Robredo has ‘a lot of time’ for 2022: analysts
WITHOUT A Cabinet position, Vice President-elect Maria Leonor G. Robredo can go full time with her avowed social work, visit every community in the country, and, in effect, build further her political capital six years ahead of the 2022 presidential election, analysts said.
“The Vice-President... by the virtue of the mandate of her office, can do so many other things — she can continue her NGO (nongovernment organization) works. She’s a lawyer and [she can continue] supporting and defending those who have less in life,” University of the Philippines political science professor Clarita R. Carlos said when sought for comment.
She added: “[M]aybe she can start campaigning for 2022... Huwag mo siyang bigyan ng (Don’t give her a Cabinet position), andami niyang oras sa kamay niya (She has a lot of time in her hands) and that means, maybe she’s not really campaigning but just helping out all over the country, and people remember her and that may be important in 2022.”
FULL SCHEDULE
President-elect Rodrigo R. Duterte had earlier said he was “non-committal” about appointing Ms. Robredo to his Cabinet because he did not want “to hurt” Senator Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. — whom Ms. Robredo narrowly beat in a hotly contested vice-presidential contest that Mr. Marcos on Wednesday brought before the Supreme Court (to be convened as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal).
Ms. Carlos noted that “this President and many other people believe that there has been massive cheating, and therefore [Mr. Marcos] has filed a protest.” Giving the Vice President-elect a Cabinet position, she added, “will complicate things, knowing that she may likely be changed or replaced.”
Ms. Robredo has had a full schedule just this week, going by her press statements. On Sunday, she met with Japanese ministers — upon the Philippine embassy’s invitation for her to take part in the National Day Celebration for the Filipino Community — as well as with the Filipino community.
Back home by Monday, she met with local officials of Quezon City where she will hold office and be inaugurated today. Outgoing Vice-President Jejomar C. Binay visited Ms. Robredo that day at her Quezon City home. On Tuesday, she was joined by her defeated Liberal Party running mate, Manuel A. Roxas II, in Cebu, where she swore in Tomas dlR. Osmeña as Cebu City mayor.
Prospero E. de Vera III, professor at the University of the Philippines-National College of Public Administration and Governance, said when sought for comment that Ms. Robredo “can do advocacies that she wants to carry,” as the Office of the Vice-President has a “significant budget.”
However, the Constitution “lacks a well- defined executive role for the Vice- President and that creates a problem,” unlike in the United States where the vicepresident also acts as the Senate president, Mr. de Vera noted.
But Ms. Robredo knows the background of her office, going by her press statement titled “History of Philippine Vice-Presidents” — which noted that “Diosdado Macapagal, a Liberal, won with 46% of the vote and became the fifth Vice-President of the Philippines. It was also the first instance when the Vice- President was elected with a plurality. Macapagal would serve as Garcia’s Vice-President until 1961 when he challenged Garcia’s reelection bid.”
The ruling party at the time was the Nacionalista Party. “VicePresident Diosdado Macapagal was not given a Cabinet Position by President Carlos P. Garcia,” the statement noted. On the other hand, two of Mr. Macapagal’s predecessors (one of them being Mr. Garcia) and immediate successor were appointed as Foreign Affairs secretary — the same position of Vice-Presidents Salvador H. Laurel and Teofisto T. Guingona, Jr. in the post-Marcos era.
Other vice- presidents before and after Mr. Macapagal’s tenure were appointed by their presidents to the Cabinet or other posts — from Sergio S. Osmeña, who “was appointed as the Secretary of Public Instruction following the tradition that Vice- Governor Generals were appointed to the same position,” to Manuel L. de Castro, Jr. and Mr. Binay who “were appointed as Chairmen of the Housing and Urban Development Council by their Presidents,” said the “History of Philippine Vice- Presidents” statement.
GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN
Mr. de Vera said Ms. Robredo can duplicate what Mr. Macapagal did — go on a grassroots campaign throughout his four-year term which ended in 1961, when Mr. Macapagal defeated reelectionist Mr. Garcia by over a million votes.
But Mr. de Vera also cautioned that Ms. Robredo might be “criticized for using the Office of the Vice-President... because it’s very clear, she said that she won’t run for [president].”
Ms. Robredo’s spokesperson, Georgina A. Hernandez, said the new Vice-President would spend her first 100 days in office going around the countryside to visit sectors she wants to help.
Ms. Hernandez added that Ms. Robredo would also conduct consultations with grassroots communities as well as the private sector.
Ms. Robredo will be inaugurated at 9: 00 a. m. today at the Quezon City Reception House where she will hold office.
She chose barangay captain Ronaldo Coner of Punta Tarawal in Camarines Sur, her home province, to swear her in.
Ms. Hernandez said the inauguration will be “simple and modest.” Around 300 guests are expected, including volunteers in Ms. Robredo’s campaign.
Filipino food will be served — sotanghon, maja blanca, pichi pichi, pan de sal, buchi, and Chocnut. A thanksgiving party at the Quezon City Memorial Circle will be held at 5:00 p.m.