The House of Committee on Appropriations swiftly terminated on Wednesday, Sept. 14, the hearing for the proposed ₱2.3-billion budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for 2023.

It took only five minutes for the House panel to terminate deliberations on the OVP’s proposed budget upon the motion of House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan.

“While some members of the Makabayan bloc would like to profound questions on some new items in the budget they also join us but rather they will (raise) profound questions in the plenary to extend courtesy to the Office of the Vice President and therefore, Mr. Speaker, I move that we terminate the budget briefing,” he said.

The motion was seconded by House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe.

At the start of the hearing, House panel chairperson Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co recognized the “notable” accomplishments of Vice President Sara Duterte’s office.

He specifically cited the establishment of various satellite offices nationwide that will “enable the government to expand the reach of its social services".

“We fully support the proposed ₱2.31-billion budget of the OVP for 2023, the bulk of which will go towards good governance, projects, and the needed social services,” Co said.

“I speak for my colleagues when i say that this committee has full confidence in the VP’s performance of her duties,” he added.

The OVP has proposed a ₱2.3-billion budget for the fiscal year 2023, more than thrice of its allocated budget this year.

Of the amount, ₱154.31 million will be allotted for Personnel Services, ₱2.095 billion for Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses, and ₱42.50 million for Capital Outlay.

This amount is the biggest budget proposal from the OVP since 2017 when the office was under former vice president Leni Robredo, whose biggest budget came in 2021 at ₱900 million.

Before officially ending, Duterte spoke to express the OVP’s gratitude for the support given by the lawmakers.

In return, she offered her office’s assistance to their respective congressional districts.

“If there is anything we can do to help you as an office in your respective mandates, in your legislative districts and partylists, please do let us know. We are open to collaborations in helping our fellow Filipinos,” she said.

Duterte also singled out OVP Budget Division chief Kelvin Tenido, whom she thanked for preparing their proposed budget for 2023.