A Japanese discount store’s post was perceived to allude to the words of Sen. Risa Hontiveros during the Senate budget deliberations for the Office of the Vice President (OVP).
Japan Home Centre on Wednesday warned patrons about fake social media pages using their name and pretending to be them.
“Beware of fake pages! We have noticed unauthorized pages pretending to be Japan Home Centre,” the discount store said on Facebook on August 21.
“Please be cautious and ensure you’re following our official page for the latest updates and deals. Stay safe and shop smart!” it added.
Japan Home Centre also accompanied it with a post featuring the following text:
Konnichiwa!
Those who attempt to copy our page or impersonate Japan Home Centre, we don’t appreciate this kind of attitude.
The discount store also shared links to its official accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
The post has earned 3,300 likes and reactions and 44 comments so far, with some Filipinos thinking it was connected to the recent remarks of Hontiveros to Vice President Sara Duterte.
“Isa kang kaibigan, Japan Home Centre!” a Facebook user quipped, referencing Duterte’s controversial children’s book, which became the subject of a heated exchange between her and the lawmaker.
“It’s not all about you!” another user commented, using Hontiveros’ words to Duterte when the senator reminded the vice president that she was attending a budget hearing.
“This is an example of politicizing,” quipped a different Pinoy, alluding Duterte’s comments to Hontiveros in the budget hearing.
“Ang witty!” another user commented.
The “we don’t appreciate this kind of attitude” phrase comes from Hontiveros, who called out Duterte during the Senate budget deliberations for the proposed 2025 budget of the OVP amounting to P2.037 billion.
The budget is said to be 8.05% more than its 2024 budget.
Hontiveros also asked about Duterte’s new book, “Isang Kaibigan,” which is said to be distributed to public schools.
Duterte’s office is asking for P10 million for the distribution of the illustrated children’s book, although she said that it will not be for sale and that it will be for printing costs.
Hontiveros asked what the book was about, to which the vice president claimed that the senator appeared to be “politicizing” the budget deliberation.
“Her problem is that my name is on that book, and that book will be distributed to children whose parents are voters. And my name will be in those places where this book will be distributed,” Duterte said.
Hontiveros reminded her that it is the job of the legislators to scrutinize budget proposals of state agencies.
“I don’t understand the attitude of our resource person. It is just a simple question. But she has repeatedly said that this is ‘politicizing,'” the opposition senator said.
“I don’t appreciate this kind of attitude, Madame Chair. Usually, our resource persons extend institutional courtesy to the legislature, which we also give to the executive [branch]. I don’t appreciate this kind of attitude,” Hontiveros later said.
When Sen. Grace Poe, the chair of the Senate panel, asked about the book’s description, Duterte was able to give a direct answer.
In a statement, the vice president explained that her P10-million book project aims to encourage children to read and write their own stories.
A popular furniture company recently went viral for promoting a lamp designed to look like an owl. It had texts that some Filipinos thought alluded to the controversial children’s book.
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