House reduces OVP’s 2026 budget to P733 million

MANILA, Philippines —  Citing the disrespect shown by Vice President Sara Duterte for continuously snubbing the budget hearing to defend the proposed P889.2-million budget for the Office of the Vice President, the House of Representatives reduced yesterday the OVP’s budget to P733.2 million.

The amount is the same as the OVP’s 2025 budget.

At yesterday’s period of amendments on the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026, House members led by House Majority Leader Sandro Marcos of Ilocos Norte seconded the proposed individual amendment of Deputy Minority Leader Leila de Lima of ML party-list to cut the OVP’s budget to P733.2 million, from P889.24 million to its 2025 level of P733.2 million, a reduction of P156 million or 17.5 percent.

“Every peso in this budget is the people’s money. And when we demand accountability, we do so not out of hostility, but out of duty – duty to the Constitution, duty to the people and duty to the truth,” she added.

De Lima said Duterte repeatedly refused to face the budget hearings, taking the snub as an insult to the House and its members.

“Let me then again put this on record: VP Sara Duterte’s repeated refusal to face this chamber is an insult. It spits on the duty of accountability, while she clings to millions in public funds she refuses to explain,” De Lima said.

House approves 2026 budget

The House approved yesterday on second reading the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026.

In the period of amendments at the plenary, the House adopted Marcos’ motion to accept the substitution and amendments introduced by the Budget Amendments Review Subcommittee (BARSc).

Among the key amendments were an additional P56.6-billion allocation for the education sector and the removal of P35.86 billion in unprogrammed appropriations for infrastructure projects.

The BARSC also reallocated P255 billion originally earmarked for flood control projects to boost funding for education, health and social service programs.

The proposed 2026 General Appropriations Bill was approved on second reading following the period of amendments.

The House is scheduled to convene its final session before the Undas break on Oct. 13, to approve the expenditure measure on third and final reading through nominal voting.

The House, meanwhile, rejected the motion of Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno to give a zero budget on unprogrammed appropriations with a total amount of P243,222,549,000.

“If these items are truly part of the budget priorities, then they should be included in the programmed appropriations of the respective departments’ budgets,” Diokno said.

Sotto keeps post

Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente Sotto III yesterday presided over a rare plenary session yesterday to adjourn for its Undas break, as he lamented a “concerted effort” to discredit his leadership and unseat him.

Sotto got to retain his leadership post before the session break amid rumors of a coup. He banged the gavel to end the short session attended only by him, Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito and Sen. Robin Padilla to adjourn for the break.

The short session was held to accommodate the House of Representatives’ request to extend its plenary session to next week for it to pass the national budget.

In his speech, Sotto said there is a disinformation network waged against him, falsely accusing him of authoring a bill taxing the income of content creators.

The Senate President denied having authored any tax measure and that he is for lowering – not imposing more – taxes.

“In my 24 years in the Senate, I have never proposed for any tax measures. In fact, I have consistently voted against it,” he said. –  Marc Jayson Cayabyab