Sara explains silence over OVP hearing

Vice President Sara Duterte refuted claims from some lawmakers that she is a "bratinella" or spoiled brat during the deliberations on the proposed 2025 budget for the Office of the Vice President (OVP).

In a recorded interview on 4 September, released by the Office of the Vice President on Monday, Duterte explained her decision not to answer questions during the House of Representatives budget hearing for her office's 2025 funds. She expressed a desire for people to understand her background and reasons for her actions.

"I am used to answering questions about various matters. That's why I give interviews, even if they are not arranged interviews, such as media ambush interviews where they get the questions of the people," she said in Filipino.

"I am accustomed to that, and the public knows that I am not a 'bratinella' or spoiled brat because they have known me since my time in Davao, from when I was a mayor until I became Vice President. The public knows that I do not abuse my power or authority in any of the offices I have held. The entire nation can testify that I am not a spoiled brat," the Vice President added.

Duterte also said that she grew up having friends who do not belong to a powerful political family or rich families.

“They are just ordinary people, and that’s the environment I grew up in. A typical environment of an ordinary citizen of our country," she said.

Duterte said that some members of the House of Representatives aren’t used to not getting what they want and what they want to hear.

"Some of our representatives are not used to being answered back when they make their remarks. So I think this is also their way of attacking me, saying, ‘Oh, she’s a bratinella,’ even though I do respond. It’s just not in the way they want," she added.

As regards the budget hearing, the Vice President said that she acknowledged that Congress has the power to scrutinize the proposed budget of all government agencies, including the OVP.

"Of course. It’s stated in our Constitution that Congress holds the ‘power of the purse.’ That’s why we have budget hearings and the passage of the budget from the House of Representatives and the Senate — from our Congress. We acknowledge that, which is why we attended the Senate hearing," Duterte said.

"We went to the House of Representatives hearing because we presented the budget. What I did was to say that we would forgo the question-and-answer portion of the budget hearing," she added.

She also underscored the importance of having the public know of the OVP's budget proposal and where the said funds will be used.

"It is very important to me that the public understands the Office of the Vice President's budget proposal. That’s why, before we went to the Senate and the House, we published our budget proposal on our Office of the Vice President website and our social media platforms. We made it easy for the public to understand where the Office of the Vice President's budget proposal is going," Duterte said.