MANILA — The House Committee on Appropriations proceeded with scrutiny of the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) proposed ₱800.7-million budget for 2027 despite an attempt by a lawmaker to cut short the deliberations and extend to the OVP the same parliamentary courtesy earlier accorded the Office of the President.
The committee eventually wrapped up its review of the OVP spending plan following a brief clash among lawmakers over whether Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s office should undergo questioning or be spared further deliberations.
Duterte-Carpio did not attend the hearing, with OVP Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez and other officials appearing on her behalf.
Palawan’s Cong. Jose Alvarez, who sponsored the OVP budget, said Duterte-Carpio’s presence was not necessary because government agencies may designate qualified officials to represent them during budget proceedings.
Before questioning could begin, BH Party-list Cong. Robert Nazal moved to terminate the committee-level deliberations and extend the same courtesy earlier given to the Office of the President.
Nazal cited Duterte-Carpio’s ongoing impeachment case and noted that the OVP was not seeking an increase in its budget.
“The Vice President is currently facing the weight of an impeachment proceeding, a burden already heavy enough on its own. Her budget moreover has not grown. It remains modest and unremarkable,” Nazal said.
He argued that extending parliamentary courtesy to the OVP would ensure consistent treatment rather than give Duterte-Carpio special consideration.
ACT Teachers Party-list Cong. Antonio Tinio opposed the move, stressing Congress’ responsibility to scrutinize how public funds would be spent.
“Dahil ang tungkulin natin, ng lahat ng nasa gobyerno, ay maging transparent sa kung paano ginagamit ang pondo ng taumbayan,” Tinio said.
As the debate continued, Alvarez asked Lopez whether OVP officials were prepared to answer lawmakers’ questions. After Lopez indicated their willingness, Nazal agreed to temporarily set aside his motion on the condition that questioning would be confined to the proposed budget.
Alvarez said he would intervene if lawmakers raised questions directly related to Duterte-Carpio’s impeachment proceedings or matters outside the budget.
“If there is a question na tingin ko hindi na dapat sagutin, dahil nandoon na sa Senado, and if there is a question outside the budget, tanungin ko ‘yung mga resource person kung gusto ba nila sagutin. ‘Pag sinabi nilang hindi nila pwede masagot, then I will also rule against it,” Alvarez said.
The Department of Budget and Management endorsed ₱785.2 million in agency-specific appropriations for the OVP for 2027, along with ₱15.5 million in automatic appropriations, bringing its proposed total allocation to approximately ₱800.7 million.
The proposed agency budget is lower than the OVP’s 2026 appropriation but remains higher than the amount originally sought by the vice president’s office for next year.
No confidential funds are included in the proposed budget.
Among the biggest proposed expenditures are ₱237.4 million for supplies and materials, ₱79.4 million for professional services, ₱57 million for rent and lease expenses, and ₱51 million for travel.
The spending plan also provides funding for OVP programs including the Pagbabago Campaign, Disaster Operations, RIICE Food Bags and Libreng Sakay.
Other initiatives proposed for funding are Magnegosyo Ta ‘Day, Kalusugan Food Truck-Disaster Operations, You Can Be VP, Wheelchair Distribution, and Al-Janazah Kits and other supplies./PN
