Vice President Sara Duterte has denied allegations that her self-authored children's book, "Isang Kaibigan" (A Friend), is being used as a political tool to promote a potential candidacy in the 2028 elections.
The Vice President clarified that her office is requesting a P10 million allocation for the book as part of the proposed P2 billion budget for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for 2025. Duterte emphasized that the book is intended for book donations and storytelling sessions at schools she visits, aiming to encourage children to love reading and write their own stories.
"The inclusion of my name and image on the 'About the Author' page is a standard practice for authors and is not meant as a political statement," Duterte stated.
Addressing further speculations, Duterte noted that the primary audience for "Isang Kaibigan" is elementary and Grade 7 students, who are not eligible to vote in the 2028 elections. "This clearly refutes any claims of political intent, as these children will not be voters in 2028," she added.
Previously, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros questioned the P10 million budget allocation for the book during Senate budget deliberations, which Duterte viewed as an attempt to politicize the government budget.
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