Solons slam OVP’s expensive cost for rent, lease of its offices

FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The current Office of the Vice President (OVP) spent P53 million of its total budget in 2023 to pay the rent or lease of its satellite and extension offices for the whole year, which is much higher compared to its annual rental rate during the time of former Vice President Leni Robredo.

Citing a report from the Commission on Audit (COA), Zambales 2nd District Rep. Doris Maniquiz, along with other lawmakers, could not help but question the large sum used for the rental or lease of 10 satellite offices and two extension offices under the OVP.

READ: VP Sara skips House hearing on 2025 OVP budget, sends letter instead

“Itong sa OVP lumalabas po na P53 million ang lease niya per annum na kung tutuusin po eh parang duplication lang ng line agencies natin, may guidelines po ba tayo para dito [for leasing of properties]?” Maniquez asked COA during the House committee on appropriations hearing on Tuesday.

(It appears in the OVP’s lease is P53 million per annum, when in fact it is just a duplication of our line agencies. Do we have guidelines for this [for leasing of properties]?)

It was 1-Rider Partylist Rep. Rodge Gutierrez who earlier disclosed the amount. He also revealed that OVP spent P29 million for the same purpose in 2022 based on an audit report.

“Doon po sa list ng mga properties na P53 million ay lumalabas po yun P4.4 million per month,” Maniquiz also said.

(Based on the list of properties where the P53 million was allocated it seems that the office spent P4.4 million per month.)

Upon hearing this, Quezon City 3rd District Rep. Franz Pumaren could not help but share the monthly rental rate of the OVP under Robredo as “a term of reference.”

“With regards to VP Leni her lease contract, I was the one who drafted the contract, and her monthly rental is P308,700 plus 12 percent so that’s roughly about P345,744 and that’s 5,100 square meters property,” Pumaren said.

A quick math also showed that the amount translates to over P4.1 million rental rate per year — which is slightly lower than the monthly rate of P4.4 million paid by the current OVP last year.

“You’ll see how cheap the rental she gets, that’s the only one that was in Quezon City, so for the information of everybody, probably it’s a term of reference,” Pumaren added.

Answering Maniquiz, a COA representative said lawmakers should refer to the OVP concerning questions related to the establishment of satellite and extension offices nationwide.

In the same hearing, Vice President Sara Duterte did not show up and sent an explanation letter instead to Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co.

No officials from her office likewise appeared during the budget hearing.

Earlier, Duterte brushed off being called a brat, saying that such labels against her were part of attacks from political opponents and critics.

Duterte also maintained that she responded to every question thrown at her regarding her office’s 2025 budget proposal, but that lawmakers simply did not like her replies.  The OVP is requesting a P2.037 billion allocation for 2025.