THE Office of the Vice President yesterday said the huge decrease in the number of cash subsidies and assistance that it granted to underprivileged sectors last year was brought about by a lower budget for that purpose under the General Appropriations Act (GAA).
In a short press statement, the OVP said the decrease in the amount of financial assistance and subsidies from Fiscal Year 2021 to Fiscal Year 2022 “was due to a lower amount of budget/appropriation under the 2022 General Appropriations Act, in view of the anticipated election ban and transition in 2022.”
The amount shrunk by P147.56 million from P506.51 million in 2021 to P358.95 million in 2022.
This was shown in the breakdown of the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses of the OVP for the past year under the Notes to Financial Statements section of the 2022 audit report.
The OVP also defended its use of confidential funds, saying it has been “utilized appropriately for its intended purpose and in accordance with the guidelines set by the national government.”
The office reported spending P125 million as “confidential expenses” in 2022 for the first time.
There was no similar item in the previous years’ breakdown of the MOOE from 2016 to 2021.
