MANILA — The House of Representatives on Tuesday ended plenary scrutiny of the Office of the Vice President’s proposed P785.2-million budget for 2027 without a single lawmaker questioning how the agency intends to spend its funds next year.
The deliberations lasted only minutes as no member of either the majority or minority bloc sought to interpellate on the spending plan of Vice President Sara Duterte.
ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio manifested that no member of the House minority would raise questions on the proposed OVP budget and subsequently moved to terminate the deliberations.
The majority bloc seconded the motion, which was approved without objection, abruptly ending the plenary discussion on the OVP spending plan.
The OVP is seeking P785.2 million in agency-specific appropriations for 2027, down 11.69 percent from its P889.23-million allocation for 2026.
The Department of Budget and Management also proposed P15.5 million in automatic appropriations, bringing the OVP’s total proposed funding for next year to approximately P800.7 million.
The proposed budget contains no allocation for confidential funds.
Among the biggest expenditures under the spending plan are P237.4 million for supplies and materials, P79.4 million for professional services, P57 million for rent and lease expenses, and P51 million for travel.
Funding is also earmarked for various OVP programs and initiatives, including the Pagbabago Campaign, Disaster Operations, RIICE Food Bags, Libreng Sakay, Magnegosyo Ta ’Day, Kalusugan Food Truck-Disaster Operations, You Can Be VP, Wheelchair Distribution, and Al-Janazah Kits and other supplies.
The proposed P785.2-million agency budget will form part of the proposed 2027 General Appropriations Act as Congress continues deliberations on the national government’s spending program for next year./PN
