Senator Risa Hontiveros has urged the government to reallocate the P10 million budget intended for Vice President Sara Duterte’s children’s book, “Isang Kaibigan,” after receiving a copy of the publication. Hontiveros argued that it is inappropriate for a public official to use taxpayer funds to publish a book.
The issue sparked a heated exchange between Hontiveros and Vice President Duterte during the deliberation of the Office of the Vice President’s proposed 2025 budget. Hontiveros emphasized that public funds should not be used to distribute a book authored by a government official.
The OVP had requested the budget to distribute 200,000 copies of “Isang Kaibigan” to public school students, justifying it as part of the Vice President’s storytelling engagements. Hontiveros, however, viewed the move as a way for Duterte to introduce herself to children in rural areas.