MANILA: The Office of the Vice President (OVP) can still fulfill its mandate and implement its social programs with its PHP733.198 million proposed 2025 budget approved by both the Senate and the House of Representatives, according to Senator Grace Poe. In a press briefing on Wednesday, Poe, who chairs the Senate Finance panel, clarified that the OVP is still capacitated with this budget which has PHP600 million available for its social programs.
According to Philippines News Agency, Poe noted that the OVP submitted their social programs, including medical assistance, burial assistance, and Libreng Sakay, and specified the allocation of funds from the PHP600 million. However, the OVP did not allocate funds to medical and burial assistance, claiming insufficiency, despite having PHP600 million for these programs.
Poe explained the Senate Finance panel’s decision not to increase the proposed OVP budget due to the absence of a formal request with a breakdown and justification from the OVP. She mentioned that a
formal letter from the OVP could be considered during the bicameral conference with the House.
Poe emphasized that government agencies with smaller budgets can still effectively fulfill their mandates through good coordination and collaboration with other offices. The 2025 National Expenditure Program initially proposed PHP2.037 billion for the OVP, but the House of Representatives reduced it by PHP1.3 billion, citing redundancy with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Health (DOH).
