Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo to run for the highest position on the land 

Martha Bernadette Briol 

PUBMAT | Anthony Beronque

"Buong-buo ang loob ko ngayon. Kailangan nating palayain ang ating sarili mula sa kasalukuyang sitwasyon. Lalaban ako, lalaban tayo, inihahain ko ang aking sarili bilang kandidato sa pagka-pangulo sa halalan ng 2022." These were the remarkable words that Leni Robredo, the current Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines, said as she announced her candidacy last October 7, 2021, for the upcoming Presidential Elections on May 9, 2022.

It has been noticed that a lot of people were waiting for the announcement of the vice president's candidacy. This announcement ends all of the speculation thrown at her about what her following action will be, as her duty as the country’s vice president will end on June 30, 2022. As soon as she declared her candidacy for the position, numerous groups and communities offered her support in various ways. They have worn clothes and posted multiple materials with a shade of pink on different social media platforms, paying attention to the color of the ribbon that Robredo had on her blue dress when she proclaimed her candidacy. 

Maria Leonor Santo Tomas Gerona Robredo, also known by the name Leni Robredo, was born on April 23, 1965. She was the eldest of the three daughters of a regional court judge, Judge Antonio Gerona, and English professor, Salvacion Santo Tomas. She both finished her elementary and high school years at Universidad de Sta. Isabel in the city of Naga. Four years later, Robredo graduated from the University of the Philippines—Diliman with a degree in Economics in 1986. Later on, Robredo earned her doctorate from the University of Nueva Caceres in 1992. In 1997, five years after completing her doctorate degree, Robredo passed the bar. 

Before she entered the world of politics, Robredo was already working at the Bicol River Basin Development Program Office from 1986 to 1987 as a researcher and economist. Leni Robredo, still studying law, also taught economics at the Universidad de Sta. Isabel from 1987 to 1997. She also joined the Public Attorney’s Office in 1999 as she worked in different situations such as counseling and assisting the public in legal matters. This was the work she had to do as she finished passing the bar. For 13 years, Robredo was the branch coordinator and lawyer of Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Panligal or SALIGAN-Bicol Chapter. She also founded Lakas ng Kababaihan in Naga in 1992. Along with this, she was also the president of Naga City Council for Women starting in 2008 up to 2010. 

In 2013, Leni Robredo was elected as the Representative of Camarines Sur's District III. In this term, she was allowed to be a part of the following committees: the Committee on Revision of Laws and the Committee on Good Governance and Public Accountability. She served as the Vice-Chairperson of the two committees. As she fulfilled her duty as a representative of their province, Robredo passed laws that helped the nation today. On June 16, 2014, she passed Republic Act No. 10638 or the Philippine National Railways Charter Extension Law, which widened Philippine National Railways’ cooperative life, making it extend for an additional 50 years. Along with that, the then congresswoman Leni Robredo passed Republic Act No. 10742 or the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act of 2015, which aims to build reforms for the youth to actively participate in nation-building. 

As she started her term as the vice president of the country in the year 2016, Robredo founded Angat Buhay, an anti-poverty program that focuses on six (6) main issues that the Philippines continues to face namely: healthcare, rural development, housing, food security and nutrition, education, and women empowerment. To give the people hope in times of difficulty, Vice President Robredo started the project, Istorya ng Pagasa. This project wishes to spread hope to the public on different social media platforms by displaying portraits together featuring people with remarkable stories that give positivity to different kinds of people. 

In 2019, she was assigned by President Rodrigo Duterte as the co-chair of ICAD or the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs. At that time, Vice President Robredo issued a report about the status of the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign. Along with that, she released the gaps that the issue was experiencing and proposed various needed solutions. 

As the COVID-19 pandemic attacked the Philippines, the office of the Vice President took action in numerous programs that aimed to help the Filipino people in times of uncertainty. Their team provided personal protective equipment sets, protective suits that were made by local manufacturers, and other materials that were needed by the frontline workers. They have also prepared dormitories and shuttle services that are free for the frontliners working in Metro Manila. As the virus continued to spread in the country, Robredo's team continued to meet the needs of the people as they granted vendors and drivers the opportunity to set up a program that would help improve their livelihood. Together with her team, they have produced a vaccination program and a teleconsultation service that will foster the needs of Filipinos. 

Sources:

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1498306/its-final-robredo-to-run-for-president-in-2022

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1498861/social-media-tickled-pink-by-robredos-decision

https://kami.com.ph/99861-leni-robredo-full-age-education-daughters-biography.html

https://ovp.gov.ph/content/biography.html

https://icad.gov.ph/