Leni launches drive for political ‘transformation’ in home turf

VICE President Leni Robredo launched her official campaign for the presidency by calling on Filipinos to join her in improving their lives and in transforming the country by changing the “old and corrupted kind of politics that has frustrated generations of Filipinos.”

The call was made by Robredo during a rally at the Angat Buhay Village in Lupi in her home province of Camarines Sur early Tuesday, which also marked the start of the official campaign period for national elective positions, including for the posts of vice president and senator.

“Hanggang hindi po natin pinapalitan ang luma at bulok na klase ng pulitika, hanggang hindi po natin nabibigyan ng inspirasyon at pag-asa ang ating mga kababayan, talagang walang magbabago,” Robredo said in the vernacular during a rally that was attended mostly by a hometown crowd.

Later, Robredo and her running mate Senator Francis Pangilinan held similar rallies in Camarines Sur, including in the town of Libmanan wherein this time, they were joined by local candidates led by gubernatorial candidate Rolando Andaya Jr. and his running mate JJ Pilapil.

“Kaya ngayong umaga po sa pagumpisa ng ating kampanya, niyayaya ko po kayong lahat na samahan kami—sumama po kayo sa laban nating ito dahil ito ay para sa ating lahat. Kaya po ito, malakas ang loob ko dahil kasama ko kayo. Malakas po ang loob ko dahil alam ko na kahit anong hirap ang pagdaanan natin, kakayanin natin dahil magkakasama tayo,” she said.

Robredo and Pangilinan jumpstarted their official campaign in Lupi and at the Angat Buhay Villa, a housing and resettlement project for more than a hundred families who lost their homes when Typhoons Quinta, Rolly and Ulysses hit Camarines Sur in late 2020.

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) said the Angat Buhay was a flagship poverty alleviation program of Robredo, which she launched in 2016.

“Ito ang pinaka halimbawa na kapag ang gobyerno tapat sa kanyang panunungkulan, pag ang gobyerno bumababa at pinapakiramdaman ang pangangailangan ng taong bayan, napapapunta sa tama ang pera na nasa kaban ng bayan,” Robredo said of the housing project in Lupi, which has since seen improvements.

The presidential hopeful said she takes pride of the collaboration that took place among the residents, the local government of Lupi, the University of Nueva Caceres and the OVP to rebuild the homes.

“Heto po ‘yung sinasabi natin na pag ang gobyerno tapat, talagang aangat ang buhay ng lahat,” she said.