Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Stella Quimbo says solons are just doing their job when it comes to the recommendation to significantly reduce the Office of the Vice President's (OVP) proposed national budget next year from P2.037 billion to P733 million.
Quimbo on proposed 63% budget cut on OVP: 'Trabaho lang po'
Sep 13, 2024 07:10 AM
At a glance
Marikina City 2nd Rep. Stella Quimbo (left), Vice President Sara Duterte (MANILA BULLETIN)
The House Committee on Appropriations is merely doing its job.
Committee Senior Vice Chairperson Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Stella Quimbo had this to say following the panel's recommendation to significantly reduce the Office of the Vice President's (OVP) proposed national budget next year from P2.037 billion to P733 million.
“Well sa amin, trabaho lang po ang ginagawa natin (Well for us, we're just doing our job). At the end of the day, ang most important thing to ask would be the information needed to reflect on the budget, iyon lang talaga (that's it)," Quimbo said in a press conference Thursday, Sept. 12.
"So, to the extent, iyong absence niya did not shed light on many issues sa aking palagay ang naka-affect. Yung kakulangan ng information ‘yan ang naka-affect talaga,” she said of Vice President Sara Duterte.
(Her absence did not shed light on many issues, which in my opinion had an effect. The lack of information really had an effect.)
The appropriations panel conducted two budget hearings with the OVP regarding its 2025 outlay.
During the first hearing last Aug. 27, Vice President Duterte attended but was non-responsive to questions about her past usage of confidential funds. He came with an aggressive attitude, and even scolded the solons at times.
She didn't even bother to attend the second hearing last Sept. 10. According to Quimbo, it was the first time in history for an agency to not send any representative to a budget hearing.
Quimbo said that the House plenary would ultimately decide whether or not it would adopt the proposed 63 percent budget cut on the OVP under Vice President Duterte.
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The plenary debates on the proposed P6.352-trillion national budget for 2025 will begin on Monday, Sept. 16. While the agency heads are no longer allowed to speak in plenary on their respective budgets, their presence is still expected as per tradition.
Asked whether or not the Vice President’s presence in the plenary debates would change the committee’s or plenary’s decision, Quimbo said, “Tingnan po natin (Let's see). I mean we are open to anything. As I said, there's another round of amendments (in plenary).”
“Kasi alam niyo dito sa amin, House of the People, welcome pong lahat. Welcome ang lahat,” she said.
(Because you know, here in the House of the People, everybody is welcome. Everybody is welcome.)