Duterte, Hontiveros clash over ‘politicizing’ budget hearings

Senator Risa Hontiveros and Vice President Sara Duterte (PHOTOS: SENATE PRIB, FB/DUTERTE)

MANILA, Philippines — A heated exchange erupted between Senator Risa Hontiveros and Vice President Sara Duterte during the Senate committee on finance’s deliberation on the proposed 2025 budget of Duterte’s office, after the VP accused the lawmaker of “politicizing” government funds during the Tuesday hearing.

Duterte’s accusations followed Hontiveros’ queries regarding the Vice President’s proposed P2.037 billion funding for next year.

Hontiveros specifically asked about the book that the Office of the Vice President (OVP) is eyeing to distribute in remote areas titled Isang Kaibigan, a children’s book authored by Duterte herself.

“For 2025, one of the OVP’s programs [is] Pagbabago campaign: A million learners entries, involves the provision of bags to one million learners in remote communities while initiating tree planting activities. This gets an appropriation of P100,000 million. Part of this campaign is an allocation of P10 million for the distribution of Isang Kaibigan books, a children’s book authored by the Vice President,” said Hontiveros.

The opposition senator proceeded to request additional information about the book. Duterte, however, opted to raise a different matter, accusing Hontiveros of politicizing the budget.

“[This is] another example of politicizing the budget of the government. Ito pong sinabi ni Sen. Risa Hontiveros na at a proper time she’ll lodge a motion to make the requested budget of the OVP to the other agencies,” said Duterte, veering away from the question raised by Hontiveros.

“Let me just quote Sen. Risa during the Akbayan Congress: Alam ko po na ang daming kalat ni Duterte na ang hirap na hirap tayong linisin. Ang kadiliman noong panahon niya ay talaga namang nanuot sa ating lipunan na napakahirap tanggalin. At habang ang anak niya ay may kapangyarihan pa, hindi magiging madali ang ating laban,” said Duterte, quoting Hontiveros referring to the vice president’s father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.

READ: Senate starts 2025 national budget deliberations

(Let me just quote Sen. Risa during the Akbayan Congress: I know that Duterte has so much mess that it is very difficult to clean it up. The darkness of his time has really eaten into our society which is very difficult to remove. And while his daughter still has power, our fight will not be easy.)

“While Vice President Sara is in power, the threat of a full-blown Duterte comeback is still a very real and present danger. For one, they are supported by one major superpower: China,” the country’s second top official proceeded.

(While Vice President Sara is in power, the threat of a full-blown Duterte comeback is still a very real and present danger. For one, they are supported by one major superpower: China.)

Hontiveros, for her part, was surprised that Duterte brought up a different matter at the hearing, but in the end, she just repeated the question she initially raised for Duterte.

“Ang tanong ko po ay ilang mga libro ng Isang Kaibigan ay bibilhin at idi-distribute at ano—if the VP could tell us more about the contents ng librong ito,” said Hontiveros.

(My question is how many books of Isang Kaibigan will be bought and distributed and what—if the VP could tell us more about the contents of this book.)

To which, Duterte answered: “The book is not for sale, we only pay for the publication of the book. We will send Sen. Hontiveros a copy so that she’ll know the contents of the book.”

Hontiveros, not letting go of the topic, maintained that the question was not for her alone.

“Para rin sa mga kasama natin dito sa budget hearing, baka ilang araw pa bago maipadala at mabasa ko, which I certainly will — but I am asking a question bilang isang mambabatas sa head of agency ng isang opisina sa executive dito sa budget hearing na ito. Simpleng tanong: Tell us more about the book Isang Kaibigan at ilang kopya nito ang bibilhin ng gobyerno sa halagang P10 milyong piso at idi-distribute kasama ng mga bags sa 1 million learners sa remote communities,” said Hontiveros.

(It’s for all of us here at the budget hearing, maybe it will be a few days before I can read  it, which I certainly will — but I am asking a question as a legislator to the head of an agency of an executive office here at the budget hearing. It’s a simple question: Tell us more about the book Isang Kaibigan and how many copies of it the government will buy for P10 million pesos and distribute with bags to 1 million learners in remote communities.)

Duterte, however, brought up once again her earlier accusation that Hontiveros’ questioning is only a part of her moves to politicize the budget hearing.

“This is an example of politicizing the budget hearing through the questions of a senator. Ang problema niya kasi nakalagay ‘yung pangalan ko doon sa libro, at ‘yung libro na ‘yan ibibigay namin doon sa mga bata, at ‘yung mga bata na ‘yan may mga magulang na boboto. At ‘yung pangalan ko ay nagkalat doon sa kung saan man ibibigay ‘yung libro,” said Duterte.

Duterte then noted that she would send everyone a copy of the book by August 21. This earned the ire of Hontiveros who called out the Vice President’s attitude.

“Hindi ko maintindihan ‘yung ugali ng ating resource person. It is a simple question. Paulit ulit na this is politicizing. Ang VP ang nagbanggit ng salitang boboto, wala akong sinabing boboto. I am simply asking, hindi ko ma-imagine, we’re making much trouble, so much fuss about a P10 million item na tinatanong ko lang simple what is the book about at ilang kopya ang bibilhin ng gobyerno sa halagang P10 million at idi-distribute,” said Hontiveros.

(I don’t understand the behavior of our resource person. It is a simple question. Again and again this is politicizing. The VP mentioned the word vote, I didn’t say vote. I am simply asking, I can’t imagine, we’re making so much trouble, so much fuss about a P10 million item that I’m simply asking what the book is about and how many copies will the government buy for P10 million and will distribute.)

“I don’t appreciate this kind of attitude. Usually ang resource persons natin ay nagbibigay ng parehong institutional courtesy sa Legislature na ibinibigay natin sa Executive. I don’t appreciate this kind of attitude,” she emphasized.

Duterte, for her part, answered that she also does not understand Hontiveros’ behavior and attitude.

She then proceeded to recall that Hontiveros, in 2016, repeatedly asked for her help in winning her senatorial bid.

According to Duterte, she was hesitant to help Hontiveros at first because she was well aware that the senator would not support her father.

The Vice President said she eventually gave in and helped Hontiveros gain votes after the latter asked for her favor numerous times.

At this point, Senator Grace Poe, who heads the chamber’s panel on finance, interjected.

“With due respect to our resource person and also our colleague, I think this doesn’t really — I understand there’s history among all of us here, but I think that we should really stick to the public hearing,” said Poe.

After making her point, Poe proceeded to raise the same question earlier raised by Hontiveros: What was the book about?

“Is it for good manners or right conduct? That’s fine. Is it science; is it history? So maybe just a general one. I understand that every office will have its own advocacy and initiative, but then I don’t think it’s also wrong for us to be curious what it is about,” said Poe.

Duterte answered that it’s about friendship. Before letting go of the topic, Hontiveros said the Vice President should just have answered that a while ago, without resorting to bringing up unrelated matters to the budget hearing.

“This is public funds and we’re making inquiries about them, budget hearing po ito hindi po lahat about you. Pera po ito ng taumbayan,” Hontiveros emphasized.

A few minutes after the heated exchange, Sen. Imee Marcos – who noted that no one wanted to raise queries anymore – moved for the committee approval of the OVP’s proposed funding.

Sen. Bato dela Rosa seconded the motion. With this, the OVP’s proposed budget for 2025 was deemed immediately referred to the Senate plenary.