VICE President Leni Robredo is asking Congress for a lean budget of P428.6 for 2017, smaller than the P500-million budget appropriation of then Vice President Jejomar Binay in 2015.
Robredo vowed to live frugally, cut cost in touring the country to meet with those on the fringes or the marginalized sector, to travel with a few staff to stay in cheap hotels in meeting up with government agencies and the private donors.
Georgina Hernandez, Robredo’s spokesperson, said the Office of the Vice President’s 2017 budget proposal is 14 percent smaller than that of Binay’s.
At least P22.5 million would be cut down from would-be travel expenses, she added.
“We think with this amount, it is prudent enough to follow austerity measures. [Despite this] it [budget] will still continue to allow the Office of the vice president and the vice president herself to actively pursue her advocacies and really personally visit the communities,” she told a radio interview.
“The Vice President is very particular in making sure that we have a very lean team that goes to the communities on a weekly basis.”
The OVP’s P428.6 budget, if approved, shall also be spent for summits and workshops of different stakeholders, Hernandez said, adding such would fall under the “representation allowance” included in the Vice President’s proposed total operating expenses of P357 million.
“I think, such would be the bulk of our expenses for next year,” Hernandez told the radio interview.
“As you know, the Office of the Vice President is not an implementing agency. Still, we are taking an active role in pushing for the implementation of programs that will support the advocacies of the Vice President.”
According to Hernandez, Robredo was able to save P13.2 million in rental fees for staying at the Boracay Mansion, now known as the Quezon City Reception House, in Barangay New Manila, and not at the Coconut Palace, where Binay used to hold office.
She said the Vice President also reduced the power and communications consumption of the OVP by P16 million.