Senate panel approves OVP’s ₱785.2-million 2027 allocation in under 20 minutes

The Senate Finance Subcommittee on Tuesday approved the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) proposed ₱785.2-million budget for 2027 in less than 20 minutes, with lawmakers citing parliamentary courtesy and the agency’s reduced spending proposal.

Sen. JV Ejercito, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, noted that the OVP was among the few government agencies seeking a lower budget for the upcoming fiscal year, contrasting with other offices requesting additional funding despite tight fiscal constraints.

“Of course, we accorded the OVP parliamentary courtesy. As I’ve said, it was among the very few agencies that reduced its budget for the year,” Ejercito told reporters following the brief hearing.

“The OVP took a budget cut, aligning with the Senate’s own austerity measures. So, in less than 30 minutes, we passed their proposed budget,” he added.

Addressing questions on why parliamentary courtesy was extended despite calls for strict fiscal scrutiny, Ejercito emphasized that the office’s decision to request a smaller allocation carried significant weight.

For 2027, the OVP requested ₱785.2 million—an 11.7% decrease from its ₱889.24-million allocation in the previous fiscal year.

During the hearing, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian praised the budget reduction and highlighted the OVP’s socio-economic assistance initiatives as evidence of prudent resource management.

“Looking at the OVP budget, it went down by approximately 11 percent—from ₱889 million to ₱785 million. Its main focus remains socio-economic programs that directly assist our constituents,” Gatchalian said. “Because of this, I see that the Office of the Vice President is managing its budget as efficiently and wisely as possible.”

Gatchalian added that the socio-economic programs are essential for enabling the Vice President to respond to public requests for aid.

“As elected officials, people naturally turn to us for help, and I am sure many approach the Vice President as well. This program serves as a key tool for her to provide meaningful relief to our constituents,” Gatchalian said.

He further reiterated the rationale behind the swift approval: “We extended the traditional parliamentary courtesy given to the executive department. As the second-highest official of the land, it is only proper to extend courtesy to the Vice President, regardless of the political situation.”

Vice President Sara Duterte was absent from Tuesday’s briefing. Instead, OVP officials were led by her chief of staff, lawyer Zuleika Lopez.

Ejercito said Duterte remains welcome to defend her office’s budget during the Senate plenary deliberations, noting her past attendance at such proceedings.

“It would be good to have her. As I told Atty. Lopez, [Duterte] is most welcome to attend… she has historically attended Senate budget plenary sessions. But if she chooses not to, we fully understand,” Ejercito remarked.

He acknowledged that ongoing political developments, including the Vice President’s impeachment trial, might make an appearance uncomfortable, but stressed that securing the agency's funding remains the priority.

“Of course, there might be some awkwardness due to the political noise and the impeachment trial. We understand that. What matters most is passing the OVP budget so its social programs can continue uninterrupted,” Ejercito concluded. -Paraluman News