Hontiveros, Duterte get into dispute over children's book distribution worth P10 million
Vice Pres. Sara Duterte and Sen. Risa Hontiveros got into a heated exchange in the middle of their discussion of the proposed budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP).
During a Senate finance subcommittee hearing on the OVP’s proposed P2.037-billion budget for 2025, Hontiveros questioned some of the programs under Duterte's office as they appeared to be similar to those that are already being done by other government agencies, such as medical, burial, and livelihood assistance, disaster operations, and more.
Duterte then explained that these programs were what the public requested from her after she had taken office, saying, "Hindi kami pwedeng humindi sa mga tao na humihingi ng tulong lalong lalo na at ka-parte ng gobyerno ang Office of the Vice President."
After Hontiveros asked if her office could simply lodge the budget of some of its programs to other line agencies and request the allocation from them, she then turned the discussion towards the OVP's "Pagbabago" campaign for 2025 that seeks to distribute bags with school supplies to one million students.
The project has a proposed P100 million allocation, and P10 million of it will focus on the distribution of a children's book authored by Duterte herself titled "Isang Kaibigan."
Trading barbs
When asked for more details about the book, Duterte refused to answer the lawmaker and instead claimed that Hontiveros is "politicizing the budget of the government." She further quoted an old statement by Hontiveros' wherein she took a jab at Duterte.
"While Vice President Sara is in power, the threat of a full-blown Duterte comeback is still a very real and present danger. For one, they are supported by one major superpower: China," the country’s second top official echoed.
In response, Hontiveros contended that what Duterte said had nothing to do with her question, stressing that political speeches are separate from budget debates, before asking once more how many of Isang Kaibigan books will be distributed and its contents.
"The book is not for sale, we only pay for the publication of the book. We will send Sen. Hontiveros a copy so that she’ll know the contents of the book," Duterte answered.
But Hontiveros persisted that her question was also for the knowledge of other members of the budget hearing.
"Simpleng tanong, tell us more about the book Isang Kaibigan at ilang kopya nito ang bibilhin ng gobyerno sa halagang P10 milyong piso at idi-distribute kasama ng mga bags sa one million learners sa remote communities," she said.
Duterte, however, once again accused the senator of politicizing.
"Ang problema niya kasi nakalagay ‘yung pangalan ko doon sa libro, at ‘yung libro na ‘yan ibibigay namin doon sa mga bata, at ‘yung mga bata na ‘yan may mga magulang na boboto, at ‘yung pangalan ko ay nagkalat doon sa kung saan man ibibigay ‘yung libro," she said.
The last page of the book contains an author bio that reads, "Si Inday Sara ang ika-labinlimang Pangalawang Pangulo ng Pilipinas at Kalihim ng Kagawaran ng Edukasyon. Siya rin ay naging Alkalde ng Lungsod ng Davao. Siya ay isang tunay na kaibigan."
Duterte, who resigned as the education secretary in July, promised that she would send everyone a copy of the book by Aug. 21.
But the heated exchange didn't end there as Hontiveros called Duterte out for the attitude she was displaying during the hearing.
"Madam Chair hindi ko maintindihan ‘yung ugali ng ating resource person. It is a simple question. Paulit-ulit na this is politicizing. Ang VP ang nagbanggit ng salitang boboto. Wala akong sinabing boboto. I’m simply asking. Hindi ko ma-imagine we're making so much trouble, so much fuss about a P10 million item," Hontiveros said.
Duterte countered this by recounting that Hontiveros had asked her for help in winning her senatorial bid back in 2016, but before things could go on, Sen. Grace Poe interjected and requested that the discussion should stay within the topic of the OVP’s proposed budget.
After Poe similarly asked Duterte about what the book is about, the former Davao City mayor finally said that, from the title itself, her book is about friendship. Hontiveros chided that Duterte should have simply answered that right away.
Under the OVP's proposed budget for next year, P1.269 billion or 62% of its total budget was allocated for socio-economic programs of the OVP. The highest was allotted for medical assistance at P600 million, followed by burial assistance at P171, disaster operation at P101 million, giving of food bags at P50 million, and educational assistance at P26 million, among others.
