Duterte absent as OVP defends P785 million 2027 budget proposal

MANILA – The Office of the Vice President faced Senate scrutiny over its proposed P785 million budget for 2027 without Vice President Sara Duterte's presence at Tuesday's hearing. OVP Chief of Staff Atty. Zuleika Lopez led the delegation presenting the office's spending plans to lawmakers, accompanied by other senior staff members. The absence of the vice president marks another instance of high-level officials not personally attending budget hearings before the chamber. Senate committees typically conduct extensive reviews of agency budget proposals during the legislative deliberation period. The OVP's 2027 budget allocation reflects the office's planned operations and programs for the coming fiscal year. Duterte's office did not immediately provide a public statement explaining her absence from the budget hearing.