VICE President Sara Duterte revealed that her office has requested a P733 million budget for 2026, with a slight adjustment compared to this year’s budget, accounting for inflation.
Duterte explained that they submitted a proposal for a P733 million budget, which is not far from the P700 million allocated to the OVP for the 2025 budget. She said she did not propose a larger budget because she believes it would not be approved.
“Hindi nga kami ka-alyado ng administrasyon at nakita na natin iyon noong nakaraang taon, na siyempre, kung hindi ka sumusunod hindi ka kaalyado ay hindi ka mabibigyan ng pondo para sa mga proyekto ng opisina mo,” she said during the 2025 OVP Pasidungog on Monday morning, June 16, 2025, at SMX Convention Center, Lanang in Davao City.
(We are not allies of the administration, and we saw that last year, of course, if you do not conform or are not an ally, you will not be given funds for your office’s projects.)
Duterte added that they only made a minimal increase to the proposed budget, considering inflation, as she does not want OVP personnel to be embarrassed, especially during appearances in Congress and the Senate.
She said the OVP would still attend the budget panel, although they have not yet received a schedule for budget hearings. She also stated that her office has issued an advisory regarding the unavailability of burial assistance.
Duterte further said that the OVP will retain its programs for 2025 and that there will be no additional programs for 2026. Some of the ongoing programs include: OVP Para sa Pagbabago: A million learners and trees campaign, Magnegosyo ta Day, You can be VP, Libreng Sakay, Rice Program, and Disaster Relief Operations.
To recall, the OVP suffered a significant budget cut of ₱1.3 billion in the 2025 General Appropriations Act. According to Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Zaldy Co, the ₱1.3 billion cut will be reallocated and augmented to the budgets of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Health (DOH).
In 2024, Duterte had a falling out with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. The two had formed an alliance in 2022 under the “UniTeam” banner, through which they dominated the presidential elections. However, the partnership ended in a messy breakup due to personal grievances, policy disagreements, and political maneuvering. RGP