LOOK: Inside Vice President Sara Duterte’s children's book ‘Isang Kaibigan’
The contents of Vice President Sara Duterte’s children's book Isang Kaibigan have been unveiled to the public.
The Philippine STAR shared some photos of the pages of the book on Wednesday, Aug. 21, which highlights the importance of being there for your friends especially in difficult times.
Dedicated to Filipino children, the story follows a parrot as it helps an owl rebuild his house after being damaged by a typhoon. It was illustrated by Janina Simbillo and Joseph Caligner.
Take a look at its contents in the gallery below.
"Isang Kaibigan" by Sara Duterte
Author's profile | Photo by Jesse Bustos / The Philippine STAR
Book dedication | Photo by Jesse Bustos / The Philippine STAR
Page 2 | Photo by Jesse Bustos / The Philippine STAR
Page 3 | Photo by Jesse Bustos / The Philippine STAR
Page 4 | Photo by Jesse Bustos / The Philippine STAR
Page 5 | Photo by Jesse Bustos / The Philippine STAR
Page 6 | Photo by Jesse Bustos / The Philippine STAR
Page 7 | Photo by Jesse Bustos / The Philippine STAR
Page 8 | Photo by Jesse Bustos / The Philippine STAR
"Isang Kaibigan" by Sara Duterte
Author's profile | Photo by Jesse Bustos / The Philippine STAR
Book dedication | Photo by Jesse Bustos / The Philippine STAR
Page 2 | Photo by Jesse Bustos / The Philippine STAR
Page 3 | Photo by Jesse Bustos / The Philippine STAR
Page 4 | Photo by Jesse Bustos / The Philippine STAR
Page 5 | Photo by Jesse Bustos / The Philippine STAR
Page 6 | Photo by Jesse Bustos / The Philippine STAR
Page 7 | Photo by Jesse Bustos / The Philippine STAR
Page 8 | Photo by Jesse Bustos / The Philippine STAR
CLOSE
Duterte launched the book at the Esteban Abada Elementary School in Quezon City in November 2023 and read it to Grade 3 students, hoping it would be a “source of inspiration” for them to pen their own stories.
Isang Kaibigan became the subject of a heated exchange between Duterte and Sen. Risa Hontiveros at the Senate finance subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, Aug. 20 as the former proposed a P10 million allocation for its distribution along with school supplies to one million students as part of the OVP's Pagbabago campaign for 2025.
When asked for more details about the book, Duterte refused to answer the lawmaker and instead claimed that Hontiveros is "politicizing the budget of the government." Hontiveros contended that what Duterte said had nothing to do with her question, stressing that political speeches are separate from budget debates, before asking once more how many of Isang Kaibigan books will be distributed and its contents.
"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," Duterte answered.
Hontiveros, the following day, shared that she has obtained a copy of the book as she posted a video of herself scanning its pages on her Facebook profile. "Natanggap na po natin ang libro," she wrote on the 23-second clip.
Read the transcript of the book below.
Page 1:
Sa lilim ng luntiang mga dahon ng Banahaw, nakatago ang isang hiwaga: si Kwago, ang marangyang ibon na may-ari ng isang pugad na nakapatong sa sanga ng puno ng mangga.
Page 2:
Siya’y sagana sa pagkain at kaibigan, at ang kanyang tahanan ay laging bukas para sa masasayang salu-salo kasama sila Uwak, Tikling, Kalapati, Loro, at marami pang ibang ibon.
Page 3:
Ngunit dumating ang isang bagyong walang awa na sumira sa kanyang pugad at lahat ng mayroon si Kwago.
Walang natira kundi ang kalungkutan at kagutuman, at tila ba ang mga kaibigang minsan ay kasama sa saya ay naglaho na parang bula. Sa kanyang pag-iisa, nabagbag ang kanyang damdamin sa kanyang sinapit.
Page 4:
Isang araw, habang siya’y nagmumukmok sa ilalim ng kalbong puno, isang pamilyar na anino ang lumapit. Si Loro, na may pakpak na kumikinang sa patak ng ulan, ay dumapo sa tabi ni Kwago.
Page 5:
“Wago, kaibigan,” malumanay na sabi ni Loro.
“Ang bagyo ay panandalian lamang. Nandito ako upang tumulong na muling itayo ang iyong pugad. Habang inaayos natin ang iyong tahanan, bakit hindi ka muna sa akin tumuloy? Magkasama nating hihintayin ang muling pagyabong ng iyong mahal na puno ng mangga.”
Page 6:
Napaluha si Kwago, hindi dahil sa kalungkutan, kundi dahil sa pasasalamat.
“Lor,” aniya. “Ikaw ay tunay na kaibigan. Ang pagkakaroon ng isang kaibigan sa panahon ng unos ay higit na mahalaga kaysa sa isang libong kaibigan sa panahon ng kasiyahan.”
Page 7:
At sa gitna ng kahirapan, dalawang ibon ang magkasamang nagtulungan, hindi lamang para muling itaguyod ang isang pugad.
Page 8:
… kundi para patunayan na sa oras ng pangangailangan, ang tunay na kaibigan ay hindi kailanman maglalaho.
Author’s profile:
Kilalanin si Inday Sara Duterte. Si Inday Sara ang ika-labinlimang Pangalawang Pangulo ng Pilipinas.
Siya rin ay naging Alkalde ng Lungsod ng Davao at Kalihim ng Kagawaran ng Edukasyon.
Siya ay isang tunay na kaibigan.