Manila: The widow of former Philippines Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo announced her bid for the post of vice-president on Monday, in a party-led move aiming to capitalise on her late husband’s good governance legacy.
Leono Gerona-Robredo, the representative for Camarines Sur 3rd district, declared her willingness to run for the country’s second highest elected post in the May 2016 elections during a gathering at the Club Filipino in suburban San Juan City.
“I wholeheartedly give myself to the service of the people especially the rubber-slipper shod masses who are in the fringes of the society,” Gerona-Robredo, 51, more popularly known simply as “Leni Robredo” said.
A lawyer and a former NGO worker, the mother of three fought for the cause of the marginalised sector alongside her more popular late husband.
Secretary Robredo, as well as three others, perished in a plane crash in August 2012.
The late interior secretary, a several-term mayor of Naga City, had won several awards for his pro-people governance style that is symbolised by the “Tsinelas” or rubber slippers that was worn by common folk.
As Naga City mayor, the late Robredo had shepherded his once insurgency ridden constituency into a showcase of good governance, earning praises even from the international community.
“In hindsight, in guiding my decision to run, my children and I had asked ourselves what Jesse would have replied if he would be posed with the same question [of running for the vice-presidency] and had pass the same trials we had gone though,” Robredo said.
“We knew what he would have replied. Despite the hardships he would not think twice about helping out anyone … To sacrifice and give whatever he could for the people … To give up even his own life to serve the people,” she said.
Earlier, the ruling Liberal Party candidate for President Mar Roxas figured in a much publicised effort to convince Representative Robredo to run for vice president. She had initially refused citing her duties to her family and the difficulty of being a single parent.
For his part, President Benigno Aquino III, titular head of the Liberal Party said he could not think of anyone more fitting to continue the so-called “Daang Matuwid” (Straight and Righteous Path) governance philosophy than Roxas and Robredo.
“On Friday we will announce the complete senatorial slate that would have the task of continuing the Daang Matuwid,” Aquino said before an estimated crowd of 1,500 composed of Cabinet members, party officials, representatives of civil society organisations and sectoral groups, as well as national and local government officials.
Robredo, had graduated from the University of the Philippines with a degree in Economics and was poised to take her seat as regional trial court judge in Camarines Sur when the call for her to serve as Congressman beckoned.
The tandem of Roxas and Robredo will be up against the team up of Senators Grace Poe and Francis “Chiz” Escudero.
Vice President Jejomar Binay, who will be running for the presidency has yet announce his vice presidential running mate.
