Leni: I’m the most vilified gov’t official
After repeated attacks against her from President Duterte himself, Vice President Leni Robredo believes she is the “most vilified” government official in the country.
Robredo made the statement during an open forum at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington yesterday.
The Vice President keynoted the CSIS-Pertamina Banyan Tree Leadership Forum and US-Philippines Strategic Initiative.
“We have been surviving pretty well. I am, I think, the most vilified of all national government officials,” Robredo said when asked about her working relationship with the President.
“But I have not allowed it to affect the work that I’m doing. Most of my days are focused on reaching the farthest peripheries of the country,” she said.
Since October 2016, Robredo’s office has been assisting poor communities in different parts of the country through the Angat Buhay project.
“Despite the political skirmishes, I think it has not affected what I’m doing,” Robredo said.
Duterte has repeatedly belittled Robredo’s capabilities to lead the country, calling her “incompetent” and “weak.”
Robredo, the opposition leader, has also been the subject of criticisms and fake news on social media since she assumed the vice presidency in June 2016.
But despite Duterte’s attacks, Robredo said she continues to look for avenues where “we could be amicable.”
“Even if we don’t share, you know, many values. Even if we don’t agree on many important issues, I still think that it will be to the best interest of the country if we can work together,” she said.
Robredo said her relationship with Duterte “has been civil most of the time.”
“The President would issue statements from time to time that are a little combative. And it has polarized our supporters,” she said.
“But you know, I am well aware that we will still be president and vice president for the next three years, so I keep telling my staff that in spite of the noise, we have to have our eyes on the target, to be mindful of what we want to achieve after six years. To have a laser-light focus on the things we want to do, despite the atmosphere,” she added.