BY RAYMOND AFRICA and WENDELL VIGILIA
SENATE deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros yesterday said the P10 million allocation requested by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for the printing and distribution of Vice President Sara Duterte’s “Isang Kaibigan” book is “improper.”
OVP spokesman Michael Poa told TeleRadyo in an interview defended the budget request, saying that the book distribution is intended to help improve the reading comprehension of Filipino students.
“The very purpose of the book is reading and to be honest, pagdating sa larangan ng budget (when it comes to the issue of budget), I think there’s a bigger discourse than just the book. Maganda naman ang hangarin ng libro (The intention for printing the book is good),” Poa said.
The book distribution is part of the Million Learners and Tree program of the OVP, which has a P100 million budget request in the 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
Hontiveros said government funds should not be used to further the Vice President’s personal interest.
“As for the P10 million item para sa libro, well, I think in principle, (it is an) improper request. Dahil kung meron kang sinulat na libro, ikaw ang sumulat niyan, hindi dapat gamitan ng government funds para ipamudmod (The P10 million item for the book, well, I think, in principle, it is an improper request. Because you should not spend government funds for the distribution of a book which you authored),” she said at the Kapihan sa Senado media forum.
Hontiveros said that the book, which she said costs P50 per copy to print, was written so Duterte can “introduce” herself to the learners, especially those in remote areas.
She said the budget for printing and distribution of the book can be used instead to procure more textbooks for basic education learners.
“Bakit inuna ang isang personally authored, kung siya ang sumulat niyan, personally authored na libro? P10 million. Maliit kung sa textbooks kabuoang budget ng DepEd, pero hindi siya barya at P10 million galing sa buwis ng mamamayan. So, pera pa rin na hawak ng gobyerno na dapat tanungin ng Kongreso (Why did she prioritize a personally authored book? P10 million may be a small amount compared to the overall budget of DepEd for textbooks, but it is not loose change and that P10 million is taxpayers’ money. These are government funds that should be scrutinized by Congress),” she said.
Rep. France Castro (PL, ACT), a member of the militant Makabayan bloc, said the book is being used as a “propaganda” material, which the government should not fund under the annual national budget.
“Itong libro na ito, hindi dapat payagan ito kasi siya na ‘yang namumulitika. Hindi pwedeng pondohan ng gobyerno ang isang libro na siya ang author at ipamimigay sa tao. Pag ginawa ito, ayan, kahit sinong government official pwedeng gawin ‘yan (This book should not be allowed because that’s politicking. The government cannot fund a book she authored and distribute to the people. Once we do that, any government official can do that, too),” Castro said.
Castro also questioned why the book has a large photo of the Vice President on its last page, saying books usually only have small photos of authors on the back cover.
“Parang epal ‘yan. ‘Yang book na ‘yan epal ‘yan. Gagamitin ang pondo ng mamamayan para sa kanyang sariling propaganda (It looks like it’s meant to grab attention. It will use the people’s fund for their own selfish propaganda),” she said.
Poa said the Vice President wants copies of the book to be given to students with school bags, school supplies and dental kits next year.
Duterte on Tuesday engaged in a verbal tussle with Hontiveros after the Vice President accused the senator of allegedly “politicizing” the Senate’s deliberations on the OVP’s proposed P2.037 billion budget for next year.
‘VERY INAPPOPRIATE’
Hontiveros said the Vice President’s actions during last Tuesday’s budget briefing was “very inappropriate,” notiong that she got irked with her questioning, which she said is part of her duties as a senator reviewing how government officials plan to spend public funds.
She reiterated there was noting political with her line of questioning and with her proposal to realign funding for the socio-economic programs of the OVP.
She said it was not the first time that she recommended the realignment of agency funds to other offices, especially those intended for programs that can be considered duplication of undertaking already being done by other agencies.
Castro scoffed at the way the Vice President responded to Hontiveros, whose job as a legislator includes scrutinizing the annual proposed national budget of agencies and departments.
“Parang style niya ‘yun dahil nasusukol siya doon sa hindi magandang gawi. Parang nagbubuga siya, parang pusit (That seems to be her style. When she’s cornered, she spews out like a squid),” she said.
Poa however said what promoted the Vice President’s reaction was Hontiveros’ vow that she will raise a motion to realign the budget of the OVP’s flagship programs to key government agencies.
“’Yun ‘yung trigger kaya nag react ang ating VP. Napopolitika ang budget dahil nga if you lodge the budget of the OVP’s flagship programs sa ibang ahensya, parang tinanggalan mo na ng function ‘yung ating OVP (That’s what triggered that reaction from our VP. The budget is being politicized because if you lodge the budget of the OVP’s flagship programs to other agencies, it’s like depriving the OVP of its functions),” he said.
Hontiveros had quizzed Duterte about her office’s proposed P1.909 billion budget for its socio-economic programs, which she said were a duplication of programs of other line agencies.
Since the OVP’s socio-economic programs are duplication of programs of other line agencies, Hontiveros said it is fitting that Duterte’s office refer those who ask help to the proper agencies which offer the same assistance such as medical, educational and other needs.
Poa said the OVP’s flagship programs are not meant to duplicate but augment the government’s other programs, adding that even the previous vice presidents offered financial assistance.
Senate President Francis Escudero defended Hontiveros, saying she has the right to ask questions on the OVP’s proposed budget since it involves taxpayers’ money.
“I think Sen Risa had valid questions which I would advise heads of agencies to be patient with an answer because these are connected with the functions of Congress,” Escudero said in an interview.
“I would like to think that the Senate was merely performing its role (last Tuesday) and will continue to perform its role through our individual members,” he said.
He said that every head of agency, including Duterte, should understand that senators will really scrutinize the proposed budgets of the different agencies and it is only prudent to be cordial in answering queries.
“Anumang tanong ay dapat na masagot basta’t hindi ito lumalabag sa anumang karapatan na ginagarantiya ng Saligang Batas sa bisita, resource person at testigo
(Any question should be answered as long as it does not violate the rights of a visitor, resource person, or witness as guaranteed in our Constitution),” he added.
Escudero assured the public that whatever heated exchange Hontiveros and Duterte had last Tuesday will not be a factor in deciding the final budget of the OVP.
DSWD PROBE
At the House, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian vowed to look into the Vice President’s claim that the distribution of government financial assistance is being politicized, saying he will find out if any social welfare officer has committed a violation.
“First things first, I will get in touch with her (Duterte’s) office para makuha lahat ng detalye para maimbestigahan natin nang mabuti (so we can get all the details and investigate this thoroughly,” he said in an interview at the sidelines of the budget hearing on the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) P229.3 billion proposed budget for 2025.
The Vice President, who has broken away from her alliance with President Marcos Jr., has said OVP referrals to other agencies are sometimes rejected, which, she said, proves that “the assistance for our countrymen is being politicized.”
Gatchalian vowed to extend assistance to anyone needing it, regardless if the person has been referred to the DSWD or not. He said the department has a clear policy to help all those who seek the DSWD’s assistance.
