The Office of the Vice President (OVP) denied allegations that Vice President Sara Duterte went to the beach while the House of Representatives was conducting plenary deliberations on her department's budget.
"The public is cautioned about the attempts of some media outlets to once again besmirch the reputation of the Vice President by publishing stories that she is on the beach while the House of Representatives is conducting the plenary deliberations on the budget," the OVP said in a statement.
"The Vice President was on the road today talking to the people about the current events in our country. She made stops in Vinzons and Daet, Camarines Norte and Legazpi, Albay. It is quite easy to confirm her activities through social media posts of the residents in these areas," it added.
The OVP condemned fake news and media releases for "clickbait" and "profit."
A Facebook post circulated on social media on Monday, claiming the Vice President was allegedly at Calaguas Island Resort in Vinzons, Camarines Norte.
Photos showed Duterte with barangay officials from Barangays Bonocboc and Mangkawayan in the said area.
Duterte has been at the center of controversy surrounding her absence from a key budget hearing in the House of Representatives.
On September 23, she did not attend the plenary debate concerning the proposed 2025 budget for the Office of the Vice President (OVP). This absence raised concerns, as it is customary for heads of government offices to be present during budget deliberations.
House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan pointed out that there was no formal explanation for her non-attendance, though a representative from the OVP was present.
Due to this, the debate on the OVP’s budget, which was initially scheduled to be discussed first, was deferred to September 25.
The Vice President had previously expressed that she left the budget deliberation entirely to the discretion of the House, citing that all necessary documents were already submitted.
