Vice President Sara Duterte confirmed that her office has proposed a budget of ₱733 million for 2026—almost identical to this year’s allocation—highlighting her cautious approach amid ongoing political friction with the administration.
“For the 2026 budget, we submitted a proposal of ₱733 million, which is not far from the approximately ₱700 million that was given last year for the OVP,” Duterte told reporters in Davao City.
The decision to maintain the current budget, she explained, stems from a pragmatic stance. Duterte acknowledged that seeking a higher allocation would be futile since the Office of the Vice President (OVP) is not politically aligned with the ruling bloc.
“Since we’re not allied with the administration… you won’t be given funding for the projects of your office,” she said bluntly, referring to last year’s deep budget cut, which slashed her office’s proposed ₱2.037-billion allocation down to ₱700 million.
Duterte also cited her intent to shield her staff from further public embarrassment during budget hearings in Congress, adding that only a minimal adjustment was made in the new proposal to account for inflation.
The vice president has recently come under fire over alleged fund misuse from both the OVP and the Department of Education, where she concurrently serves as secretary.
