HOUSE PANEL CUTS OVP BUDGET FROM P2-B TO P733-M

THE House Committee on Appropriations has voted unanimously to reduce by more than half the budget of the Office of Vice President Sara Duterte for next year due largely to redundant social programs and overextended offices.

Marikina City Rep. Stella Quimbo, senior committee vice chairperson, told a news conference Thursday  that the panel decided to recommend a reduction of around P1.3 billion or from the proposed P2.037 billion to P733 million.

Quimbo said the cuts came from allocations for financial assistance, professional services, which is the budget language for consultants, and for utilities, supplies and materials, and rentals/leases.

However, she said the appropriation for “personnel services,” meaning salaries, was retained.

“We are not touching that, we are preserving jobs in the OVP,” she said.

Quimbo added that the funds would be transferred to the AICS (Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and medical assistance program of the Department of Health (DOH), with the two agencies getting an almost equal share of about P646 million.

The Marikina solon pointed out that OVP’s FA fund is the source of money for those seeking burial, medical, transportation, and similar aid.

She stressed that the OVP and beneficiaries of those projects could still access the same funds that would be transferred to the DSWD and DOH by communicating their requests to the two departments.

She said based on a report of the Commission on Audit (CoA):“’Di nagamit ng mabuti ang pondo at may redundancy ang mga programa, maraming problema sa implementation.” 

“Ilipat na lang ang funds sa DSWD at DOH and we will ensure na meron syang sapat na allocation doon hanggang doon sa kayang ma-implement ng opisina nila,” Quimbo said.

“Nakita at dama din naman din natin na subok na ang DSWD at DOH sa mga programang ito kaya kung ito ay makakatulong lalo na mas mapalawak ang pag-aabot ng tulong sa recipients, bagay na hindi naging klaro sa mga programa dati sa OVP base sa COA report,” she added.

According to Quimbo, the reductions “are just recommendations of the Committee on Appropriations” chaired by Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, and are subject to the approval of the House of Representatives when the Chamber starts plenary debates on the proposed 2025 national budget on September 16.

She said the proposed outlay would still have to go through a long process.

“Magkakaroon pa ng isa pang round ng amendments ng budget amounts (sa plenary), at ito yung magiging recommendation namin ng  (House) to the Senate. Matapos ang senate approval, meron pang bicameral (committee) approval. Babalik ulit sa (House) at Senate for ratification. And then for President’s approval,” she said.

She added that the President has the power to resort to a line-veto or rejection of proposed appropriations.

“So, kitang kita po natin na napakahaba ng proseso at napakaraming tao na involved sa budget approval,” she emphasized.

It would be up to the agencies to decide how they would use the funds allocated to them by Congress and the President, the solon said.

“Budget execution is entirely by the executive (branch),” she added.