Multiple social media users have speculated that “Isang Kaibigan” by Sara Duterte was plagiarized from the U.S. children’s book “Owly.” Vice President Sara Duterte herself has denied the speculations.

“Napakadaling sumulat ng maikling kwento batay sa sariling karanasan, hindi na kailangang mangopya pa,” Duterte said in a statement. 

Office of the Vice President (OVP) spokesperson Michael Poa stated that the book has a copyright registration. He added has long been registered since December of last year.

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Netizens have pointed out the similarity between Sara Duterte’s book and the graphic novel “Owly” by American author and artist Andy Runton. Both “Isang Kaibigan” and “Owly” book focus on the values of friendship and kindness, with an owl as the main character. 

In “Isang Kaibigan,” the owl named Kwago loses his home and belongings to a storm. He is kept company by a parrot named Loro. “Owly: Just a Little Blue” follows the characters of the same name and Wormy as they help a family of bluebirds with their home.

“Ang proyekto ay para mahikayat ang mga bata na mahalin ang pagbabasa at sumulat ng sarili nilang kwento,” Sara Duterte added. “Hindi ang libro ang problema ng bayan kundi ang kahinaan sa pagbabasa ng ating kabataan.”

“Isang Kaibigan,” as previously mentioned, was launched in November 2023. The majority of its copies have been distributed to some public schools for free. Poa said 

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The book garnered attention during Duterte’s outbursts after a heated exchange over the alleged “politicizing” of the OVP’s proposed P2.037-billion budget. The debate soon turned to Hontiveros questioning Sara Duterte about her book’s synopsis.

“Is this the reason for the tantrum? The question was simple – what is the book about? Then she flared up. Dahil ba plagiarized ang book? That’s ₱10 million]for possible plagiarism,” Rappler’s Antonio J. Montalvan III wrote.

In the end, Hontiveros mentioned she would propose reallocating the funding for Duterte’s book, as well as some items in the OVP’s budget that duplicate programs of other government offices.

“Owly” author Andy Runton has yet to comment on the matter as of this article’s writing.

Source: (1),(2),(3)

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