Robredo: Political skirmishes with Duterte no hindrance to OVP work
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo said that political skirmishes with a sometimes “combative” President Rodrigo Duterte will not deter her work to help the Filipino people.
In a summit with Washington’s Center for Strategic and International Studies—a transcript of which was sent to reporters—Robredo recalled that her working relationship with Duterte “has been civil most of the time.”
There were, however, times when the firebrand leader would issue “statements...that are a little combative” that have put their supporters at polar opposites.
Robredo and other administration critics have often found themselves at the end of Duterte's tongue-lashing.
Short 'honeymoon' period
The vice president said that a lot has happened since they were elected in 2016, including a short “honeymoon” period when she was given the task of Housing czar. But she opted to resign after she was accused of instigating the mass demonstrations against the burial of the remains of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the heroes’ cemetery.
Marcos’ burial—Duterte’s campaign promise—was hurriedly and stealthily done shortly after the Supreme Court affirmed the constitutionality of the president’s order.
It was met with strong condemnation and sparked widespread protests although Robredo did not attend those protests.
Robredo resigned early in December, citing the efforts that were meant to derail her from doing her job. She had already been told not to attend Cabinet meetings prior to her announcing her resignation from the Cabinet.
'Most vilified of national government officials'
“Even after I resigned, I continued to try looking for avenues where we could be amicable,” Robredo said, adding that she believes that “it would be best to the best interest of the country if we can work together.”
“We have been surviving pretty well. I am, I think, the most vilified fo all the national government officials. But it’s not... I have not allowed it to affect the work that I’m doing,” Robredo also said.
“Most of the adopted communities that we have under our Angat Buhay [program] are in the farthest islands of the country. We have been focusing all our efforts on that. So, despite the political skirmishes, I think it has not affected that I’m doing,” she added.
Angat Buhay is a program under the Office of the Vice President. It focuses on public education, rural development, food security and nutrition, women empowerment, universal healthcare, housing and resettlement, and disaster response and rehabilitation. — Kristine Joy Patag
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