By ADRIAN STEWART CO
MANILA – The Office of the Vice President (OVP) can continue its functions even without a budget allocation for fiscal year 2025, according to Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio.
In a recorded interview released on Wednesday, Duterte-Carpio said she already heard about plans to defund the OVP due to her refusal to answer budget-related questions of lawmakers.
“Narinig din namin na mayroong defunding. I-defund daw ang Office of the Vice President. Narinig din namin na posibleng piso lang ang ibigay na budget sa Office of the Vice President,” Duterte-Carpio said.
“Handa kami. Handa ako sa Office of the Vice President na mag-trabaho kahit walang budget. Maliit lang ‘yung opisina namin. Maliit lang ‘yung operations namin kaya kayang-kaya namin na mag-trahabo kahit walang budget,” she added.
The Vice President further said: “Alam naman namin na kaparte ‘yan ng pag-atake. Kaya kami, tutuloy-tuloy lang din kami sa kailangan namin gawin para sa bayan.”
The House of Representatives’ appropriations committee on Tuesday deferred anew the committee-level deliberations on the OVP’s proposed P2 billion budget for 2025.
The deferment was due to Duterte-Carpio and members of the OVP skipping the resumption of the House panel’s deliberation on her office’s proposed budget for next year.
According to the House committee, the OVP budget for next year will either be reduced or they place certain funds on hold until further discussions are held.
Duterte-Carpio’s recorded interview was conducted on September 4 in Manila, according to the OVP.
The first part of the interview was released on September 9, and the second part on September 10./PN
