Senator Risa Hontiveros holds VP Sara’s ‘Isang Kaibigan’ ebook through the Kapihan sa Senado discussion board on Wednesday, in Pasay Metropolis. Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.web
Vice President Sara Duterte’s kids’s ebook was envisioned to encourage the youth to learn—to not additional her political ambitions, the Workplace of the Vice President (OVP) mentioned on Wednesday, fielding criticism about her purported use of public funds for self-promotion.
A day after Duterte was questioned a few P10-million allocation within the OVP’s 2025 funds request for the printing of the storybook titled “Isang Kaibigan (A Good friend),” OVP spokesperson Michael Poa denied that it was supposed to be a marketing campaign materials for the 2028 presidential elections.
“The ebook was made in 2023, and something that has to do with the elections is way from the Vice President’s thoughts,” Poa advised the Inquirer by cellphone.
In response to the OVP spokesperson, the workplace plans to print some 200,000 copies of the ebook for distribution nationwide.
“Let’s peg it at P50 [per book] and the funds shall be used for the printing. I’d like to emphasise that this may undergo bidding procedures beneath the procurement legislation,” Poa mentioned.
Which means that the OVP could have printing firms bid for the mission and through the course of, might even safe a cheaper price, he mentioned.
Throughout a Senate funds listening to on Wednesday, Duterte tussled with Sen. Risa Hontiveros relating to the allocation, as the previous refused to reply the latter’s questions and accused the senator of “politicizing” her workplace’s funds request.
Bundled gadgets
The ebook shall be bundled along with different gadgets in “loot luggage” for the “Pagbabago Marketing campaign, A Million Learners and Bushes” program. The baggage are to be distributed to 200,000 learners, Poa mentioned.
Every bag may even include a raincoat, faculty provides, together with pens, pencils, sharpeners and notebooks, and a dental hygiene equipment that features a toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste.“Pagbabago” is amongst Duterte’s initiatives within the OVP, which is requesting P100 million in funding for your complete program, together with the P10 million for the printing of Duterte’s ebook.
Poa famous that “Isang Kaibigan” was first launched at Esteban Abada Elementary Faculty in Quezon Metropolis in November 2023.
No authorities funds have been used for the publication of the ebook, he mentioned.
However Hontiveros stood agency that it was “improper” of Duterte to spend P10 million in public funds to publish her personal ebook.
“Clearly, the aim is to introduce herself to kids in hard-to-reach areas,” the senator mentioned a day after she and Duterte had a barbed change on the Senate.
“As for the P10-million (funds) merchandise for the ebook, I believe in precept (it’s an) improper request as a result of if it was certainly (Duterte) who wrote that ebook, authorities funds shouldn’t be used for its distribution,” she mentioned on the Kapihan sa Senado information discussion board.
Combative stance
Greater than that, Duterte’s demeanor through the Senate listening to was “actually very inappropriate,” Hontiveros mentioned.“I used to be startled bodily,” she mentioned of Duterte’s combative stance throughout her questioning. “My query [was] particularly reasonable.”
The Senate management defended Hontiveros, with Senate President Francis Escudero declaring that their colleague had raised “legitimate questions” concerning the OVP’s spending plan.
“I want to assume that the Senate was merely performing its position and can proceed to carry out its position by means of our particular person members,” he advised reporters.
Sen. Grace Poe, who presided over the OVP’s funds listening to as chair of the Senate finance committee, agreed that it was Hontiveros’ responsibility as a senator to dissect the deliberate bills of each authorities workplace.
In response to her, Hontiveros’ query was “effectively inside the strains of the listening to’s agenda.”
“No line merchandise within the funds paperwork must be above scrutiny and questioning,” Poe harassed.
Learn-along periods
Within the Inquirer interview, Poa mentioned Duterte supposed to have “read-along” periods with college students as soon as the books have been prepared for distribution.
The ebook, a gentle copy of which was obtained by the Inquirer, tells of an unlikely friendship between an owl and a parrot, who helps the previous rebuild his nest broken by a storm.
The writer’s web page exhibits a portrait of Duterte describing her present and former positions within the authorities. “She is a real pal,” the final line goes.
Duterte’s ebook instantly drew backlash on social media following her testy change with Hontiveros, with some caricaturing it and others accusing her of early campaigning for the 2028 polls.
However Poa, echoing his superior’s assertion, mentioned such discuss was untimely.
“The thrust of the ebook is to encourage studying to our youth and that’s the greater situation right here,” he mentioned.
The ebook can also be not on the market and shall be distributed without cost, in response to Poa.
“You can’t purchase this ebook. It isn’t on the market and the funds we’re searching for shall be for printing alone, let me make clear it,” he mentioned.