Poe: OVP still has funds for social programs with P733M budget for 2025

Senator Grace Poe on Wednesday justified the Senate's decision to uphold the House of Representatives' decision to cut the Office of the Vice President's proposed P2 billion budget for 2025 to P733 million under their version of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB).

In a press conference a day after the Senate's approval of the GAB, Poe, the chairperson of the finance committee, said the OVP was given a chance to justify the need to restore the cut in their budget, but they have not received any as of the moment.

"Nagkaroon ng pagkakataon naman dito sa pagdinig ng committee hearing na bigyan ng justification kung gusto nilang itaas yung budget. Wala namang formal request from the OVP na taasan ang budget....pag tataasan ang budget, kailangan meron manggagaling din sa kanila na breakdown at justification bakit tataasan," Poe said.

"Hindi pa ito end of the line for the OVP budget. Malay natin, pagdating sa bicam, meron na silang formal request and written letter na nagsasabing gusto nila kasi kailangan talaga nila itong mga programang ito," she added.

(There was an opportunity during the committee hearing to provide justification to raise their budget. There was no formal request from the OVP for an increase… to raise the budget, there is a need for a breakdown from them and a justification as to why.

This is not the end of the line for the OVP budget. Who knows, when it reaches the bicam, they could have a formal request and written letter that says they wish for an increase since they really need it for their programs.)

Even though the Senate decided to retain a lower budget for OVP, Poe said P600 million of the P733 million can still cover the social programs of the agency.

"Sinigurado natin na 'yung mga socio-economic programs, sinigurado natin na yung mga socio-economic programs ng OVP ay nandun pa rin. In short, sa aming nakikita, capacitated pa rin ng OVP," she said.

(We made sure that the socio-economic programs of the OVP are still there. In short, from what we see, the OVP has the capacity.)

She likewise explained that the Senate's decision to retain the House-endorsed P733 million budget for the OVP is to avoid overlapping programs that are already provided by other agencies.

"'Dun sa 600 million, pwede pa rin silang kumuha doon. Ngayon, kung kulang yun, pwedeng mapunuan ng DSWD, ng AICS, ng TUPAD. Hindi naman sila bawal kumuha doon. In fact, dapat natulungan sila para mas maabot pa ang mas marami natin mga kababayan," Poe said.

"Tandaan natin na hindi naman nakatali namang sa budget ang pagiging epektibo sa iyong pamamalakad. Nasa pagtutulungan rin yan sa ibang ahensya ng gobyerno," she added.

(In the 600 million, they can still get from it. Now, if it isn’t enough, the DSWD, AICS, TUPAD can make up for it. In fact, they could assist the OVP so they could assist more of our countrymen.

We should remember that effective management is not tied to the budget. It’s all about working together with other government agencies.)  

Asked about the possibility of the bicameral conference committee further decreasing the budget of the OVP for 2025 following the recent remarks of Vice President Sara Duterte, Poe said that might be already over-reaching.

"Sa tingin ko, medyo sagad na rin ito. Kasi remember, for me, at least, being in charge of the overall budget, you have to make sure that the departments are able to operate. Di ba? Di naman pwedeng unreasonable," Poe said.

"Kung may reklamo ka dun sa namumuno, ibang usapan yun. Wala yan sa budget. Kung ayaw mo yun namumuno ng isang ahensya ika-cut mo lahat, paano naman yung ibang plantilla dun? Pag binabaan pa natin, medyo mahirapan na," she added.

(In my view, it’s already stretched… it should not be unreasonable.

If you have complaints with the ones in charge, that is another matter. That is not about the  budget. If you do not like whoever heads an agency and cut everything, what would happen to the other plantilla? If we cut it further, things will be difficult.)

Poe earlier said that the budget for the OVP will be determined during the bicam.

"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 has 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 personnel of the OVP 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.

She 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

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