Villanueva clashes with House over OVP budget cut

Senator Joel Villanueva expressed disagreement with the House Committee on Appropriations' proposed P1.3 billion cut to the Office of the Vice President's (OVP) P2.03 billion budget for fiscal year 2025, leaving it with P733 million.

Villanueva questioned the House's decision, highlighting a tradition of maintaining the OVP's budget, which he believes should be upheld.

House leaders, including Deputy Majority Leader Jude Acidre and Assistant Majority Leader Angelo Jil Bongalon, called on Villanueva to stop meddling in the chamber's internal decision.

They stated that Villanueva's questioning of the budget cut is a disrespect to time-honored interparliamentary courtesy.

Acidre urged Villanueva to allow the House to craft the budget on its own terms.

Villanueva, who previously served in the House, lamented that the committee's decision was inconsistent with the long-standing tradition of extending courtesy to the executive branch by approving budget requests without questions.