VP Sara: Self-authored children's book is not a political tool

Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday denied that her self-authored children’s book titled “Isang Kaibigan” (A Friend), is a political tool to promote her possible candidacy in 2028.

Duterte was referring to the book which her office is seeking a P10 million funding for under the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) proposed P2 billion budget for 2025.

“Turning to the issue of the book I have written, ang libro na pinamagatang “Isang Kaibigan” ay ginagamit namin sa book donation at book reading or storytelling sessions sa mga paaralang binibisita ko. Isinasagawa namin ito upang mahikayat ang mga bata na mahalin ang pagbabasa at sumulat ng sarili nilang mga kwento,” Duterte said.

(My book is for reading or storytelling in schools that I visit. We do this to encourage children to love reading and write stories themselves.)

“The inclusion of my name and image on the “About the Author page” is a common practice for authors and is not intended as a political move,” the Vice President added.

The target recipients of the Isang Kaibigan book, the Vice President said, are elementary students and grade 7 learners who are supposedly non-factors in the 2028 polls.

“This belies any insinuation of political motives as they will not even be eligible to vote come 2028,” Duterte added.

 It could be recalled that Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros questioned the P10 million budget for the Isang Kaibigan children’s book during Senate budget deliberations, a question that the Vice President apparently took offense and accused Hontiveros of “politicizing the budget of the government.”—RF, GMA Integrated News