Education Secretary Sonny Angara revealed on Monday that there is no official record of payment to the illustrators of "Isang Kaibigan," a children's book authored by Vice President Sara Duterte. The information was disclosed during a House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations hearing.
"There is no payment made to them for whatever they did. So it's either they made it gratis or for free, or they were paid on the side," Angara stated. "We don't really know because there is no record of official payment to them."
The illustrators named on the cover of "Isang Kaibigan" are Janina Simbillo and Joseph Kaligner, who are employed by the Department of Education (DepEd) as job order employees within the Public Affairs Service, according to Angara.
1-Rider party-list Representative Ramon Gutierrez noted that Simbillo and Kaligner are part of the Creative Media Unit of the DepEd's Public Affairs Service. He added that DepEd employees contributing to the book, even without payment, is a matter worth noting.
No Involvement in Publication
During the hearing, Gutierrez also questioned the DepEd's involvement in the book's publication and reproduction. Vice President Duterte had requested a P10 million budget allocation for 2025 to fund the book's production. In response, Education Undersecretary Gina Gonong clarified that DepEd was not involved in any aspect of the book's development, reproduction, or printing.
"We're not responsible for the production of this [Isang Kaibigan] book," Gonong said. "The Department of Education has no role in the development, reproduction, or printing of the 'Isang Kaibigan' storybook."
The book, which tells the story of a parrot helping an owl after its nest is destroyed by a typhoon, was already being used by learners in 2023, including during an "Araw ng Pagbasa" event at a public school in Quezon City. Gonong explained that reading ambassadors, including famous personalities and DepEd officials, are invited annually to read in schools and can choose the storybook they wish to read. During the Quezon City event, Vice President Duterte read her own book.
However, Gutierrez raised concerns that photographs from the event showing learners holding copies of "Isang Kaibigan" could imply that DepEd was involved in distributing the book. Gonong clarified that DepEd's involvement was limited to preparing for the event, and that the actual printing and distribution were not handled by the department.
Duterte served as DepEd Secretary from July 2022 until her resignation on July 19, 2024. She was succeeded by Angara.
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