VICE President Sara Duterte honored her commitment by attending the House of Representatives’ committee on appropriations hearing for her office’s 2026 budget on Tuesday, appearing solo to represent the Office of the Vice President (OVP).
Her presence fulfilled a promise made to committee officials, marking a departure from the OVP’s initial absence at the previously scheduled hearing. Duterte arrived at the Romualdez Hall at 9:17 a.m. and took her place among the OVP officials’ seating.
Duterte was greeted by committee chairperson and Nueva Ecija 1st District Rep. Mikaela Suansing and OVP budget sponsor Palawan 2nd District Rep. Jose Alvarez, who had announced last Friday that the Vice President would personally attend the rescheduled hearing. The decision for Duterte to attend followed the OVP’s failure to send a representative to the original hearing, as the House requires either the head of an agency or an undersecretary-level official to defend a budget proposal.
The previous hearing was deferred after discussions between lawmakers regarding parliamentary courtesy for the OVP, highlighting the importance placed on the presence of a high-ranking official for budget deliberations. Duterte’s attendance underscores the significance she places on the OVP’s budget and her commitment to engaging directly with the House on its financial matters.
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