OVP discontinues medical and burial assistance due to budget shortage

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) announced on Wednesday that it has no budget for its Medical and Burial Assistance Program this year, meaning the agency is expected to discontinue the initiative.

“There is no approved budget for the Medical and Burial Assistance Program of the Office of the Vice President under the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA),” the OVP said in a notice to the public.

The agency apologized "for the inconvenience."

According to the OVP, it provided more than P822 million worth of financial assistance to 187,028 beneficiaries from January to December 2024.

“Since there’s no line item under the 2025 General Appropriations Act for Financial Assistance/Subsidy, the Office of the Vice President has no funds to implement the medical and burial assistance program,” the OVP added.

The OVP had proposed a P2 billion budget under this year’s GAA, but was only granted a P733.1 million allocation.

The House of Representatives reduced this year’s OVP budget after Vice President Sara Duterte declined to explain how her office used its budget, including confidential funds.

Apart from medical and burial assistance, the OVP also provides free bus rides and financial aid.