The Senate Committee on Finance on Monday gave its quick nod to the proposed ₱902.895 million budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for 2026, finalizing the approval in under an hour out of respect for parliamentary courtesy.
Vice President Sara Duterte personally attended the hearing, where she outlined her office’s accomplishments and upcoming programs. She emphasized that the OVP “stands resolutely as a people’s institution,” adding: “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.”
The 2026 budget allocates ₱673.7 million for maintenance and other operating expenses. Senator Christopher “Bong” Go moved to augment the OVP’s spending plan using funds from his own office, expressing concern over the relatively small increase, though he did not disclose how much would be transferred.
Duterte noted she would have wanted additional resources for disaster relief operations, which she said remain the second most requested form of assistance after medical and burial aid.
Last year, the Senate approved a ₱733 million OVP budget but rejected any increase. At the time, then-Senator Grace Poe argued the office could still function under the approved amount, saying some of its programs were seen as overlapping.
