Vice President Sara Duterte attends a hearing for the Office of the Vice President's 2025 budget at the House of Representatives on August 27, 2024.  Photo courtesy of the House of Representatives/File

MANILA — Congressmen welcomed on Wednesday the decision of a Senate panel to retain the proposed P1.3 billion reduction in the Office of the Vice President's 2025 budget.

House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Rep. Zaldy Co said the move "underscores the shared commitment to eliminate redundant roles and ensure government spending prioritizes efficient public service."

Other lawmakers said the Senate panel's move validates the House's decision and vindicates it from allegations of being politically motivated.

The lower house realigned the funding slashed from the OVP's proposed 2025 budget to social protection programs of the Department of Health and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

READ: Senate panel seeks over P164-B in changes in 2025 national budget

"It really validates, it gives credence to the decision of the House of Committee on Appropriations na ma-realign itong P1.2 billion na ni-realign po natin sa mga ahensya na nagbibigay ng mga parehong serbisyo po," House Assistant Majority Leader and Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Adiong said.

Adiong was the OVP's budget sponsor at the lower house.

"It also vindicates the stance taken by the Hon. Zia, being the sponsor of the budget of the Office of the Vice President, kasi alam naman natin na medyo binabatikos siya na remiss siya pag-defend, ng budget ng Office of the Vice President," House Deputy Majority Leader and TINGOG Party List Rep. Jude Acidre added.

"Pero nakita natin dito, pati sa Senado ay patuloy pa rin na iniiwasan ng tanggapan ng pangalawang pangulo ang pag-defend ng kanilang budget sa tama at saktong pamamaraan. At nakakabahala po na may isang tanggapan ng ating pamahalaan… finds itself above the process, established processes ng ating gobyerno, lalung-lalo na sa pag balangkas ng national budget," he added.

"The adoption of the Senate on the budget of the Office of the Vice President is just really a confirmation that what we did in the lower house is just a result of a work that is fair and there's nothing about politics here," House Assistant Majority Leader and AKO BICOL Party List Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon noted.

AKAP

A Vice Chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations said he will push for the retention of the budget for the controversial Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) next year during the bicameral conference committee.

That's after the Senate Finance Committee recommended its deletion.

Bongalon said the decision on whether or not to fund AKAP for 2025 should be based on results.

READ: Senate panel recommends deletion of House-AKAP from 2025 budget

"I fully support the program of AKAP of DSWD and if there will be a chance to give much allocation or higher allocation, I will move for that… Siguro mas tingnan na lang po muna nila ‘yung naging resulta nitong programa. Bago sila magpanukala na ito ay tanggalin kasi malaking tulong po ito sa atin pong mga kababayan," he said.

Acidre urged the Senate to "go beyond the noise" and look at the merits of the AKAP program. He said if Senators are against AKAP, they should recommend ways to improve its implementation instead of completely deleting the program.

"I hope that our Senators will go beyond the noise of the issue, but rather look at the program on its own merits, kasi sayang naman. Kung mayroon naman silang counter suggestion, sana hindi ‘yung pag-alis, kundi pagtingin kung paano natin mas mai-improve pa ‘yung implementation… huwag naman nating hayaan na mawala sa mga tao itong tulong na ginagawa natin," Acidre said.

AKAP was controversial in the 2024 budget deliberations because it was an adjustment made at the last minute by the bicameral conference committee instead of being tackled by the full Senate.

A special provision in the 2024 DSWD Secretary's Office budget allocated P26.7 billion for the AKAP. AKAP was envisioned to help minimum wage earners affected by rising inflation.

There was no similar provision in the DSWD Secretary's Office budget for 2025 in the original National Expenditure Program submitted to the House by the Executive.

RELATED VIDEO: