VP Duterte’s absence at budget talks draws Robredo comparison from solon

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte’s absence at the deliberations of her office’s budget, even after the House of Representatives waited three days for an official representative to show up, reminded a lawmaker of another vice president’s professionalism even in the face of low allocation.

In a statement on Wednesday, before the House approved on the third reading House Bill No. 10800 or the proposed 2025 national budget, Camarines Sur 3rd District Rep. Bordado said he was concerned with the activities conducted by the Office of the Vice President (OVP), despite having a higher budget compared to former Vice President Leni Robredo.

“I thank Vice President Sara Duterte for visiting my hometown, the City of Naga in Bicol, supposedly to pay homage to the region’s patroness, Our Lady of Peñafrancia, and to visit her predecessor, former Vice President Leni Gerona Robredo,” Bordado said.

“However, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Sponsor, I rise today to express my deep concern regarding the current budgetary allocations and spending practices of the [OVP], particularly in comparison to the very modest and transparent expenditures during the time of former Vice President Robredo […]   This comparison is crucial as we examine the sharp contrasts in budget requests, the handling of funds, and the outcomes delivered by the office over recent years,” he added.

According to Bordado, Duterte’s OVP was initially allocated P2.037 billion under the National Expenditures Program for 2025, or the budget submitted by the executive through the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to the House.

This, he said, was a stark contrast to the OVP budget under Robredo, which did not breach the P1 billion mark in the six years that she was in office alongside Duterte’s father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Under Vice President Leni Robredo, the Office of the Vice President operated with a budget of P703 million in 2022. Despite these constraints, her office implemented impactful, transparent programs focused on good governance and social service delivery, with every peso accounted for and allocated prudently,” he said.

The difference only compels the OVP now to explain how confidential funds (CF) were spent, especially in 2022 when the original budget crafted under Robredo’s term did not have an item for secret expenditures.

Duterte and her OVP have been quizzed several times at the House committee on appropriations about CF expenditures, as the hearings revealed that P73 million of the P125 million in 2022 was disallowed by the Commission on Audit (COA).  The vice president, however, did not give a direct response to lawmakers’ questions, repeatedly saying that they had already coordinated with COA on the matter.

“This amount was not even part of the budget approved by Congress. It was released through the Office of the President, and its sudden, rapid utilization has sparked justified inquiries,” Bordado stated.

“Why, then, should the OVP be allocated such enormous sums when other agencies are better equipped to deliver these services?” Bordado asked.

No less than Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe said Duterte may be liable for graft if she cannot explain its expenditures, while ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro said misuse of funds is an impeachable offense.

Last August 27, Duterte said she had no idea why Robredo did not request a bigger budget for her OVP, adding that it would be a stretch to compare her office’s budget to that of Robredo’s.

When she was vice president, Robredo noted several times that a small budget would not hinder her office from fulfilling its mandate.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Robredo and her OVP partnered with the private sector to deliver key services — like free bus rides for frontline workers, hot meals, quarantine facilities, mobile testing centers, and a telemedicine platform which became an important part of triage.

There were instances, however, when Robredo hoped her office’s slashed budget would be restored.