OVP seeks bigger 2023 budget at P2.3 billion

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) is proposing a P2.3 billion budget to sustain its operations for 2023.

Based on the National Expenditure Program (NEP) submitted by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to the House of Representatives on Monday, the OVP is seeking a total of P2,305,396,000 funding for next year —more than thrice the budget allocated for the office in 2022.

This OVP received P713,408,000 budget in the current fiscal year.

Of the P2.3 billion budget proposed for the office, a total of P2,292,673,000 will be for new appropriations for general administration and support, and operations; and P12,723,000 will go to automatic appropriations for retirement and life insurance premiums.

Among the special provisions cited in the NEP is the OVP’s submission of quarterly reports on its financial and physical accomplishments within 30 days after the end of every quarter.

According to the budget document, the OVP shall send written notice when said reports have been submitted or posted on its website to the DBM, House of Representatives, Senate, House Committee on Appropriations, Senate Committee on Finance, and other offices where the submission of reports is required under existing laws, rules, and regulations.

The date of notice to the mentioned agencies shall be considered the date of compliance with such a requirement, it added.

Another special provision is the OVP’s appropriations for its activities or projects.

Asked about the projects and programs that the OVP will present during the budget deliberations with its proposed P2.3 billion budget for next year, spokesperson Reynold Munsayac told GMA News Online that he will get details on the matter.

The strategic objectives of the budget include a “people-centered, innovative, clean, efficient, effective, and inclusive delivery of public goods and services” for a sector outcome; and an “enhanced strategic partnership and advocacy on good governance” as an organizational outcome.

Currently, the OVP, under the leadership of Vice President Sara Duterte, has been providing medical and burial assistance programs since it assumed office on July 1.

The OVP has also allocated five buses deployed in Metro Manila, Davao City, Cebu, and Bacolod under its Peak Hours Augmentation Bus Service- Libreng Sakay program.