Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) administrator and chief operating officer Katrina Ponce Enrile has recently called on Vice President Sara Duterte to use her personal funds to publish her books.

In a radio interview, Enrile stressed that the Vice President should use her own money to publish her books, as request for public funds under the General Appropriation Act must undergo scrutiny and proper deliberation.

“Even if the money is allotted to you, you have to follow the process,” said Enrile. “As government officials, we should set a good example to the people.”

Defending a senator’s right to scrutinize a government office’s request for budget, Enrile said it is a senator’s “prerogative to ask questions especially if it involves the money of the people.”

To recall, the Vice President Sara and Senator Risa Hontiveros had a momentary tussle during the Senate budget deliberation for the 2025 budget request of the Office of the Vice President.

The senator quizzed the vice president on the nature of a children’s book with a proposed budget of P10 million listed in the budget request of the Office of the Vice President.

Instead of getting an explanation, the Vice President accused the senator of politicizing the budget hearing.