Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday called on those donating to show support for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) to instead allocate resources to those affected by Tropical Storm Enteng.
In a statement, Duterte said that while her office appreciates the support from certain individuals, it would be better if they would prioritize their families’ needs first or just donate to communities suffering from the effects of the tropical cyclone.
“Subalit sa pinsalang dala ng bagyong ‘Enteng’, hinihikayat namin na kung may nais kayong i-donate, nawa’y ito’y ibigay na lamang sa mga kapwa nating kababayan na kasalukuyang lubos na naapektuhan ng pag-ulan at pagbaha. Malaking bagay ang anumang tulong upang maibsan ang kanilang pinagdadaanan at makabangon muli,” she said.
(Due to the onslaught of Enteng, we encourage those who want to donate something to just give it to our countrymen who were greatly affected by the rains and floods. Any help to alleviate what they are going through and to help them get back on their feet would be greatly appreciated.)
“Kasabay pa nito, sa kabila ng pagtaas ng presyo ng mga pagkain at iba pang pangunahing bilihin, nais rin naming ipabatid na higit na mahalaga ang unahin ninyo ang inyong mga sariling pangangailangan at ang kapakanan ng inyong pamilya,” she added.
(At the same time, amid the rising price of food and other commodities, it is more important that you prioritize your own needs and the well-being of your family.)
The OVP’s proposed P2.037-billion budget for next year is currently under scrutiny by Congress.
At the Senate, Senator Risa Hontiveros had pointed out that a huge chunk of the OVP’s P1.909-billion budget for its operations is allotted for the delivery of socio-economic programs such as medical and burial assistance, disaster operations, food bags for certain families, and livelihood assistance.
The lawmaker and Duterte had a heated exchange after the former said these programs are “very similar” with the existing programs of other line agencies of the government.
Meanwhile, at the House of Representatives, the Committee on Appropriations deferred the deliberations of the OVP’s 2025 budget amid Duterte’s refusal to answer how her office uses its budget. —KBK, GMA Integrated News
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