OVP under Sara Duterte seeks smaller budget for 2027, but keeps aid machines running

ARRIVED. Vice President Sara Duterte arrives at the Senate on July 7, 2026, to meet with her lawyers but did not attend the impeachment trial. Angie de Silva/Rappler Sara Duterte's planned presidential bid in 2028 places the programs in a particularly consequential political setting The Office of the Vice President of the Philippines proposes a budget of over P785 million for 2027, focusing on direct aid programs for citizens, including food, transportation, and school supplies. Despite a reduced budget compared to the previous year, the The OVP emphasizes its commitment to delivering essential services and support through various initiatives aimed at helping communities and individuals in need. Vice President Sara Duterte's planned presidential bid for 2028 adds political significance to these programs, as they enhance her visibility and connection with voters amid ongoing political challenges. This is AI-generated. Read the article for full context. Report any errors. CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – The Office of the Vice President is seeking a budget of over P785 million for 2027, with about a third of its proposed operating budget intended for programs that directly put food, transportation, school supplies, livelihood grants, and other forms of aid directly in the hands of citizens. Collectively, the programs put the office of Vice President Sara Duterte in a highly visible position, delivering aid directly to commuters, students, disaster victims, families, small entrepreneurs, and communities. That kind of reach carries weight in the context of Philippine politics, where government aid can put politicians in direct contact with voters, especially those seeking higher national office. Duterte’s planned presidential bid places the programs in a particularly consequential political setting. She faces an ongoing impeachment trial while preparing for a presidential campaign she has already announced for 2028. No fireworks On Wednesday, September 2, there were no fireworks during House appropriations committee’s hearing on the OVP’s proposed budget. They wrapped up the hearing in less than two hours. Lawmakers who had been among Duterte’s most vocal critics asked questions, but there was little of the confrontation that had marked previous encounters. OVP Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, whom the House cited in contempt in 2024, appeared at ease and even invited lawmakers to try the office’s programs for commuters. Her detention that year became the backdrop to Duterte’s subsequent online threat to have a hired gun kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and ex-House speaker Martin Romualdez. Early in the hearing, however, there was a brief disagreement over how the OVP should be treated. House Assistant Minority Leader Robert Nazal Jr. urged the appropriations committee to go slow in scrutinizing the OVP budget, invoking interparliamentary courtesy. ACT Teachers Representative Antonio Tinio quickly pushed back. There should be no special treatment, he said, and the OVP’s proposed budget should face the same scrutiny as every other agency’s. Reduced budget proposal The OVP said the programs are part of its mandate to provide aid and services nationwide and that public funds will be used for essential services while maintaining prudent spending. The Department of Budget and Management has endorsed the proposed P785.2-million OVP budget under the 2027 National Expenditure Program, 11.7% below the P889.236 million it received for the current year. The proposed budget is divided into P220.23 million for personnel services, P561.65 million for maintenance and other operating expenses, and P3.32 million for capital outlay. Another P15.54 million is intended for retirement and life insurance premiums for OVP plantilla personnel. Aid programs The reduction has not displaced the OVP’s emphasis on direct aid. Of the P561.651 million proposed for maintenance and other operating expenses, P193.10 million is intended for the purchase of goods and livelihood assistance grants under Duterte’s MagNegosyo Ta ‘Day program and other aid-oriented initiatives. Another, the Pagbabago Campaign, seeks to strengthen communities through educational support and environmental action. The program is designed to benefit learners and their families nationwide through the distribution of school supplies, raincoats and dental kits, along with tree-planting activities. The OVP’s disaster operations program is expected to help 23,000 individuals and their families, while its Relief for Indigents and Individuals in Crises and Emergencies or RIICE food bags program targets another 30,000 individuals and families. The office also plans to provide free rides to 1.2 million commuters next year through its Libreng Sakay initiative. OVP Director Norman Baloro said there are nine buses being used to provide free rides to hundreds of commuters daily with the help of various bus companies. Two buses were bought by the OVP. The office shoulders the costs of fuel, maintenance, and the wages of drivers and their aides. Undersecretary Lopez said the office expects to reach its 4 millionth passenger by mid-November. Other proposals include the Kalusugan Food Truck and disaster operations, wheelchair distribution, al-Janazah kits and other supplies for Muslim Filipino families, particularly in areas such as the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. The al-Janazah program is intended to help families meet the immediate needs associated with Islamic burial rites after a death, providing basic supplies that can otherwise add to the financial burden on bereaved households. Meanwhile, the You Can Be VP program gives selected students a chance to see how government and public service work up close. It aims to help young citizens develop leadership skills, a sense of civic responsibility, and a better understanding of how government decisions are made. The OVP said its budget utilization has averaged over 90% in recent years. As of June 30, it said it had obligated 43.07% of its 2026 budget, above its 41% target. On paper, the numbers tell one story: a smaller budget for 2027. The programs it plans to pursue, however, tell another: a vice president seeking to preserve her most politically visible function, delivering aid directly to people, at a moment when her national ambitions are coming into sharper focus. – Rappler.com How does this make you feel? Loading