said. Yuji Vincent Gonzales/RAM

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