Kabataan Party-list Representative Raoul Manuel questioned Vice President Sara Duterte over the numerous grammatical and factual errors in the controversial book “Isang Kaibigan (A Friend),” during the House Committee on Appropriations’ deliberation of the proposed 2025 Php2.037-billion budget for the Office of the Vice President (OVP).
Manuel began his interpolation by innocently asking who authored the said book, which has sparked discussions due to claims that Vice President Sara herself wrote or created the story.
The OVP is seeking a total of P10 million in public funds to finance the printing and distribution of the book.
Rep. Manuel pointed out that the book contains several factual inaccuracies and grammatical errors, which, he argued, could further worsen the ongoing learning crisis in the Philippines.
One specific error highlighted by the lawmaker was the term “bahanaw,” which the book incorrectly identified as a type of leaf. Manuel clarified to the Vice President that there is no such thing as a “banahaw” leaf, and suggested that she might have meant “anahaw,” a well-known Philippine leaf.
Additionally, Manuel criticized the book for erroneously describing an owl’s nest perched on a branch, a detail that he said is inaccurate.
In conclusion, Manuel asserted that the book is not child-friendly, raising concerns about its suitability for educational use.