VP Sara, Senator Risa, TikToks and a Meme: A Short 'Barda' History

(SPOT.ph) Vice President Sara Duterte and Senator Risa Hontiveros are in a viral "barda" about the Office of the Vice President's proposed P500 million confidential funds that reached meme territory, with the senator channeling her inner Bobbie using the iconic "Bakit parang kasalanan ko?" line.

Hontiveros' post has reached more than 132,000 likes on X (formerly Twitter) as she answered Duterte's statement like a meme lord, prompting X users to brand it as "barda." So how did it come to this point, anyway?

Also read: Last Man Standing is a Woman: How Risa Hontiveros Won, What's Next

Risa Hontiveros, Sara Duterte, and the OVP budget hearing

It started when the Vice President faced the September 4 Senate finance subcommittee hearing for the OVP's proposed P2.36-billion funds for 2024, which includes the controversial multi-million confidential funds that's almost P70 million bigger versus the combined P438.2-million confidential and intelligence funds allocated for both the Department of National Defense (DND) and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA).

During interpellation, Hontiveros raised that confidential funds are usually reserved for agencies' surveillance activities, with Duterte saying the OVP is "not insisting" on having the confidential funds.

"As important as free bus rides and tree buildings are, these are not projects involving national security for which confidential funds should be used. Hindi iyan pwedeng maging justification para sa napakalaking confidential funds. Puwede namang pondohan ang mga proyekto na 'yan gamit ang regular funds ng ahensya," said Senate Deputy Minority Leader Hontiveros.

"We can only propose but we are not insisting. We can live without confidential funds but of course our work will be much easier if we have the flexibility of confidential funds in monitoring the safe, secure, and successful implementations of the programs, projects, and activities of the Office of the Vice President," Duterte said. 

"Masaya ako na mismong si Vice President Duterte na ang nagsabi na kaya nilang mabuhay ng walang malaking confidential funds sa 2024. There is no good reason why the Office of the Vice President should have confidential fund allocations that are larger than the combined confidential budgets of our top security agencies," Hontiveros said in a statement.

Ultimately, the Senate panel approved the OVP's proposed 2024 budget. 

"Trabaho lang, walang drama"

In a statement released on Twitter this September 11, Duterte said: "Senator Risa Hontiveros, while she amuses the nation with her flair for drama, could only wish the 2022 OVP CF was accessed illegally."

"It’s a shame they still cannot produce any proof to support their dirty imagination. The indignity they have caused Congress and the Senate should be enough for us not to give them serious attention."

Hontiveros answered through TikTok, with one video reaching close to one million views.

"Trabaho lang, walang drama. Akala ko ba VP Sara, 'the OVP can live without confidential funds.' Bakit parang pinapawisan na yata kayo d'yan?" the senator said as she stressed that all agencies go through budget hearings.

"Hindi kayo special. Napakababa na yata ng standards ng OVP. Gagawin mo lang ang trabaho mo, amusing na agad. Kung meron mang amusing, 'yan ang halos kalahating oras na turo-turo, pag-iwas sa tanong, at paikot-ikot na sagot, pagbabaluktot ng sitwasyon. Ginawa nilang perya ang basic na proseso ng pagbusisi ng pera ng bayan," she said.

On Twitter, Hontiveros answered Duterte's two-page statement with a meme:

Watch the full TikTok video here:

@senrisahontiveros FULL STATEMENT with dramatic flair #senrisa #senatorrisa #risahontiveros #news #philippines #confidentialfunds #confidentialfundsnisaraduterte #vpsara #vpsaraduterte #senate #news #philippines original sound - Risa Hontiveros