OVP Secures ₱889M Budget After Bicam Approval: Mandate Preserved Despite Pressure

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) has secured a ₱889.2-million budget for 2026 after approval by the bicameral conference committee, restoring the amount originally proposed under the National Expenditure Program (NEP).

The bicam decision effectively reversed the House version of the budget, which had earlier reduced the OVP allocation to ₱733 million following Vice President Sara Duterte’s refusal to defend the budget in hearings she said were already entangled with a pending impeachment complaint.

According to the Vice President, answering questions—particularly on confidential and intelligence-related expenditures—would risk national security and violate her right to due process while impeachment proceedings remain unresolved.

The bicameral body’s approval signals more than a budget adjustment. It reflects recognition that constitutional offices cannot be financially coerced for exercising legal rights. The restored amount confirms that the OVP’s operational mandate stands, despite political tension and public theatrics.

Notably, the ₱889.2-million allocation does not represent an increase, but merely restores what was originally proposed. It reinforces a principle often tested in Philippine politics: that budget power should not be weaponized to compel submission.

🦅 Agila note:
When silence is painted as defiance, but restraint is actually obedience to the law, the Constitution quietly does its work.

Bible Verse:
“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.” — Proverbs 25:2