The Office of the Vice President (OVP) announced on Wednesday that there is no approved budget for the Medical and Burial Assistance Program of the OVP under the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
“We apologize for the inconvenience,” the statement said.
It can be recalled that the proposed budget of the OVP was cut by P1.29 billion, from P2.037 billion to P733 million.
In December last year, members of the bicameral conference committee for the 2025 national funding agreed not to increase the OVP’s budget and give the office the amount of just P733 million.
Senate finance panel chair Sen. Grace Poe stated that the P733-million OVP budget was retained despite several senators’ requests to increase it.
The OVP provides medical assistance for poor, marginalized, vulnerable, and disadvantaged individuals through the issuance of Guarantee Letters and only through Partner Service Providers with Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).
The OVP reported its accomplishment per region through the Office’s Medical and Burial Assistance Program from January to December 2024 with an allocation of P822,326,188.02 for medical and burial assistance and catered to a total of 187,028 beneficiaries.
Breaking it down: P297,925,381.04 was allocated for Luzon and catered to a total of 66,719 beneficiaries; P285,160,241.81 for Visayas catered to a total of 76,189 beneficiaries; and P239,240,565.17 for Mindanao that benefited a total of 44,120 beneficiaries.
The OVP vowed, through its central office, 10 satellite offices, and extension office, to make the appropriate service easier and more accessible for the Filipinos.
