Vice President Sara Duterte has recently come under fire for alleged plagiarism concerning her newly released children’s book, “Isang Kaibigan.” Critics have drawn attention to similarities between Duterte’s book and “Owly: Just a Little Blue,” a popular children’s book authored by Andy Runton and published on March 1, 2005.
In response to the allegations, VP Duterte issued a strong statement dismissing the accusations. She argued that the real issue facing the country is not the content of her book but the declining reading proficiency among the youth.
‘HINDI LIBRO ANG PROBLEMA NG BAYAN KUNDI ANG KAHINAAN SA PAGBABASA NG ATING KABATAAN’,” Duterte stated, shifting the focus from the plagiarism controversy to the broader issue of literacy.
The controversy surrounding Duterte’s book escalated after a heated exchange between her and Senator Risa Hontiveros during a recent Senate budget hearing. Hontiveros questioned Duterte about the purpose and necessity of the children’s book, which has been allocated a budget of 10 million pesos. Duterte, however, accused Hontiveros of politicizing the issue and claimed that the senator had previously sought her assistance during the last election campaign.
Amid the ongoing debate, news surfaced yesterday that “Isang Kaibigan” allegedly mirrors the content of Runton’s “Owly: Just a Little Blue.” Critics were quick to point out that the storyline and illustrations in Duterte’s book bore striking resemblances to Runton’s work.
VP Duterte, however, did not back down. In her statement, she dismissed the plagiarism claims and hinted at future projects. “Writing a book is easy, so stay tuned for my part 2, which will be about ‘the betrayal of a friend,'” “pagtataksil ng isang kaibigan” Duterte remarked, indicating that she plans to continue her foray into children’s literature despite the controversy.
The plagiarism allegations have sparked a broader discussion on intellectual property rights and ethics in public office. As of now, neither Andy Runton nor his representatives have stated the alleged similarities between his work and Duterte’s book. The issue continues to unfold as both supporters and critics of Duterte weigh in on social media and other platforms.