By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — The Office of the Vice President (OVP) will be treated with courtesy during the upcoming 2027 budget deliberations despite Vice President Sara Duterte facing an impeachment trial, but House lawmakers will not be expected to hold back on questions about how public funds are being used.
House Assistant Majority Leader and House Appropriations Committee vice chair Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said the chamber has consistently extended respect to the OVP even amid its political differences with Duterte.
Adiong cited last year’s budget proceedings, when the House allowed the OVP’s allocation to be taken up in plenary despite the vice president’s absence.
He said that accommodation demonstrated the House’s willingness to extend institutional courtesy to the vice president and her office.
Adiong, however, drew a clear line between respecting the OVP and exempting it from congressional scrutiny.
He said lawmakers must be free to examine the agency’s proposed spending and demand explanations on programs and projects that would be financed with taxpayers’ money.
For Adiong, appearing before Congress is part of an agency’s responsibility when seeking funding.
He said lawmakers represent constituents nationwide and therefore have a duty to determine how government agencies intend to spend the money being requested.
Failing to ask questions about proposed allocations, he added, could amount to a failure of Congress to perform its oversight function.
Adiong also recalled that he personally reached out to Duterte during the previous budget cycle to discuss the OVP’s proposed allocation but said he received no response.
Despite that experience, he said the House remains prepared to hear from Duterte and OVP officials when the 2027 budget comes before Congress.
He expressed hope that the vice president will personally attend the upcoming deliberations.
The Department of Budget and Management transmitted the proposed P7.2-trillion National Expenditure Program for 2027 to Congress on Aug. 11.
The House Committee on Appropriations is scheduled to begin discussions on the proposed national budget on Aug. 17.
The OVP’s budget review will take place while the Senate continues proceedings on Duterte’s impeachment case.
For the House, however, the message is straightforward: the impeachment battle will not erase Congress’ responsibility to examine every proposed peso in the OVP budget.
Courtesy may be extended to the vice president’s office—but scrutiny remains part of the job.
ia/xf
