Saying that the country’s second-highest official should have a permanent venue to call his or her workplace, a congresswoman on Wednesday, Aug. 3, expressed support for Vice President Sara Duterte’s intention to find a permanent official residence befitting her post.
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Kusug Tausug Party-list Rep. Shernee Tan-Tambut, through House Bill (HB) No. 2698 submitted on July 28 in the current 19th Congress, sought to provide the vice president an official residence similar to how other nations treat their vice presidents and prime ministers.
“Being the second highest elected public official of the land, the Vice President needs a presentable official residence where he or she can meet official visitors like public officials, foreign dignitaries or even common people needing assistance,” the bill’s explanatory note said.
Although there is provision in the Constitution about providing an official residence for the President, no such similar thing was written for the vice president.
The lack of official residence for the vice president has forced previous occupants of the office to use non-permanent sites.
READ: Search is on: OVP still looking for a permanent residence
Former Vice President Leni Robredo held office at the Quezon City Reception House, where Duterte is also currently holding temporary office. The latter's predecessor, former Vice President Jejomar Binay, held offices at the Philippine National Bank Building in Manila and then later, at Coconut Palace in Pasay City.
The bill cited that the United States (US) had been using the United States Naval Observatory in Washington D.C. as the official residence for its vice president since 1974.
“The practice of providing official residence for highest elected officials is not new,” it added.
“The construction and establishment of the official residence for the Vice President will be beneficial to the government in the long run due to rising cost of rental, and other services," the bill further read.
Duterte earlier said that one of her key priorities as vice president was to find a permanent and official residence for the post that would benefit future occupants. She said that doing so would also spare the government from financial and logistical costs.