Poe: Senate-approved 2025 GAB retains reduced budget for OVP

The Senate-approved General Appropriations Bill (GAB) has retained the P733 million budget for the Office of the Vice President as proposed in the House of Representatives' version of the budget bill.

Senator Grace Poe announced this as the Senate passed the bill containing the P6.352-trillion national budget for 2025 on third and final reading.

According to the chairperson of the Senate finance committee chairperson, it will be up to the members of the bicameral conference committee (bicam) to decide whether to increase or further decrease the 2025 budget for the OVP and the controversial Department of Social Welfare and Development's Ayuda para sa Kapos and Kita Program (AKAP).

"The budgets of OVP and AKAP will be determined during bicam. For now, OVP is at GAB level while AKAP is restored to the NEP level. We need to consult our House counterparts on these items," Poe said in a text message.

The House's decision to reduce the budget of the OVP from the originally proposed P2 billion to P733 million came amid Vice President Sara Duterte's refusal to answer lawmakers’ questions on OVP budget use, including confidential funds.

The Senate retained the House-introduced budget cut despite calls from Duterte's allies to restore some of OVP's proposed funding for social services.

Duterte earlier said that around 200 OVP personnel could lose their jobs should the reduced budget of the office for next year amounting to P733 million be approved under the 2025 General Appropriations Act.

Duterte also said that some projects of the OVP, specifically the free bus rides and financial assistance provided in its satellite offices, may be affected by the proposed cuts in the OVP’s 2025 budget. —RF, GMA Integrated News