Vice President Leni Robredo is open to appearing in an infomercial with President Duterte to encourage the public to get vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The Vice President's spokesman Atty. Barry Gutierrez made the statement after Senator Joel Villanueva suggested the production of an infomercial featuring the county's top two leaders to encourage Filipinos to receive the COVID-19 shots.
In an interview with Super Radyo DZBB on Friday morning, Gutierrez said Robredo was just waiting for someone to get in touch with her to make this project happen.
"Kung talagang may magri-reach out sa kanya at magkasama sila ni Pangulong Duterte para magkaroon ng isang infomercial para lalong maengganyo ang ating mga kababayan na magpabakuna sa lalong madaling panahon, bukas po siya diyan (If someone will reach out to her to bring her and President Duterte in an infomercial to urge the public to vaccinated immediately, she's open to that)," he said.
"Sa panahon ngayon dapat talaga gagawin natin ang kailangan, magtulungan para lalong maitulak natin ang ating bansa lampas nitong pandemyang mahigit isang taon na nating binubuno (In times like these, we really need to help each other so we can help the country overcome this pandemic that we have been enduring for more than a year now)," he added.
According to Gutierrez, the Vice President has always been open to any initiatives that would help boost the public's confidence in the vaccines.
"Noong nakaraang Pebrero, naglabas na siya ng isang online infomercial na dini-discuss niya iyong iba’t ibang mga katanungan ng ating mga kababayan tungkol sa bakuna (Last February she released an online infomercial discusing the different questions the public has about the vaccines)," he said.
He added that Robredo has always been ready to work with the administration.
"Kahit kailan naman sa buong termino ni VP Leni, tuwing siya naman ay nilapitan, hiningi na magsilbi rito, maglingkod dito, sa kahit anong kapasidad, bukas na bukas po siya (During her entire time, the Vice President has always been open whenever they approach her and ask for her service)," he said.
In July last year, Vice President Robredo said she never closed her doors when it comes to working with President Duterte anew.
She said she was open to the possibility of working with the administration if she is given a role in the government’s COVID-19 response efforts.
Duterte named Robredo as head of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) in 2016 but the latter resigned from her post after she was barred from attending Cabinet meetings.
In November 2019, the Vice President was appointed as co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD), but her stint only lasted for 18 days after the President fired her due to mistrust and alleged incompetence to handle the job.
READ: Duterte to counter vaccine hesitancy by appearing in public service ad