WHILE the workers are vying for a salary increase if only to make both ends meet, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) does the opposite.
For the next calendar year, the OVP finds it rather ‘moral’ to make the most out of less even as Vice President Sara Duterte proposed a P785.204-million budget, an amount that is 11.7 percent lower than its P889.236-million budget for the current year.
In a statement, the OVP said this year’s budget would be spent on the agency’s continued delivery of assistance and services to targeted beneficiaries nationwide.
The 2027 budget recommendation includes P220.232 million for Personnel Services (PS), P561.651 million for Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE), and P3.321 million for Capital Outlay.
Of its proposed 2027 budget, P15.544 million is automatically appropriated for the Retirement and Life Insurance Premium (RLIP) of OVP plantilla personnel.
The OVP took note of its consistent high budget utilization rate, averaging over 90 percent in recent years.
As of June 30, the agency has reported a 43.07 percent obligation rate for its 2026 budget, surpassing its 41 percent target.
A large part of its MOOE budget will fund the agency’s assistance programs for targeted individuals, families, commuters, learners, and communities.
Of the total MOOE budget, P193.103 million is allocated for the procurement of goods and the provision of livelihood assistance grants under the OVP’s MagNegosyo Ta ‘Day program, as well as other assistance and service-oriented initiatives.
Among the programs identified for funding include Pagbabago Campaign targeting 150,000 learners, Disaster Operations targeting 23,000 individuals/families, R.I.I.C.E. Food Bags targeting 30,000 beneficiaries, Libreng Sakay targeting 1.2 million commuters, KALUSUGAN Food Truck and Disaster Operations, Wheelchair Distribution, Al-Janazah Kits and Other Supplies, and the so-called You Can Be VP Program.
“The OVP remains committed to ensuring that available public funds are directed toward essential services and programs that provide meaningful assistance to Filipinos, while maintaining prudent and responsible spending in the implementation of its mandate,” the agency said.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) earlier submitted a National Expenditure Program embarking on a P7.2-trillion national budget.
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