By Raymund Antonio Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo hopes that Standard and Poor’s Global Inc. will be an Angat Buhay partner to help communities in need across the country. Vice President Leni Robredo
(OVP / MANILA BULLETIN) On Monday, officials from S&P Global led by executive vice president and chief financial officer Ewout Steenbergen paid a courtesy visit to Robredo at the Quezon City Reception House, where she holds office. Present during the meeting were Matthew Batrouney, Jim Borja, and Salem Ghandour from S&P Global and Office of the Vice President Undersecretary Boyet Dy. S&P Global Inc. is an American company, whose primary areas of business are financial information and analytics. It is the parent company of international credit rating agency S&P Global Ratings. The visit was not opened for media coverage, but Robredo shared photos of her meeting with Steenbergen and other S&P Global officials. In a Facebook post, the Vice President said they discussed about their work in the Philippines, especially their “ongoing efforts and plans in pursuance of their corporate social responsibility.” “We hope we can work with them in future endeavors, especially for Filipinos in need,” she said. The OVP is seeking to create more partnerships here and abroad to make Angat Buhay sustainable. Robredo, who campaigns for those in the fringes of society, said earlier her office will expand the coverage of the program to help more Filipinos from far-flung and poverty-stricken areas nationwide. Angat Buhay has mobilized a total of P300 million worth of resources for the benefit of 374,188 individuals nationwide in its two years of implementation. In partnerships with more than 250 private organizations, the OVP has implemented various projects such as building classrooms and health care centers, financial training for women, and feeding programs, among others.