By Raymund Antonio
As the nation welcomes 2020, Vice President Leni Robredo said on Tuesday she would be more responsive to the needs of others, especially the poor in various communities across the country.
Vice President Leni Robredo
(Charlie Villegas, OVP / MANILA BULLETIN)
“Sa gitna ng lahat ng ingay sa ating panahon, nananatiling malinaw ang pangarap natin para sa ating bayan: isang mas maginhawa at mas magandang buhay para sa bawat pamilyang Pilipino,” she said in her New Year message.
(Amid all the noise in our time, our dream for our country remains clear: A more comfortable and better life for every Filipino family.)
“Sa pagpasok ng bagong taon, patuloy natin itong pagsusumikapan sa ating pagbaba sa pinakamalalayo, pinakamaliliit, at pinakamahihirap na komunidad sa ating bansa,” Robredo added.
(In the coming year, we would continue to try more than ever to go to the farthest, smallest, and poorest communities in our country.)
The Office of the Vice President is currently implementing the Angat Buhay program in 193 disadvantaged communities, serving 224,336 Filipino families and 196,014 individuals.
Her pro-poor program-an initiative she launched in October, 2016 in partnership with the private sector-had brought her closer to people in what she called “laylayan” or those on the margins of society.
Angat Buhay focuses on six key advocacy areas, namely: Public education, rural development, food security and nutrition, women empowerment, universal healthcare, and housing and resettlement.
In the same message, Robredo expressed hope that the New Year will be an opportunity to everyone to remember the good memories and lessons they learned in 2019.
“Bago tayo bumalik sa ating mga trabaho at kanya-kanyang mga pinagkakaabalahan sa araw-araw, sana ay huminto muna tayo sumandali upang pagnilayan ang mga bagay na tunay na mahalaga—sa ating sarili, sa ating kapwa at mga mahal sa buhay, at sa ating Inang Bansa,” she said.
(Before we go back to our work and daily lives, may we pause for a moment to reflect on important matters – ourselves, our fellow men, loved ones, and our motherland.)
The Vice President then called on the public to remain hopeful as they welcome 2020.
“Salubungin sana natin ang bagong taon nang may pag-asa sa ating mga mata, galak sa ating mga puso at ngiti sa ating mga labi—ngiti na nagsasabing sa kabila ng lahat ng ating pinagdaanan at pagdadaanan pa, ay napakaraming bagay na dapat din nating ipagpasalamat,” she said.
(Let us welcome the new year with hope in our eyes, happiness in our hearts, and smile on our lips—the smile that would tell them despite all we had experienced and we will go through, we have a lot things that we should be grateful for.)