Marcos denies politicization of OVP budget hearings

President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. reiterated that budget hearings for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) are not political, serving as information-gathering sessions for Congress to understand the OVP's budget needs.

During an aerial inspection of areas affected by Tropical Storm Enteng, Marcos clarified that every government agency undergoes annual budget processes without any political involvement.

Vice President Sara Duterte claimed she was being unfairly targeted during recent House Committee on Appropriations hearings over her office’s proposed P2.037 billion 2025 budget, which turned into a contentious session with heated discussions focusing on confidential funds and security personnel numbers.

The latest committee deliberations lasted five hours due to the contentious issues raised, marking a significant departure from previous swift approvals granted out of courtesy for the Vice President.

No further communication has occurred between Marcos and Duterte since her resignation as education secretary and vice chairperson of the anti-communist task force on June 19.

Marcos denied Duterte's claims that lawmakers are politicizing the budget deliberations, emphasizing that these hearings are an established process unrelated to politics.