MALACAÑANG said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has raised the 2026 budget for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) to P903 million from its proposed P733 million, and pointed out it is not blocking the vice president’s budget request.
The Palace, through Press Officer Claire Castro, is clarifying its position against opinions that it is blocking the requested budget of the OVP for next year.
“The administration is not blocking them if they are asking for a higher budget. Let us remember, even the DBM raised the initial proposed budget for 2026, giving them an increase of P170 million” Castro said in a palace press briefing on Thursday.
The palace spokesperson said any issues concerning the 2025 budget of the OVP are in the realm of Congress’ decision and not within that of the president.
The OVP had sought a P2.037-billion budget for 2025, but it was slashed by Congress to P733.198 million.
Castro added: If Vice President Sara Duterte wants to receive a bigger allocation, she should be “like a student preparing for a thesis” and to “defend it properly” to get what she wants.
She was asked for a reaction on a statement by OVP spokesperson Ruth
Castelo that it would be a disservice to the nation to keep the vice president out of the loop or not to support her projects with funding.
Castro said on the part of the palace, any relevant and good suggestion from the OVP is welcome, and the president “is not closing the door on the vice president.”
Last week, Castelo explained that it was the DBM that increased the budget proposal of the OVP from P733 million to P803.6 million, which later reached P903 million after the OVP requested an additional allocation for personnel services.
