Remember duty to country, Sara tells OVP staff

VICE President Sara Duterte has urged staff of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) to always remember their duty to serve the country and take initiatives that would challenge the status quo for the benefit of the people.

“Let us embrace change while remaining steadfast in our commitment to upholding our strategic interests and priorities,” she told participants at the 2023 OVP Planning Conference and Team Building activity held at the Philippine Judicial Academy building in Tagaytay City on Thursday.

The planning conference, Duterte said, is an opportune moment to reflect on the past seven months of her term and evaluate the OVP’s current state and its role in shaping the country’s future.

“Indeed, we will be facing unprecedented challenges, but we must be prepared for them. Our organization must keep pace with the evolving times,” she added.

Duterte called on her staff to continue to innovate, adapt and remain relevant, while also having a “noble” and “selfless” purpose.

She commended a plan to strengthen the OVP’s satellite offices’ operations for the people in various parts of the country to have immediate access to the services of the office.

Duterte said that before, most of the programs and projects of the President and the Vice President were mostly centered on the National Capital Region (NCR or Metro Manila).

“’Yung satellite offices natin ngayon that roll out our projects ay nararamdaman na ng mga tao. Nakakabenepisyo sila at ‘yon ang goal natin sa Office of the Vice President, na makatulong sa ating mga kababayan (Our satellite offices that roll out our projects are now being felt by the people. It has already given its benefits and that is the goal of the OVP, to help our countrymen),” Duterte added.

Currently, the OVP has seven satellite offices that provide medical and burial assistance: Bacolod, Surigao del Sur, Cebu, Davao, Tacloban, Dagupan and Zamboanga.

Duterte congratulated the OVP staff for the creation of a roadmap that would guide the office in serving Filipinos.

“Together, we will fly, soar, fight and win. And of course, ang lahat ng trabaho natin ay para sa Diyos, sa bayan at sa pamilyang Pilipino. I think after six years at kapag nagawa natin ito ng maayos, ay magiging masaya ang ating mga kababayan sa Office of the Vice President (All of our work is for God, country and the Filipino family. I think after we do our jobs well after six years, our countrymen will be happy with the performance of the Office of the Vice President),” she said.