Duterte's absence, conditions put OVP budget at risk of another cut

Vice President Sara Duterte’s attempt to set terms for attending the budget deliberations was swiftly rebuffed by the House, with some lawmakers proposing another year of budget cuts to her office.

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The Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) budget deliberations were scheduled for September 30 but were postponed twice due to Duterte’s absence and the lack of an undersecretary-level representative.

The deliberation for the OVP’s 2026 budget was rescheduled for October 2, the final day of plenary debates — but neither Duterte nor any OVP official appeared.

This mirrored the earlier committee-level hearings for the OVP, where only an assistant secretary appeared. The budget hearing was postponed to allow Duterte to attend, which she eventually did — and alone.

But for the plenary debates, she was absent.

The House typically requires department heads or undersecretaries to be present for budget deliberations.

However, instead of appearing, Duterte chose to set conditions for her attendance. In a letter to the House appropriations committee dated September 30, she said she would only participate in the budget deliberations if two demands were met: