The Senate swiftly approved the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) proposed 2026 budget on Thursday, November 27, finalizing the measure in just over four minutes with no questions raised by senators—an exercise of parliamentary courtesy extended to a co-equal branch of government.
Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito moved for the approval of the budget, and no senator objected.
Before the vote, Senator Robin Padilla—an ally of Vice President Sara Duterte—stood to express his support for the OVP’s funding.
“Ako po ay natutuwa sapagkat dito sa ating bulwagan ay atin pong hindi binawasan ang budget ng ating Pangalawang Pangulo bagkus ay dinagdagan. Sapagkat alam niyo po, sa akin pong karanasan sa tuwing may darating na kalamidad, kalungkutan, kamatayan ay nandyan po lagi ang ating Pangalawang Pangulo upang makiramay, tumulong—kahit saan pong lupalop sa Pilipinas makikita po natin ang opisina ng Pangalawang Pangulo,” Padilla said.
The OVP’s 2026 budget stands at ₱889 million, higher than the ₱733.2 million allocation earlier approved by the House of Representatives.
Vice President Sara Duterte personally attended the Senate session as her office’s budget was taken up.
A day earlier, on November 26, the Senate also fast-tracked the approval of the Office of the President’s budget, similarly waiving interpellation due to parliamentary courtesy.