Vice President Sara Duterte | File photo
MANILA, Philippines – The Office of the Vice President (OVP) did not request confidential funds from the proposed P6.3-trillion national budget for 2025, Vice President Sara Duterte announced.
“For the Office of the Vice President, no, wala kaming proposal ng confidential funds for 2025,” she told reporters in an ambush interview on Saturday in Cebu City.
Duterte had previously given up P500 million in confidential and intelligence funds for the OVP in the proposed 2024 national budget.
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In a statement received by Senator Sonny Angara’s office, the vice president emphasized that her office’s budget proposal for 2024 would focus on ensuring the implementation of its programs against poverty, among other priorities.
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“Your honor, actually, we are in receipt of a statement from the VP [and] we discussed [it] earlier. According to her, the OVP can only propose a budget to support the safe implementation of its programs to alleviate poverty and promote [the] general welfare of Filipino families,” he said, reading Duterte’s statement before Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.
“Nonetheless, they will no longer pursue the confidential and intelligence funds or the confidential funds. And the reason why is because it seems to be divisive, and as the VP, she swore and [took] an oath to keep the country peaceful and strong,” he added.