MANILA, Philippines — The bicameral conference committee overseeing the 2025 national budget has agreed to maintain the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) funding at P733 million, despite earlier proposals to increase it.
Originally set at P2.037 billion, the OVP budget was reduced by P1.29 billion.
Senate Finance Committee chair Senator Grace Poe explained that while several senators had requested a budget increase for the OVP, the majority decision was to keep the funding at P733 million.
Poe emphasized that the OVP would still have sufficient resources, including a P600 million allocation for social services. “They were not deprived, and they are still capable of assisting,” she said.
According to Poe, the OVP did not formally or informally request any additional budget.
In contrast, the House of Representatives had initially suggested slashing the proposed P2.037 billion budget for the OVP to P733.198 million.
Stella Quimbo, senior vice chairperson of the panel, added that the reduction in the OVP budget would allow funds to be realigned to other government agencies, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Health.