Legislators request higher budget for OVP

• The requested budget was Php720 million and the proposed budget for the OVP was only Php679.74 million.
• The OVP received the highest audit rating from the Commission on Audit last year.

Lawmakers are requesting a higher share for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in the proposed 2021 budget after it was revealed that only Php679.74 million was assigned to the office of Vice President Leni Robredo.

The Vice President presented the budget proposal before the House committee on appropriations and said that the OVP initially proposed a Php720 million budget but the Department of Budget and Management set it at around Php50 million less.

According to Camarines Sur 3rd District Rep. Gabriel Bordado, the budget cut was unacceptable as the OVP has proven its hard work by spending the past months giving frontliners a helping hand despite the challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“But ironically, the Office of the Vice President has I think the lowest budgetary allocation in the entire Philippine bureaucracy. It has been engaging in frontline activities against COVID-19. It has also launched livelihood, education, people empowerment, and other projects throughout the country, but its budget is still the smallest in the entire bureaucracy,” he said.

The OVP also received the highest audit rating from the Commission on Audit last year. Celebrities and netizens have praised Vice President Robredo and her team for the positive results.

Shining star in the midst of mga bituin walang ningning. #LetLeniLead https://t.co/sqnSgKeWSc

— Agot Isidro (@agot_isidro) September 5, 2020

In her statement on her radio show, Vice President Leni Robredo said that all government agencies should always aspire and make sure that they will get COA’s highest audit rating because it will mean that all transactions in their office are in order and clean.

“Lahat ng government offices, dapat ina-aspire ito, pinagtatrabahuan. Kasi kapag ina-aspire mo na magkaroon ng unqualified opinion, sinisiguro mo na lahat ng proseso mo malinis,” she said.