A public health crisis, a slow pandemic response by the government, several typhoons, misogynist remarks, and trolls dedicated to lambasting her every second on social media. If the last year has proven anything, it is that Vice President Leni Robredo has showed what Filipinos expect from the country’s second-highest official.

Her no-nonsense approach to good governance and ethical leadership made her a household name. Always present in every crisis and catastrophe, Robredo is called the “busy presidente” (a play on words that means busy president) by her supporters on social media.

Time and again, she has proven to walk the talk even with her office’s meager resources. What she lacks in government funding, she more than made up with her resourcefulness and the trust she receives from her private partners.

But the past year, Robredo was more than just a very active, present, and visible vice president. She was also the Duterte administration’s harshest critic. Robredo was the face of the opposition. She was also the voice of an exasperated public that’s growing more fearful of the impact of the year-long health and economic crisis.

That was all the more reason for the administration’s supporters to call her names on social media. But between being called out for serving “lugaw” (porridge) and “anemic spaghetti” to impoverished areas, Robredo continued doing what she does best—serve the people.

She also made her voice heard during the lockdown last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For several times, Robredo took a strong stand against the administration’s alleged shortcomings and slow COVID-19 response. She made them know that she was watching them carefully, and that she was ready to call them out when needed.

Her word war with President Duterte seemed to hit its tipping point these past few weeks though. She had scathing words against the administration’s bloody drug war, human rights abuses, and attempts to silence its critics, which led to the incarceration and even deaths of activists.

Take a look at the vice president’s journey in a year of lockdown through her most memorable “palaban” quotes.

1. On police and military imposing lockdown rules:

“Virus ang kalaban natin at hindi ang ating kapwa Pilipino. Maging makatao sana tayo sa pagpapatupad ng anumang atas o tungkulin.”

Public address via Facebook, April 28, 2020

2. Opposition to militaristic approach vs COVID-19:

"This is a health pandemic. Bakit may mga tangke sa daan? The military has been very helpful, even to our office, pero I think we should take a more public health approach.”

ANC interview, June 25, 2020.

3. On Duterte’s plan just to wait for vaccine as a response to the pandemic:

“Hindi mapipigil ang pandemya kung basta mag-aabang na lang tayo ng bakuna. Kailangang maampat ang pagkalat nito sa lalong madaling panahon.”

Public address via Facebook, July 29, 2020

4. On government’s lapses in COVID-19 response:

“May karapatan akong mag-criticize if I need to criticize kasi iyon iyong demands ng pagiging Pilipino ko.”

GMA’s Quarantined with Howie Severino, Sept. 15, 2020

5. On Duterte’s suggestion to spray pesticide over the country to curb COVID-19:

“Yung number 1 po, hindi masosolusyunan sa pag-spray ng pesticide sa Manila galing sa eroplano.”

Facebook post, Sept. 21, 2020

6. On government's lack of leadership in COVID-19 response:

“A crisis of this magnitude calls for a massive, strategic response, and this can only be achieved by leadership that is able to pull everyone together towards a single direction.”

UP-NCPAG webinar, October 30, 2020

7. On Duterte’s false claim about her office’s typhoon recovery efforts:

“When a President is a misogynist, the conversation goes down to this level. Ito po 'yung ginagawa namin gabi-gabi, nagpupuyat ilang linggo na para, araw-araw, may madala lang na tulong sa mga nangangailangan.”

Twitter post, Nov. 17, 2020

8. On unauthorized vaccine use:

"Dapat maimbestigahan kasi iyon iyong mensahe din na hindi natin papalampasin. Kasi kung papalampasin lang, parang ine-encourage 'yung tao na gumawa ng mali kasi parang walang nangyayari, parang walang sanctions.”

BISErbisyong Leni radio show, January 3, 2021

9. On COVID-19 vaccination:

“Hindi tayo dapat matakot.”

Q&A video “Usapang Bakuna” via Facebook Feb. 10, 2021

10. On Duterte’s insult she is unfit to become president:

"Hindi naman siya iyong magdedesisyon kung qualified ako o hindi, pero iyong taumbayan iyong magdedesisyon.”

Press briefing, Feb. 16, 2021

11. On Duterte’s challenge to shop for COVID-19 vaccines:

“Ang unang dating sa akin, parang hindi pangulo 'yung nagsasalita. Pangalawa, sobrang pikon.”

GMA’s The Mangahas Interviews, March 3, 2021

12. On what she called Calabarzon “massacre,” other killings:

“The Filipino people deserve better than this murderous regime."

Press statement, March 8, 2021