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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider House declined to accept delegation in budget hearing—OVP

House declined to accept delegation in budget hearing—OVP

Published Sep 14, 2025 07:57 am
Vice President Sara Duterte (MB File Photo)
Vice President Sara Duterte (MB File Photo)
Despite her willingness to attend the budget hearing of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), it was budget sponsor Palawan Rep. Jose Alvarez who asked Vice President Sara Duterte not to attend the deliberations into her office’s 2026 budget proposal.

A statement from the OVP clarified the media reports circulating that it snubbed the budget hearing last Friday, Sept. 12.

“For the information of the public, it was the House of Representatives that declined to accept the OVP delegation led by the Assistant Secretary — who is a senior official by reason of the status as presidential appointee — citing House tradition and stating that an Undersecretary should attend,” the statement read.

A screenshot of a text exchange between Duterte and Alvarez showed that at 10:07 a.m. Alvarez said the lower chamber was expecting at least an undersecretary—a senior official—to attend the hearing and not an assistant secretary, which the OVP sent.

In response, the Vice President herself said she would attend instead of Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, whom she said was sick that time.

But Alvarez opted to defer the budget hearing until “further notice” to “defuse the situation” and asked Duterte and the OVP delegation not to proceed to the House of Representatives.

The lawmaker also said he already informed the House appropriations committee of the postponement.

The budget hearing was originally set at 1:30 p.m. on Friday.

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OVP House of Representatives VP Sara Duterte budget hearing
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