The Office of the Vice President (OVP) disclosed Thursday that it spent around ₱20.68 million on travel expenses as of July 2025, mostly covering security and close-in personnel, but clarified that no public funds were used for Vice President Sara Duterte’s foreign trips.
According to the agency’s breakdown released ahead of its budget hearing in the House, ₱13.2 million was used for domestic travel, while ₱7.4 million covered international trips of security and agency staff.
“All the travel overseas of the vice president is covered by a travel authority and did not include any public funds,” OVP Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio said.
Data showed Duterte has made 13 foreign trips in 2025, including four visits to The Hague, Netherlands, to see her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, who is detained at the International Criminal Court.
The OVP also said its travel budget for 2026 was reduced from ₱31.5 million to ₱20 million, citing standard budget protocols. It remains unclear if Duterte will personally attend the House budget deliberation on Friday.
