FILIPINOS have to stop pinning their hopes on someone who disappears when the going gets tough, opposition presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo said on Saturday night.
“Stop looking for those who don’t show up when you need them most,” Robredo said in her closing statement at the Commission on Elections’ “PiliPinas Presidential Debates 2022: The Turning Point,” apparently taking a swipe at her toughest rival former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who was the only presidential bet who did not participate in the event.
The Vice President, who is the leader of the opposition, was making a case for her own presidential run when she repeated her mantra that “best man for the job is a woman.”
“Ang kailangan po nating Pangulo ‘yung magmamadaling samahan ka pag nahihirapan ka, handang magsakripisyo para tulungan ka, handang harapin kahit sino para ipaglaban ka. Ako po, may eleksyon o wala, bagyo man, kahit anong sakuna, pandemya; kahit anong problema, nandito po ako. (The President we need is one who will rush to be at your side during difficult times, ready to sacrifice to help, ready to face anyone to fight for you. I am here, whether it’s election time or not, even when there’s a typhoon, whatever calamity, pandemic; whatever problem we’re facing, I’m here),” she said.
Marcos, who has been drawing a lot of flak for skipping political debates, has long been criticized for being absent during difficult times, especially at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic which started in March 2020.
All nine other presidential candidates, including Robredo, showed up for the Comelec debate.
Robredo and her running mate, Sen. Francis Pangilinan, campaigned in Pasig City yesterday. Yesterday, Emerald Avenue and nearby streets in Ortigas turned pink after around 80,000 supporters and volunteers from different parts of Metro Manila came for the
“Pasiglaban Para sa TRoPa Pasig People’s Rally.”
Robredo’s camp said the crowd estimate came from the PNP Pasig, noting it was expecting the crowd to swell to about 100,000 by early evening.
Before the rally, the Vice President met with Pasig mayor Vico Sotto, Vice Mayor Robert “Dodot” Jaworski Jr. and Rep. Roman Romulo.
At the Comelec debate, Robredo said she remains unfazed amid the systematic campaign to discredit her through fake news, saying she has all the “receipts” to disprove everything thrown at her.
“Kaya po huwag na nating hanapin ang ayaw namang humarap sa atin. Lahat na oras, nandito po ako, hinaharap kayo, ipinapakipaglaban kayo (That’s why let’s stop looking for those who don’t want to face us. I’m here at all times, facing you, fighting for you). True leaders show up, and man up. Kaya po sa darating na Mayo (That’s why in May), the best man for the job is a woman,” she said.
The candidates agreed on at least one thing and that was the need to hold social media firms liable for the spread of disinformation.
With the coronavirus pandemic disrupting traditional campaigning, candidates and supporters are increasingly turning to social media to reach voters, prompting concerns about online hate speech and disinformation.
“Social media platforms should be made accountable because they are housing disinformation,” Robredo said.
Retired boxing champion Manny Pacquiao said creators of fake news should be punished.
Another candidate, Manila city Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, also said social media firms should be held accountable for allowing fake accounts on their platforms.
The candidates did not name which social media companies could be punished.
Representatives for Meta Platforms’ Facebook, Alphabet’s YouTube, Twitter and TikTok, all popular social media platforms in the Philippines, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Analysts say the popularity of Marcos, the namesake and son of the Philippines’ late dictator, stems from a effective social media strategy targeting the youth.
COMELEC’S CALL
Comelec Commissioner George Garcia advised candidates planning to skip the next episodes of the “PiliPinas Debates 2022” to reconsider their decision.
“To those looking to skip the debates, reconsider your decision. As seen tonight, those not here may get the attention of those present,” he said in an interview after the first debate last Saturday.
He said the Comelec will not be able to “control” the responses of the candidates present, if they include those absent in their discussions.
Present during the debate were Ernesto Abella, Leody de Guzman, Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, Norberto Gonzales, Panfilo Lacson, Emmanuel Pacquiao, Faisal Mangondato, Jose Montemayor Jr., and Robredo.
During the debates, Marcos as well as his absence, were repeatedly alluded by some of his fellow candidates.
On the overall, however, Garcia said they are more than satisfied with the turnout of the debate.
“It is not perfect, but highly successful. Let us focus on those who were present and the things that they said and will be doing for the country,” said the poll official.
On Sunday night, the Comelec held the second “PiliPinas Debates 2022”, this time those aspiring to be vice president.
Another presidential debate is scheduled for April 3. One presidential town hall debate scheduled for April 23, and one vice presidential town hall debate (April 24) will complete the debate series.
DATA-DRIVEN PLANS
The Vice President laid out her data-driven plans for the country’s economy, saying rebuilding the severely affected micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector will be her top priority if elected President in May to spur the country’s economic growth during the pandemic.
Robredo reiterated her proposal to come up with a P100-billion stimulus program for MSMEs, including conditional cash grants, low-interest loans and capacity-building programs to help MSMEs boost their livelihood.
She also said the country must meet, even surpass, the vaccination for the target population as part of her administration’s preparation in case another COVID-19 surge happens, noting that only 59 percent of the 77 million target recipients have been fully vaccinated while only 16 percent have gotten their booster shots.
She also said the government must not wait for another surge to “beef up” testing, tracing, and treatment. She also vowed to roll-out of the universal healthcare system, improve hospital capacity, and the government will take care of the healthcare workers.
Under Robredo’s leadership, the Office of the Vice President initiated several pandemic responses since the COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020. Among these are the free antigen testing called Swab Cab to make COVID-19 tests more accessible to the public; the Bayanihan E-Konsulta and the Vaccine Express, which are also free services.
Robredo vowed to continue the current administration’s Build Build Build program, with emphasis on Private-Public Partnership programs instead of official development assistance to avoid incurring more loans for the government. She said the priorities should be infrastructure to spur rural development, transportation, water resource management, and climate resilient infrastructure.
‘STABILITY UNDER PRESSURE’
Former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who is running under the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem’s “Tropang Angat” senatorial slate, said Robredo shows “stability under pressure and is expected to show tough resolve when it comes to national security concerns despite her seeming soft appearance.”
“Many underestimate her because her demeanor is that of modest Filipina but VO Leni has nerves of steel,” he told radio DZRH in Filipino. “We can trust her in handling any national security sitwasyon.”
The former rebel soldier during the Arroyo administration said Robredo “can navigate the complicated waters of foreign policy and come up with the most ideal position for the country.”
He said Robredo is not afraid to make informed decisions and exhibits “stability under pressure.”
“We’ve seen how she studies a particular situation, how she decides. She listens to different advisers and different points of view and she asks them for courses of action, the pros and cons,” Trillanes said.
Early this month, members of Robredo’s national security team unveiled some of the proposed reforms Robredo wants to implement to strengthen the Armed Forces.
Rommel Ong, former vice commander of the Philippine Navy, earlier said Robredo will turn the Philippines into a “maritime power” to ensure the security of the country’s seas and assert sovereignty over its territories, especially in the West Philippine Sea.
Ong, a member of Robredo’s national security team, has said there will be a shift from a land-centric AFP into a maritime power or “at least a modicum of a maritime nation.”
THREAT?
The PNP said it would look into online bomb and death threats in connection with a Robredo campaign rally in Pampanga next month.
“Any kind of threat on the life of any person should not be taken lightly to avert any possible harm, threatening or hostile action against anyone,” said PNP spokeswoman Col. Jean Fajardo.
Several individuals made the threat in response to an announcement by the Youth Vote for Leni Kiko — Magalang, Pampanga on its Facebook page last March 12.
The group announced Robredo and her team are going to visit on April 9. The group urged the public to attend the event and support the crusade for development and change.
A “Francis de Guzman” said in Kapangpangan: “Maka handa nala deng Granada (The grenades are ready). A “Karen Chua,” meanwhile said, “Ay mangalat ku bomba keni pag minta kayo keni (I will deploy bombs if you go here).
“Arvin Sediano” said: “Sniper ready, give a target haha” while an “Ivan Soriano” said, “Pagkakataun yuna ini para apate ye ing buguk ayni. (It’s now your chance to kill this stupid).”
Fajardo urged the Robredo camp to coordinate with the PNP, and other candidates who have received similar threats.
Fajardo also reminded the public that issuing a bomb threat is punishable under Presidential Decree (PD) 1727 (Declaring as unlawful the malicious dissemination of false information or the willful making of any threat concerning bombs, explosives or any similar device or means of destruction and imposing penalties therefor).
The crime is punishable by imprisonment of not more than five years or fine of not more than P40,000 or both at the discretion of the court. — With Gerard Naval, Victor Reyes and Reuters
