Budget Briefing Insights for OVP 2025

Aug 28, 2024

Notes on the Budget Briefing for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) 2025

Acknowledgments

  • Presence of notable guests acknowledged:
    • Vice President Sara Duterte
    • Representatives from Commission on Audit (COA) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM)
  • Members of the Committee on Appropriations present.

Budget Overview

  • Proposed budget for OVP in 2025: ₱2.37 billion
    • This is an 8.05% increase from the current year’s budget of ₱1.85 billion.
    • Increase aimed at supporting key programs and initiatives of OVP.

Programs and Key Initiatives

  • OVP's key programs include:
    • Medical Assistance
    • Burial Assistance
    • Livelihood Programs (Magnegosyo to Die)
    • Educational Assistance
    • Environmental Initiatives (tree planting campaigns)
  • Application access for assistance programs:
    • Interested individuals must submit requests via formal channels.

Utilization of Budget

  • 2024 Budget Utilization:
    • OVP utilized ₱785.1 million from a ₱1.85 billion allotment, resulting in:
      • Obligation Rate: 42%
      • Disbursement Rate: 66%
  • Discussions around the confidential funds led to scrutiny regarding their utilization.

Confidential Funds Issues

  • Audit actions received from COA regarding OVP's confidential funds.
  • COA's findings indicated:
    • Some expenditures deemed irregular due to lack of supporting documentation.
    • Concerns raised over specific uses (medical aid, food aid, etc.) that do not align with the guidelines for confidential funds.
  • The Vice President emphasized cooperation with ongoing audits.

Committee Proceedings

  • Majority of questions posed involved scrutiny of budget utilization and the handling of confidential funds.
  • Repeated responses from the Vice President on questions, leading to frustrations among committee members.
  • Calls for transparency and detailed explanations regarding the allocation of public funds.
  • There were claims of scripted responses from the Vice President, causing tensions during the hearing.

Future Directions

  • The budget briefing is scheduled to continue on September 10, 2024.
  • Members of Congress emphasized the importance of accountability and proper utilization of public funds.
  • Discussions on how the OVP plans to enhance the effectiveness of its programs going forward.