Vice President Sara Duterte was ready. She was prepared to face lawmakers on Friday and defend the P889-million budget her office is asking for in 2026. But just hours before the scheduled deliberations, the House committee made an unexpected move—postponing the hearing.
The Office of the Vice President (OVP) explained the twist. They said it was not Duterte who backed out, but the House of Representatives that declined to proceed. The reason? Tradition. The committee insisted that an Undersecretary—not just an Assistant Secretary—should appear on behalf of the office.
But Duterte had already stepped in. She had told Palawan Representative Jose Alvarez, the budget sponsor, that her Undersecretary and chief of staff, Zuleyka Lopez, was ill. To ensure the budget hearing continued, Duterte herself volunteered to attend.
The OVP even released screenshots of Duterte’s text messages to Alvarez, showing her clear willingness to go. At 10:07 a.m. on September 12, the House sponsor was informed that the Vice President would personally attend. Still, the committee decided otherwise. The hearing was officially deferred, and Duterte, along with her delegation, was instructed not to proceed to the House of Representatives.
The session was supposed to start at 1:30 p.m. Instead, it was left hanging. Alvarez later said Duterte promised she would be present at the next hearing, now set for September 16.
In the meantime, the OVP will brief senators on its proposed 2026 budget on September 15—a day before its next face-off with the House.
What was meant to be a straightforward discussion turned into another chapter in the growing tension between the Vice President and Congress. All eyes are now on the next hearing—will it finally push through, or will history repeat itself?
