House ends plenary debate on 2025 OVP budget proposal

Metro Manila, Philippines — The House of Representatives was left with no choice but to end debates on the proposed 2025 budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) without the head of the agency on hand to defend it on Wednesday, Sept. 25.

Lawmakers waited for Duterte the entire Monday and Tuesday, even rescheduling the deliberations on her budget.

On the last day of session before Congress goes on a month-long break, the House listened only to the OVP budget sponsor, Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong.

Agency heads would usually provide support to the budget sponsor in plenary, usually coaching them on responses to questions from other lawmakers.

“This is unprecedented, this is the first time since, I guess, for a couple of administrations in the past,” Adiong said of Duterte’s absence.

As it stands, the OVP budget was cut to ₱733 million from the original proposal of ₱2.03 billion. Adiong said the funds would be realigned to other agencies.

“The position of the committee on appropriations is to submit to the plenary the recommended amount which basically respects and upholds the integrity of the Office of the Vice President,” Adiong said.

He said that this “[makes] sure that the office and the institution operates within the ample budget, satisfactory budget without necessarily engaging into services or programs that have similarity or duplicity with other agencies.”

The House aims to approve the budget bill on second and third reading on Wednesday. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has certified it as urgent.