Current Education Secretary Sonny Angara revealed that there is no official record of payment to the illustrators of “Isang Kaibigan,” a children’s book authored by Vice President Sara Duterte. Speaking at a House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriations hearing, Angara stated, “There is no payment made to them for whatever they did. So it’s either they made it gratis or for free or they were paid on the side.”
The illustrators listed on the cover of “Isang Kaibigan” are Janina Simbillo and Joseph Kaligner, who, according to Angara, are employed by the Department of Education (DepEd). Representative Ramon Gutierrez further noted that these illustrators are part of the Creative Media Unit of DepEd’s Public Affairs Service.
Questions about the DepEd’s role in the publication and distribution of the book arose during the hearing, particularly regarding Vice President Duterte’s proposal to allocate P10 million for its funding in her office’s 2025 budget. Education Undersecretary Gina Gonong clarified, “We’re not responsible in the production of this [Isang Kaibigan] book. Wala pong role ang Department of Education sa development, reproduction, or printing of ‘Isang Kaibigan’ storybook.”
Despite the book being used in events like the Araw ng Pagbasa, Gonong stressed that DepEd’s involvement was minimal and limited to event preparation, not the printing or distribution of the book. Gonong stated, “Yes. There was some preparation regarding the event, Your Honor, but the distribution of textbooks wasn’t done by the Department of Education. The printing and distribution wasn’t done by DepEd.”
Vice President Duterte served as DepEd secretary from July 2022 until her resignation in July 2024. She was succeeded by Angara.