Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday led the 90th anniversary celebration of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), paying tribute to past vice presidents and underscoring the institution’s duty to rise to national crises “with strength, resolve, and compassion.”
Speaking before former presidents, former vice presidents, lawmakers, local officials, and descendants of past OVP leaders in Makati City, Duterte honored generations of officials whose service “built the institution we serve today.”
“The institution we serve today was built by your sacrifice, your wisdom, and your personal dedication to the Filipino people,” Duterte said.
She also thanked former vice presidents whose stories were compiled in the OVP’s new 90th Anniversary Coffee Table Book and nationwide pop-up exhibits. “These exhibits… are our way of ensuring that every Filipino appreciates the depth of each Vice President’s legacy,” she added.
Duterte opened her remarks by extending sympathies to communities hit by recent disasters.
“Our commitment to providing immediate assistance is evident in the relentless work of our disaster response teams,” she said, stressing that “in these moments of profound crisis, the government must be strongest.”
She also thanked OVP personnel for continuing public service despite limitations.
“To the dedicated men and women of the Office of the Vice President… maraming salamat po sa inyong tapat na serbisyo,” she said. (Thank you very much for your honest service.)
“Despite budget constraints, despite gargantuan challenges, your resilience endures,” Duterte added.
Makati Mayor and former senator Nancy Binay welcomed guests and recalled her family’s long association with the vice presidency.
Binay noted that her father, former Vice President Jejomar Binay, served as Makati mayor before assuming the vice presidency—an institutional link she described as personal.
She recounted witnessing the OVP’s work up close as part of her father’s team.
“Ang pagsama sa aking ama at sa mga staff ng OVP… ang nagmulat sa akin sa tunay na pagsisilbi sa bayan,” she said. (Joining my father and the OVP staff opened my eyes to genuine public service.)
Binay said her experiences in the OVP shaped her public service career.
“Kaya po pinagmamalaki kong matawag na alalay ng VP noon. I was inspired to make an even bigger contribution to the development of our country and people,” she noted.
(That is why I proudly call myself a former aide to the Vice President.)
“At matapos ang labing dalawang taon ng paglilingkod ay nabigyan naman tayo ng pagkakataong paglingkuran ang bayan ng Makati bilang mayora nito. Ngayon po ay humaharap ako sa inyo upang patutuhanan ang kahalagahan ng pagiging bahagi ng Office of the Vice President,” she added.
(And after twelve years of service, I was given the opportunity to serve the city of Makati as its mayor. Today, I stand before you to affirm the importance of being part of the Office of the Vice President.)
Senator Jinggoy Estrada delivered the anniversary message of his father, former president and 9th vice president Joseph Estrada.
Upon acknowledging the guests, Estrada told Mayor Nancy Binay “Buti wala ka na sa Senado,” in jest.
(Good thing you are no longer in the Senate.)
“As we mark this momentous occasion, I pay tribute to all my fellow Vice Presidents… who have contributed to our nation’s progress,” Estrada said on behalf of his father.
Meanwhile, in a video message, former vice president Jejomar Binay congratulated the institution and acknowledged the often quiet nature of its work.
“Madalas hindi napapansin ang mga ginagawa natin sa ating tanggapan,” he said. (Often, the work we do in our office goes unnoticed.)
Binay expressed gratitude to former OVP staff and said he was proud to have played a role in modernizing the office, including its move to the Coconut Palace.
“I am glad to have paved the way for the OVP transition,” he said.
He encouraged future vice presidents to continue serving “with purpose and passion.”
Former president and 10th vice president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo also delivered brief remarks, noting the significance of past leaders gathering for the anniversary. —LDF, GMA Integrated News
