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4 minute read
Let the Lady Lead
by The Leaf
Jerome Ceralde
Let the Lady ead
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If you were to name one person who embodies the ideals of leadership and public service, then look no further than Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo. After years of serving the people at both local and national levels, VP Leni has decided to put herself in running to become the 17th president of the Philippines. The highest seat in the country should be reserved for those who are willing to place the whole nation before themselves. And right now, as the country struggles to regain a sense of normality, it needs a leader who has the virtue, experience, and courage to fulfill this duty—a leader like her.
From the grassroots Before her foray into politics, Robredo defended communities as a public advocate and human rights lawyer. In 1989, just three years after earning her degree in economics from the University of the Philippines Diliman, she founded the Lakas ng Kababaihan ng Naga Federation to equip women with necessary livelihood skills. Later in 2007, as a member of the SALIGAN law group, she represented the Sumilao Farmers who made history after marching 1,700 kilometers from Bukidnon to Manila to reclaim their ancestral land from San Miguel Corporation. It was because of her that the Sanggunian ng Lungsod ng Naga issued a resolution of support for the farmers. Thus, during her bid for vice president in 2016, these same farmers made sure to show their support in gratitude to her work. This, along with the numerous overlooked communities she has helped, attest to her commitment to fighting for the lower class.
Even with odds Robredo is no stranger to surmounting odds. When she became the representative for the third district of Camarines Sur in 2013, she unseated the Villafuerte clan, a political dynasty that had long held the local government unit of her hometown. Similarly, while campaigning for the vice-presidential race, she initially lagged in polls to such an extent that supporters feared her prospects of winning. However, her track record of good governance overcame initial impressions and carried her to the top, soundly beating fellow candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. And even as the penultimate official of the nation, she faced adversity from no less than the president himself. Rodrigo Duterte actively stifled her powers and opposed her ideas in favor of his closer friends. Not one year after election, Duterte prohibited her from attending all future Cabinet meetings. In 2019, he appointed her as co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs, believing that Robredo would change her stance on the drug war, but continued to express his distrust until he fired her 19 days later.
Thriving in thrift These odds extend to finances. Despite having repeatedly received the highest rating from the Commission on Audit, the Office of the Vice President has consistently operated with less funds than its peers. From a proposed national budget of ₱5.024 trillion for 2022, the OVP was allocated a budget of ₱713.41 million. Keep in mind that the Department of Budget and Management slashed its budget to just ₱679 million the previous year—among the lowest in the entire national bureaucracy. But the imposition of this unjustified limitation did not hinder her from serving the people. Since the first community quarantine last March, the OVP has collected and distributed donations in equipment and funds to healthcare workers, established a free shuttle service to aid in their transportation, donated millions’ worth of extraction kits to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine for the initial batches of testing, and kept the public updated with clear plans for the pandemic response, to name a few. And all these were accomplished on top of extending over 1500 relief packs to the victims of typhoon Maring in Cagayan, continuing the BAHAYnihan housing project for displaced families in Camarines Sur, and sustaining Angat Buhay programs on food and nutrition, livelihood, shelter, education infrastructure, and healthcare resources throughout the country.
Liberating colors Seeing as how the color yellow has been stigmatized for its association with the liberal party, Robredo shifted her color of choice to pink to define her brand. This gave her campaign a much-needed breath of fresh air after the party’s disappointing results at the 2019 senatorial elections. It also allows for more leeway in how it selects its candidates and alliances, which is reflected in her party’s lineup.
However, the change in color is not merely a superficial one, but symbolizes a willingness to compromise where she can for the collective good. Prior to declaring her bid for presidency, she began communications with Ping Lacson, Manny Pacquiao, Richard Gordon, and “Isko” Moreno in an effort to unite the
opposition against the ruling party. And even as she spoke of her platform as the potential executive, she emphasized the need for reform instead of simply throwing out what does not work. One example is her bid to rework the anti-drug campaign to focus on prevention and rehabilitation instead of execution. Most importantly, it is a culmination of the principles for which Robredo has stood ever since starting public service—those of equality through compassion and excellence before ambition. The #kakampink movement aims to rise above any preconceptions about her capabilities and priorities, and prove that Leni Robredo is a name. The path she paved with the merits of her past will paint a future that the Philippines deserves.