Leni: Demand receipts of candidates’ accomplishments
In choosing the next president, Vice President Leni Robredo yesterday urged voters to look for “receipts” of a candidate’s performance and efficiency, noting that this is what she is offering to voters.
“This 2022, the battle is again so hard. But it must be easier because we have ‘receipts’ to show. If we make a promise, it’s not only a promise but it’s being done and will continue to be done,” she said in Filipino during a “Pink Sunday” campaign rally she led in Quezon City.
Before her rally, Robredo paid a courtesy call on Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte.
Quezon City is the most populous city in the country and most vote-rich city with some 1.4 million registered voters.
Over 20,000 people showed up at the rally of Robredo, her running mate Sen. Francis Pangilinan and their senatorial ticket.
Robredo admitted that she works more than 18 hours a day both as the second highest government official and as presidential candidate.
Sen. Imee Marcos, sister of Robredo’s rival candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr., was criticized over the weekend for posting a video titled “Pagod Len Len,” where she mocked “anyone who claims to work 18 hours a day is either lying or stupid.”
The latest negative campaign against Robredo for her work ethic backfired on Marcos and earned the ire of furious working class netizens and health care workers who render additional hours of work, especially during the pandemic.
Presidential candidate and labor leader Leody de Guzman slammed Imee and her video, saying it discredits the realities that an ordinary Filipino worker faces.
“The daughter of the late former president Ferdinand Marcos was able to say such things because she never experienced being a common laborer,” De Guzman said.
De La Salle Brothers back Leni-Kiko tandem
Meanwhile, the De La Salle Brothers of the Taft Community have expressed support to team Robredo and Pangilinan after they unanimously agreed in their collective discernment that the tandem “unceasingly defended our fundamental liberties” and carry the clear agenda to help Filipinos, especially those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement, the De La Salle Brothers, also known as the 1911 Brothers Community, said Robredo and Pangilinan are the candidates who “continue to work in solidarity with those who empower and improve the plight of the poor and vulnerable sectors.”
“Moreover, the Robredo-Pangilinan team presents the clearest and most feasible plan to uplift (the condition of the poor) and empower every Filipino, especially those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. For these reasons, we express our support for their candidacy,” the De La Salle Brothers said.
The statement was signed by De La Salle University president Bro. Bernard Oca and Bros. Antonio Servando, Emmanuel Sia, Raymundo Suplido and Richie Yap.
They stressed the importance for the new set of leaders to propose a vision that can unite the people in pursuit of the common good and possess the moral integrity needed to command the trust of citizens and civil society.
The presidential and vice presidential posts, they added, “are the most critical as these leaders will be the ones to steer the nation not only towards economic recovery but more importantly, promote, respect and fulfill democratic values and human rights.”
In Bataan, Robredo gave preference to renewable energy in the operation of power plants in the country.
The Vice President was in Balanga City where she first visited The Bunker, seat of the provincial government.
Provincial and municipal officials led by Gov. Albert Garcia, Rep. Jose Enrique Garcia III and Vice Gov. Cris Garcia welcomed her team.
Robredo said the operation of a nuclear power plant is merely an option.
“We are looking at transition to purely renewable energy source. We are looking more at liquefied natural gas, which is fossil fuel that is not as bad as coal. We are looking at transition in energy mix,” Robredo said when asked about the country’s dwindling energy supply.
The Vice President told a group of religious leaders, led by Bishop Ruperto Santos at the St. Joseph Cathedral, that if elected, her administration would do away with fossil fuel.