OVP unsure if Sara Duterte will attend House budget hearing

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) said Thursday it has yet to confirm whether or not Vice President Sara Duterte will attend the scheduled deliberations of the House of Representatives on its proposed 2026 budget.

Based on the House's website, the Committee on Appropriations is set to deliberate on the OVP's proposed P902.895-million budget at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, September 12.

"In relation to the attendance of the Vice President for the budget hearing tomorrow, she has not yet provided a final answer if she will go to the hearing or not," OVP assistant chief of staff Lemuel Ortonio said in a press conference.

OVP budget division chief Atty. Kelvin Gerome Tenido, however, said his office has consolidated all the reports that may be needed and would consider the possible questions that may be raised in the budget deliberations.

Ortonio added that the OVP is also preparing for possible questions regarding confidential funds, even if it has not requested any amount for such for next year.

"The OVP is currently preparing for the budget hearing for tomorrow and we are ready to answer any questions that will be asked of the team for tomorrow. So we are collecting all the necessary documentations for us to be able to properly defend the proposed budget," he explained.

Ortonio noted that Palawan 2nd district Representative Jose Alvarez will be the OVP's budget sponsor at the House.

To recall, Duterte previously said 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.

Last year, the House 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. — VDV, GMA Integrated News