OVP’s P2.3-billion budget approved by Senate
The Senate approved on Monday, November 14, the Office of the Vice President’s PHP2.292-billion proposed budget for 2023. The budget includes P500 million in confidential funds which Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III had wanted deleted.
This 2023 budget is three times the OVP’s P702-million allocation in 2022.
In a statement issued Monday night, Vice President Sara Z. Duterte said the Senate’s move “demonstrates confidence and trust” in the OVP’s commitment and dedication to public service.
“The approval bolsters the OVP’s determination to ensure that social services and other government programs and projects reach communities and bring about positive development and provide solutions to the problems of our fellow Filipinos across the country — especially those who are living in underprivileged communities and those battered by natural calamities and armed conflicts,” she said.
Pimentel had questioned the confidential funds during the Senate’s plenary deliberation on the OVP’s budget proposal and said that he will ask for its deletion “at the proper time.”
Pimentel said the mandate of the vice president does not justify the need for confidential funds as the 1987 Constitution clearly states that the vice president’s primary function is to replace the president once he or she is not able to perform his or her duty anymore.
On the other hand, confidential funds are defined as expenses incurred for surveillance operations intended to support the mandate of an agency and the OVP does not qualify under the definition for the use of such funds.
“In my personal opinion, such a mandate does not justify giving confidential funds,” Pimentel said.
Pimentel said he will move for the deletion of the confidential intellence funds when the Senate conducts the period of amendments on the budget bill.
Twitter netizens weighed in on the issue, with many of them questioning the OVP’s need for confidential funds, as well as comparing the present OVP’s budget to that of former VP Leni Robredo.
