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Sara Duterte Skips Budget Debate: What's Behind Her Absence?
Photo credit: Congress PH
Vice President Sara Duterte was notably absent from the House of Representatives’ plenary debate on the 2025 budget yesterday. While a representative from the Office of the Vice President (OVP) did make an appearance, House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan pointed out that there was no formal explanation or written authorization for Duterte's non-attendance.
Originally slated to kick off the discussions at 10 a.m., the OVP was missing in action, prompting the House to move ahead with funding requests from other agencies. Libanan emphasized that it's a long-standing tradition in the House for heads of government offices and departments to be present during budget deliberations, saying, “Tradition is part of the rules of the House. The custom in budget hearings is that if you are the head of an office or department, your personal presence is required.”
He further stressed the significance of these discussions, noting that the budget process is “the most significant piece of legislation” requiring close scrutiny and transparency. “It’s crucial for us to tackle the line-item appropriations because that is the essence of budgeting. It allows the public to understand how funds are being used and how government programs are implemented,” Libanan added.
As it stands, the deliberation on the OVP's budget proposal, which amounts to PHP 733 million for 2025, has been deferred to September 25, the last day of plenary debates. In a letter dated September 11, Duterte indicated that the OVP had submitted all necessary documents to the House Committee on Appropriations and mentioned she provided a comprehensive overview of the budget proposals during a previous hearing on August 27. She stated, “In consideration of the foregoing, the OVP leaves the deliberation of our budget proposal in the plenary entirely to the pleasure of the House of Representatives.”
Speaker of the House Martin Romualdez has confirmed that the House will approve the proposed PHP 6.352-trillion national budget on Wednesday, following two weeks of debates. So, while Duterte's absence raised eyebrows, it seems the budget process will continue to move forward, albeit with some lingering questions about the OVP's role in the discussions.
Originally slated to kick off the discussions at 10 a.m., the OVP was missing in action, prompting the House to move ahead with funding requests from other agencies. Libanan emphasized that it's a long-standing tradition in the House for heads of government offices and departments to be present during budget deliberations, saying, “Tradition is part of the rules of the House. The custom in budget hearings is that if you are the head of an office or department, your personal presence is required.”
He further stressed the significance of these discussions, noting that the budget process is “the most significant piece of legislation” requiring close scrutiny and transparency. “It’s crucial for us to tackle the line-item appropriations because that is the essence of budgeting. It allows the public to understand how funds are being used and how government programs are implemented,” Libanan added.
As it stands, the deliberation on the OVP's budget proposal, which amounts to PHP 733 million for 2025, has been deferred to September 25, the last day of plenary debates. In a letter dated September 11, Duterte indicated that the OVP had submitted all necessary documents to the House Committee on Appropriations and mentioned she provided a comprehensive overview of the budget proposals during a previous hearing on August 27. She stated, “In consideration of the foregoing, the OVP leaves the deliberation of our budget proposal in the plenary entirely to the pleasure of the House of Representatives.”
Speaker of the House Martin Romualdez has confirmed that the House will approve the proposed PHP 6.352-trillion national budget on Wednesday, following two weeks of debates. So, while Duterte's absence raised eyebrows, it seems the budget process will continue to move forward, albeit with some lingering questions about the OVP's role in the discussions.
Sep 24, 2024
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