A budget hearing in the Philippine Senate on August 20, 2024, turned tense as Vice President Sara Duterte faced questions from Senator Risa Hontiveros regarding a P10 million budget request from the Office of the Vice President (OVP). The budget is intended to fund the printing and distribution of a children’s book titled “Isang Kaibigan”, authored by Duterte herself, as part of the OVP’s campaign to provide one million school bags to impoverished students.
The exchange began when Hontiveros, an opposition senator, inquired about the book’s contents and its intended impact on the beneficiaries. She questioned the necessity of allocating such a significant amount of public funds for the project. Hontiveros expressed concern over potential overlaps in government services, suggesting that the budget could be better utilized by other agencies with similar mandates.
In response, Duterte defended the project, emphasizing that the book aims to instill values and lessons that she believes are essential for the youth. The Vice President accused Hontiveros of politicizing the budget hearing, arguing that the senator’s scrutiny was not about the book’s merits but rather a targeted attack against her and her office.
The tension escalated when Duterte reminded Hontiveros of her electoral support from Davao City, a key stronghold of the Duterte family. She insinuated that Hontiveros was being ungrateful and politically motivated in her line of questioning. “Davao City and the Dutertes helped you get elected,” Duterte asserted, implying that the senator should be more supportive or, at the very least, less critical.
Hontiveros, known for her sharp retorts, countered by clarifying that the hearing was about public funds and their proper allocation, not personal or political loyalties. She remarked, “This is public funds and we are making inquiries. Budget hearing po ito. Hindi po lahat tungkol sa inyo. Pera po ito ng taong-bayan,” stressing that the Senate’s role is to ensure that taxpayer money is spent wisely.
Sara Duterte requests P10 million budget to print and distribute a self-authored book for children
— Ivan 🇵🇭🇻🇦 (@IvanAtHome) August 20, 2024
A heated exchange broke out in the Philippine Senate after opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros (Akbayan) asked Vice President Sara Duterte what is the contents of the book for which… pic.twitter.com/NZ4Ig989zH
The heated exchange highlighted the deepening divide between the administration and opposition figures in the Senate, with the budget hearing serving as a battleground for broader political disagreements. As the debate concluded, it remained unclear whether the OVP’s budget request would be approved, leaving the fate of “Isang Kaibigan” in limbo.