VP Sara, Hontiveros clash over 'politicizing' of 2025 OVP budget

Vice President Sara Duterte and Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday had a heated exchange after the latter questioned some of the programs of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) which she said are similar with the existing programs of other line agencies of the government.

During a Senate Finance subcommittee hearing on the OVP’s proposed P2.037-billion budget for 2025, Hontiveros pointed out that a huge chunk of the office’s P1.909 billion operations budget is allotted for the delivery of socio-economic programs such as medical and burial assistance, disaster operations, food bags for certain families, and livelihood assistance.

Hontiveros asked what prompted the OVP to launch these programs, considering they are “very similar” to the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program of the Department of Health (DOH), the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program and disaster response operations of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP).

In response, Duterte said that when she was campaigning for the vice presidency, she only had three platforms, specifically on employment, education, and peaceful living for Filipinos. When she was elected, she said her office established the programs in line with the requests they receive from the public.

“Totoo po, merong mga ibang local government units at ibang national government agencies na ganito ang kanilang programa, pero nung ako ay umupo as Vice President, I took an oath and doon sa oath, I said that I will do justice to every man,” Duterte said.

(It's true, there are other local government units and other national government agencies that have these programs, but when I sat as Vice President, I took an oath that I will do justice to every man.)

“So hindi kami pwedeng humindi sa mga tao na humihingi ng tulong lalong lalo na at ka-parte ng gobyerno ang Office of the Vice President,” she added.

(So we cannot say no to people who ask for help, especially since the Office of the Vice President is part of the government.)

Politicized?

Under its proposed budget for next year, P1.269 billion or 62% of the total budget was allocated for socio economic programs of the OVP.

P600 million of which was allotted for medical assistance, P171 million for burial assistance, P150 million for “Mag Negosyo Ta 'Day,” P101 million for disaster operation, P100 million for PagbaBAGo campaign, P50 million for RICE food bags, and P26 million for educational assistance, among others.

Hontiveros then asked if the OVP will consider lodging the budget of some of its programs to other line agencies, and just request an allocation to be in sync to the priorities of the executive departments instead of having separate but similar programs.

Duterte said that the OVP will leave the allocation of its budget to the discretion of Congress, but went on giving examples on how some of the programs of the national agencies are being politicized.

“Kapag meron po kaming nire-refer o binibigay ng endorsement sa DSWD, kadalasan ng sagot sa amin [ay] hindi pwede dahil galing yan sa Office of the Vice President at kalaban yan. Minsan po totoo yan, napupulitika ang assistance para sa ating mga kababayan,” she said in a 24 Oras report by Marisol Abdurahman on Tuesday.

(When referred or endorsed to the DSWD, they often tell us that it is not allowed because we are from the Office of the Vice President and that we are the enemy. Sometimes it is true, the assistance for the public is politicized.)

The senator then drifted by asking the Vice President what the children’s book “Isang Kaibigan,” which Duterte authored herself, is all about.

Duterte, who refused to answer the question immediately, further gave an example of how Hontiveros is “politicizing the budget of the government” during the recent Akbayan Congress.

“Alam nating lahat na miyembro ng iba’t ibang partido, ‘yung speeches natin sa ating mga ka-miyembro, sa mga party congresses ay hiwalay na event dito sa budget debates. So I really take exceptions dun sa sinabi ni VP na rebuttal ‘yan dahil halimbawa ito sa politicizing,” Hontiveros answered.

(We all know as members of different parties, our speeches to our party members during party congresses are a separate event from the budget debates. So I really take exception to what the VP said that this is an example of politicizing.)

The Vice President then implied that the senator is making a fuss about how the children’s book indicates Duterte’s name and is being distributed all over the country.

Duterte, who seemed irritated, also committed to send Hontiveros, as well as everyone present during the Senate hearing, a copy of the book.

“Madam Chair, this is an example of politicizing the budget hearing through the questions of a senator. Ang problema niya kasi nakalagay ‘yung pangalan ko doon sa libro, at ‘yung libro na ‘yan, ibibigay namin doon sa mga bata at ‘yung mga bata na ‘yan may mga magulang na boboto at ‘yung pangalan ko ay nagkalat doon sa kung saan man ibibigay ‘yung libro,” Duterte said.

(Her problem is that my name is written in the book and that book we will give it to the children whose parents are voters. My name will be all over areas where the books will be given.)

Hontiveros said that she does not appreciate the kind of attitude that Duterte is displaying in front of the Senate panel.

“Madam Chair hindi ko maintindihan ‘yung ugali ng ating resource person. It is a simple question. Paulit-ulit na this is politicizing. Ang VP ang nagbanggit ng salitang boboto. Wala akong sinabing boboto. I’m simply asking. Hindi ko ma-imagine we're making so much trouble, so much fuss about a P10 million item,” she said.

(Madam Chair, I don't understand the attitude of our resource person. It is a simple question. She repeatedly says this is politicizing. The VP mentioned the word vote. I never said anything about voting. I'm simply asking. I can't imagine we're making so much trouble, so much fuss about a P10 million item.)

“Usually, ang resource persons natin ay nagbibigay ng parehong institutional courtesy sa legislature na ibinibigay natin sa executive. (Usually, our resource persons provide the legislature with the same institutional courtesy that we give to the executive branch.) I don’t appreciate this kind of attitude,” she added.

Previously sought favor?

Duterte proceeded by saying that Hontiveros back then asked her a favor to help her win the senatorial race, which she previously lost twice.

However, when Hontiveros already won the elections, the Vice President said she became the first to criticize her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Noong 2016 [noong] tumatakbo si Senator Risa, nakailang talo na siya… Dalawa. Natatakot siya sa pangatlong talo niya kaya pumunta siya sa Davao [at] humingi siya ng tulong. Noong nanalo siya, anong ginawa niya? Siya ang pinakaunang umatake kay President Rodrigo Duterte. Anong tawag sa ugaling ganito?” said Duterte.

(In 2016 [when] Senator Risa was running [for office], she had lost how many times… twice. She was scared of losing a third time so she headed to Davao [and] she asked for help. When she won, what did she do? She was the first person to attack President Rodrigo Duterte. What do you call this type of behavior?)

Panel chair Senator Grace Poe interjected, saying that the discussions should remain about the OVP’s proposed budget. 

“With due respect to our resource persons and also our colleagues, I think this doesn’t really, I understand there’s history among all of us here, but I think that we should really stick to the budget,” Poe said.

The vice president also made an attempt at humor after the hearing concluded.

“We would like to thank all the honorable members of the Senate for doing your work here at the Senate of the Philippines, except… Joke lang, ma’am!” she said.

In an interview after the hearing, Duterte also claimed that she only ran for Vice President because President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Senator Imee Marcos asked for her help.

“Sabi nila di kami mananalo kung 'di mo kami tutulungan sa Mindanao at Visayas. Kapag alisin nila ako dito o impeach nila ako, 'di kawalan sa akin,” she said.

(They said they would not win if I did not help them in Mindanao and Visayas. If they remove me here or impeach me, it’s not a loss to me.)

“Do I regret helping…. do you want to answer the question?” she added.

On harassment, impeachment

During the hearing, Duterte also said that the removal of her security detail was a targeted political harassment.

After the proceedings, the Vice President claimed that she was aware of a planned impeachment complaint to be filed against her.

“Pinag-uusapan nila kahit i-deny. Pinag-uusapan ng members ng House of Representatives. It’s openly discussed yung impeachment. Ano ba ang gusto nilang gawin?” she alleged.

(They are talking about it even if they deny it. The members of the HOR are talking about it. The impeachment is openly discussed. What exactly do they want to do?)

“Gusto nilang pabagsakin ang pamilya Duterte sa pulitika at personal. Sinama nila asawa ko. He’s a private individual pero sinama nila sa harassment nila,” she added.

(They want to take down the Duterte family in a political and personal sense. They even involved my husband. He’s a private individual but they included him in their harassment)

Duterte said that she was not afraid of being impeached.— RSJ/RF, GMA Integrated News