Sara Duterte sees cuts in proposed P903-million OVP budget

Vice President Sara Duterte said that she expected the proposed P903 million budget of the Office of the Vice President for 2026 to be reduced when the General Appropriations Act is passed.

"Hindi naman nagbago ang administration eh. ‘Yan pa rin ang Pangulo natin, ‘yan pa rin ang Speaker of the House of Representatives natin. So wala na tayong ma-expect na ibibigay para sa Office of the Vice President,” Duterte said in an ambush interview. 

(The administration has not changed. He is still our President, and he is still the Speaker of the House of Representatives. So we don’t expect anything to be given to the Office of the Vice President.) 

“So kung ano ‘yung in-approve ng Department of Budget and Management, ‘yun din ‘yung submit namin, ‘yan din ‘yung nilagay sa NEP (National Expenditure Program). And of course ang expectation natin is bababaan ‘yan pagdating sa House of Representatives,” she added. 

(Whatever the Department of Budget and Management approved, it's what we submitted and placed in the NEP. We expect that it will be reduced when it goes through the House of Representatives.)

GMA News Online sought a comment from Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Suansing, who is the chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, and will update this story once she responds. 

To recall, the House last year decided to reduce the budget of the OVP from the originally proposed P2 billion to P733 million amid Duterte’s refusal to answer lawmakers’ questions on OVP budget use, including confidential funds.

The Senate retained the House-introduced budget cut despite calls from Duterte's allies to restore some of the OVP's proposed funding for social services.

For 2026, OVP spokesperson Ruth Castelo stated that the proposed budget of the OVP has increased by P170 million from the current fiscal year, from P733 million to P903 million.

Castelo also confirmed that the OVP would not request confidential funds for next year.

Duterte was also asked regarding the supposed “habitual absence."

“Habitual absence saan? hindi ko alam yung pinagssabi nila na habitual absence (I don’t know what they’re talking about),” Duterte said.

“As I said, ito na naman yung style ng mga tao na anti-Duterte na nagbibigay lang ng akusasyon kung saan saan at walang naman basehan, walang ebidensya at hindi nila nalang sinasubmit o tinataas sa tamanag forum o sa tamang venue yung kanilang mga akusasyon,” she added.

(As I said, it’s the style of those who are anti-Duterte. They just throw around accusations without any basis or evidence. They should just submit or raise it in the proper forum or venue.)

The Vice President made the remark after House Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio of ACT Teachers and House Assistant Minority Leader Renee Co of Kabataan party-list earlier said Duterte should show evidence that her office did not engage in misuse of public funds by showing up in person and answering during the upcoming budget deliberations in Congress.

Reacting to Tinio’s statement about her constant travels, Duterte challenged the House of Representatives to release their travel plans.

“Ilabas din siguro nila yung travels ng mga members of the House of Representatives bago sila magtuturo ng mga tao na constant travel. And sa totoo lang, hindi naman ako nag-travel dahil gusto ko mag-travel,” Duterte said.

(They should release the travel of the members of the House of Representatives before pointing out others. In truth, I travel not because I want to.)

“Lumalabas ako ng bansa dahil frustrated na ang Filipino communities abroad sa nangyayari dito sa ating bayan. At pangalawa, bumibisita ako sa tatay ko na nakakulong,” she added.

(I go outside the country because Filipino communities abroad are frustrated with what’s happening in our country. Second, I’m visiting my detained father.)

Former president Rodrigo Duterte is currently detained at the International Criminal Court detention facility in The Hague for his alleged crimes against humanity in connection with the killings under his administration’s war on drugs.

Answering in the right forum

Following the archiving of the impeachment case against her, Duterte said she would explain her side in the alleged misuse of public funds in her office at the “right forum.”

“Kung may kaso sa tamang forum, mag e-explain kami. Nagsabi kami nung nag-file sila ng Article of Impeachment nila na ready ang defense team para sumagot sa accusations ng prosecutors ng House. Noong umakyat sa Supreme Court yung kaso, lahat ng hiningi ng Supreme Court ay binigay namin,” the Vice President said.

(If there’s a case filed in the proper forum, we will explain. We already said, when they filed the Articles of Impeachment, that the defense team is ready to respond to the accusations from the House prosecutors. When the case was brought to the Supreme Court, we complied with everything it asked for.)

“Dun sa mga tamang venue at forum, nagbibigay kami ng saktong sagot at nagbibigay kami ng explanation ng mga accusations pero hindi pwede na moro-moro, na kung san lang nagbibigay ng acussaion at kung kelan lang nila gusto nila mag akusa ng tao,”  she added.

(In the proper venue and forum, we give clear answers and explain the accusations. But it’s unacceptable to throw accusations whenever they want.)

The Senate on Aug. 6 voted to transfer to the archives the articles of impeachment against Duterte, following the SC’s decision declaring her impeachment unconstitutional.

With 19 votes for, four against, and one abstention, the Senate archived the impeachment complaint. –NB, GMA Integrated News