VP Sara’s budget hearing appearance ‘her responsibility,’ says Palace

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Philippine News Agency

One of Duterte’s conditions is for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to show up at the House to defend the Office of the President’s budget. (File Photo: House of Representatives of the Philippines/Facebook)

MANILA – It is Vice President Sara Duterte’s responsibility to attend the congressional budget hearings, Malacañang said on Friday.

The decision on whether Duterte attends the House of Representatives’ hearings for the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) proposed 2026 budget rests solely with her, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said when asked to comment on the Vice President’s two conditions for her attendance.

“Kung ‘yun po ‘yung gusto niyang gawin, kung ayaw niyang pumunta sa plenary debate, nasa kanya po iyan (If that’s what she wants to do, if she doesn’t want to attend the plenary debate — that’s up to her),” Castro said.

“Kargo niya po, kargo niya po yan dahil iyan naman po ay Office of the Vice President at maraming umaasa mga tao diyan ng kanyang mga tauhan. Kung ayaw niyang pong pumunta, nasa kanya po ‘yan (That’s her responsibility, because that pertains to the Office of the Vice President, and many people and her staff depend on it. If she chooses not to attend, that’s up to her),” she added.

One of Duterte’s conditions is for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to show up at the House to defend the Office of the President’s budget.

Duterte also told the House Appropriations Committee to produce a document from the House Committee on Good Government confirming that the immigration lookout bulletin orders against seven of her staff members had been lifted.

The OVP is facing a possible budget cut for the second time following Duterte’s refusal to attend.

The OVP’s budget for 2025 has been reduced from the initial proposed amount of PHP2.037 billion to PHP733 million.