By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD CITY – The future of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) satellite offices nationwide faces uncertainty next year.
Vice President Sara Duterte, in a press conference at the Negros-Panay satellite office on Monday, said the offices are funded only until the end of this year.
She noted that she could not confirm if there would be a budget for these offices next year, following a proposed cut in the 2025 OVP budget.
Duterte said the OVP currently operates 10 satellite offices across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
These offices primarily provide medical assistance to those seeking help, she said.
In the Negros-Panay satellite office alone, at least 45,000 people have received medical assistance, Duterte added.
She expressed concern that the ability to extend assistance might be impacted if funding runs out.
Duterte said it would be disheartening if the offices had to close due to budget constraints.
She also raised concerns about the staff employed in these offices potentially losing their jobs.
“I feel for them because they are just doing their jobs,” she said.
Duterte visited Bacolod to support a medical mission by Davao-based doctors for patients with cleft lip and palate at the Bacolod Adventist Medical Center on Monday morning.
She shared that she has a personal connection to one of the patients she met during her 2022 campaign.
Duterte also distributed financial assistance to small-scale businesses to help with additional capital.
She said she extended aid to families affected by the recent Kanlaon Volcano eruption.
