KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews / 15 March) – Presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo paid tribute to the emerging brand of volunteerism that has propelled her campaign across the country in the past several weeks.
Speaking before 2,000 supporters in a multisectoral people’s rally at the Rizal Park here on Tuesday afternoon, Robredo said they have been witnessing a trend in the ongoing campaign that was not seen in her 2013 and 2016 election bids.
She said they did not even experience it during the stint of her late husband, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, as mayor of Naga City.
“For the first time mula nung pumasok kami sa pulitika, ngayon ko ulit nakikita kung gaano ka-invested lalo na ang mga kabataan… Napakaraming sinasakripisyo sa paniniwala na ang eleksyong ito ay hindi lang naman patungkol sa aming mga kandidato, pero ang eleksyong na to eto yung kinabukasan nyo,” she said.
Robredo said these have been resulting to changes that are not coming from them but from the people.
“Ito gusto namin na pamamahala at pulitika, yung di lang lider ang mahusay, yung tao na nakapaligid mas mahusay pa,” she added.
The Vice President assured a brand of governance that will ensure that all people will have a voice and be heard.
In the last six years as vice president, she said her office made it a point to deliver the kind of service that people really needed and deserved.
She cited various socio-economic projects that they implemented these past years for poor communities in the municipalities of Lake Sebu, Polomolok and Tampakan in South Cotabato.
“When we promised that we will take care of you, that’s what we did,” Robredo said.
Robredo was joined here by her running-mate, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and senatorial aspirants Chel Diokno, Sonny Matula, Alex Lacson and Senator Richard Gordon.
The event, dubbed “Hingyaw Para kay Leni,” was attended by former South Cotabato governor and Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno, a senior adviser of the Robredo People’s Council-Soccsksargen.
Before the people’s rally, she made a courtesy visit to the city hall here and met with Mayor Eliordo Ogena, Vice Mayor Peter Miguel and several members of the city council.
Ogena did not endorse Robredo’s candidacy but a source close to the mayor said he is leaning towards supporting her.
Ogena is seeking reelection under the PDP-Laban (Cusi wing) while Miguel is running for representative of South Cotabato’s second district under the slate of reelectionist Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., the national president of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas.
In a brief program held at the city hall lobby, Robredo said the city is close to her heart and of her family.
“This is the only LGU [local government unit] in the country that named a street as tribute to my late husband,” she said.
In 2013, the city council passed Ordinance No. 12 naming a road near the city hall complex and traversing the city terminal as Sec. Jesse Robredo Avenue in honor of the late official’s contributions to the city. (Allen V. Estabillo / MindaNews)
