HARDLY ON SAME PAGE Questions regarding a storybook written by Vice President Sara Duterte lead to a verbal tussle between her and Sen. Risa Hontiveros during the budget hearing on Aug. 20, 2024. Things got testy after Duterte refused to directly answer why P10 million must be spent to distribute 鈥淚sang Kaibigan鈥� (A Friend), its cover and the author鈥檚 page shown in the insets. SENATE SOCIAL MEDIA UNIT/CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday said she wants to realign the budget for the 鈥渄uplicating鈥� items in the Office of the Vice President鈥檚 (OVP) proposed funding for 2025, including the 鈥渋mproper鈥� P10-million allocation for the distribution of Vice President Sara Duterte鈥檚 children鈥檚 book.
鈥淎t the proper time, sa period of amendments, magpo-propose po ako ng amendment dun sa items ng program sa OVP na katulad lamang doon sa mga programa ng mga line agencies natin, including Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE),鈥� Hontiveros said at the Kapihan sa Senado forum.
(At the proper time, in the period of amendments, I will propose an amendment to items under the OVP鈥檚 programs that are similar to the programs of other line agencies, including the DSWD, DOH, and DOLE.)
Hontiveros would also seek amendments to the controversial allocation for the distribution of Duterte鈥檚 children鈥檚 book 鈥淚sang Kaibigan.鈥�
鈥淵ung item ng P10 million para sa pagmumudmod ng mga kopya ng Isang Kaibigan ay papasukan ko rin po ng amendment. Yun naman ang purpose ng interpellation sa hearing eh, para i-explore,鈥� she told reporters.
(I would also insert amendments to the P10-million item that would be used to distribute copies of Isang Kaibigan. That鈥檚 the purpose of interpellation in a hearing, to explore.)
The opposition senator pointed out the country鈥檚 鈥渢ight fiscal space,鈥� saying that departments always have insufficient funding, especially for social protection programs, those related to medical and burial services, disaster resilience, work and occupation, and other items.
Hontiveros said the P10-million budget for the distribution of copies of Duterte鈥檚 children鈥檚 book聽is 鈥渋mproper鈥� in principle.
鈥淩equest yan. Dahil kung meron kang sinulat na libro, kung ikaw ang sumulat niyan, hindi dapat gamitan ng government funds at taxpayers money para ipamudmod,鈥� she added.
(That鈥檚 a request. Because if you wrote a book, if you are the one who wrote it, government funds and taxpayers鈥� money should not be used to distribute it.)
Hontiveros and Duterte had a heated exchange during the Senate panel on finance鈥檚 deliberation on the OVP鈥檚 proposed budget for 2025.
During the hearing on Tuesday, Duterte accused Hontiveros of politicizing the government funds after the lawmaker raised a few queries regarding the Vice President鈥檚 proposed funding, including the allocation for Duterte鈥檚 children鈥檚 book.
READ: Duterte, Hontiveros clash over 鈥榩oliticizing鈥� budget hearings