House on track to approve proposed P6.793-trillion 2026 budget —Dy

Speaker Faustino "Bojie" Dy III on Tuesday gave the assurance that the House of Representatives is on track to approving the proposed P6.793-trillion 2026 national budget. 

The House has revised its calendar of session to add more session days for the House to approve the budget on third and final reading by Oct 13.

When asked if he had any instructions regarding the budget, Dy replied, "Wala pa (None yet)."

OVP budget

But several members of the minority bloc are intent on proposing to reduce the budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP).

The proposed 2026 budget of the OVP is P902.8 million, an increase of almost P170 million from the approved 2025 budget of more than P700 million.

"At least, ma-retain 'yung personnel services and also the MOOE (Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses) para hindi naman maapektuhan 'yung mga personnel, the salaries and the benefits of the personnel, and some operational expenses of the Office of the Vice President," House Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Representative Leila de Lima said in an ambush interview.

(At least, to retain the personnel services and also the MOOE so personnel won't be affected, the salaries and the benefits of the personnel, and some operational expenses of the Office of the Vice President.)

But ACT Teachers Party-list Representative Antonio Tinio said he wants the personnel services cut down to only P193 million.

Tinio and de Lima cited Vice President Sara Duterte's seeming lack of interest in defending her office's proposed budget when she did not attend plenary budget deliberations as reason for the budget cut.

"Pambayad lang sa suweldo, lalo na ng mga empleyado ng opisina. Effectively, sa ginawa ng vice president na naglagay ng mga kondisyon na imposibleng matupad ng Kongreso bago siya lumitaw para i-defend ang kanyang budget ay basically, vice president ang nagpasara sa kanyang opisina for the next year. Kaya ganoon ang dapat mangyari. Dahil essentially, 'yon ang mensahe niya sa Kongreso – hindi siya interesadong ipagtanggol, i-justify ang hinihingi niyang budget sa taumbayan," Tinio said in an ambush interview.

(It's just to pay for salaries, especially that of the office's employees. Effectively, due to what the vice president did – wherein she laid down conditions that are impossible for Congress to meet before she shows up to defend her budget – basically, the vice president is the one who closed her own office for the next year. So that's what should happen. Because essentially, that is her message to Congress – she is not interested to defend and justify the budget she is asking from our countrymen.)

"We wish also to clarify. Baka kasi may impression 'yung iba na nag-no-show lang siya noong (Some may have the impression that she was a no-show on) the third day which was on September 30. She was a no-show in September 28 and a no-show again in September 29, not even sending any letter," de Lima said. 

"On September 28, 'di siya nag-appear at ayon na nga, nagpadala siya ng sulat na 'yun na, nag-impose ng condition na mga unreasonable conditions na wala sa karapatan niya even if she's the vice president to do that. Kasi nasasanay siya nang nasasanay na nag-i-impose siya ng kanyang kagustuhan. 'Yon po ang hindi ko nagustuhan," she added.

(On September 28, she did not appear [before the committee]. She sent a letter imposing conditions that are unreasonable and not within her powers to impose even if she's the vice president. She is getting used to imposing what she wants. That's what I do not like.)

"If hindi niya kaya na respetuhin ang individual members ng House of Representatives, at least man lang magpakita siya ng respect sa institution. The House of Representatives as an institution. Saka sa ating Saligang Batas, sa ating Constitution. 'Yan lagi ang wala sa kanya," de Lima added.

(If she cannot respect individual members of the House of Representatives, at least show respect to the institution. The House of Representatives as an institution. And the Constitution. That's always what is lacking in her.)

Earlier, House Committee on Appropriations Vice Chairman Zia Alonto Adiong said he also favors a reduction in the OVP budget but to the 2025 level of more than P700 million.

GMA News Online contacted OVP for comment and will update this story with their side. —with a report from Giselle Ombay/KG, GMA Integrated News