Sara Duterte arrives at Senate for OVP budget hearing

Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday morning arrived at the Senate for the deliberations on the proposed 2026 budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP).

Vice President Sara Duterte arrives at the Senate for the deliberations on the proposed 2026 budget of the Office of the Vice President. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/Qz3jgoZuYz

— Giselle Ombay (@giselleombay_) September 29, 2025

The OVP is proposing a P902.895 million budget for 2026, which is P170 million higher compared to the current fiscal year.

Duterte’s office is also not requesting any confidential funds for next year. 

The House committee on appropriations approved the OVP’s proposed 2026 budget on September 16.

At the Senate, Duterte highlighted that the establishment of the OVP’s 10 satellite offices and an extension office in Tondo has been “pivotal in bringing the national government closer to underserved communities across the country with timely and significant government interventions.” 

“The Office of the Vice President stands resolutely as a people’s institution. Despite challenges, nothing has so far been insurmountable enough to take OVP off its track, derail its course, or completely incapacitate the institution and stop it from serving the interests of the people,” she said. 

Duterte’s office also prepared an audio-video presentation that was presented in the hearing. 

On September 16, the House committee on appropriations approved the OVP’s proposed 2026 budget, granting Duterte’s office inter-parliamentary courtesy. 

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. —AOL, GMA Integrated News