(Photo courtesy of Senate)
MANILA – Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian expressed hope that Vice President Sara Duterte would personally attend the Senate plenary deliberations to defend the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) proposed Php 785-million budget for 2027 after skipping Tuesday’s committee hearing.
During the budget hearing, Gatchalian asked OVP Chief of Staff Zuleika Lopez about Duterte’s absence, emphasizing the longstanding practice of agency heads appearing before Congress to explain their proposed expenditures.
“May I know where is the Vice President?” Gatchalian asked.
The Senate President recalled that Duterte attended the previous year’s budget hearing when he was still chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance.
Lopez explained that Duterte was in Davao City to represent former President Rodrigo Duterte at a scheduled event.
Gatchalian acknowledged the explanation but expressed hope that the Vice President would attend the upcoming plenary deliberations.
“We would welcome her presence,” he said.
Despite Duterte’s absence, Gatchalian recognized the OVP’s continued implementation of socioeconomic assistance programs despite a reduction in its proposed budget.
He noted that the office’s allocation would decrease by approximately 11 percent, from Php 889 million in 2026 to Php 785 million in 2027.
Gatchalian said the OVP appeared to be managing its resources efficiently while continuing to provide assistance to vulnerable communities.
Senate Committee on Finance Chairperson JV Ejercito also expressed hope that Duterte would personally participate in the plenary discussions.
Ejercito, however, assured that the Senate would continue extending traditional parliamentary courtesy to the Office of the Vice President.
Meanwhile, Senators Imee Marcos and Bong Go supported advancing the OVP’s proposed budget to the plenary, citing the office’s continued delivery of social assistance programs despite its reduced funding.
The proposed Php 785-million allocation will undergo further deliberations before the Senate finalizes its version of the 2027 national budget.
