Elections is the season when all politicians love the poor and despise corruption but there is a way to check how genuine their claims and appeals are, Vice President and Presidential aspirant Leni Robredo said Friday, Oct. 29.
Check the candidates' track record, Robredo simply said, on how to determine whether a running politician is true to his words.
"'Pag panahon ng eleksyon, lahat kami mangangako. Ang sasabihin namin, lahat kami kontra sa korapsyon (During elections, we all make promises. We say we are against corruption)," Robredo said during a press briefing in Sorsogon.
"Pero ano ba yung assurance ng tao na 'pag nakaupo kami talagang sisiguraduhin namin na kontra kami sa korapsyon? Parati nating babalikan yung aming pinanggalingan (But what will be the people's assurance that we are really against corruption once we assume our post? Always track where we came from)," Robredo added.
The Vice President cited herself as an example that if people were to question her intentions against corruption, they would only have to look back if her name was ever involved in any corrupt activities in the past.
She also cited the record of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), which received the highest Commission on Audit (COA) rating for three-consecutive years, as among the track record proving her stand on corruption.
She mentioned the bills she filed and co-authored as a lawmaker that bat for transparency measures in public transactions and information.
The same can be applied when checking a candidate's "love for the poor," she said.
"Pagdating sa eleksyon, lahat ng kandidato mahal nila yung mahihirap. Pero ano ba yung pwede kong dala-dala sa conversation na magiging ebidensya kung bakit mahal ko yung mahihirap (During elections, all candidates love the poor. But what can I bring to the conversation that will prove my love for the poor)," Robredo said.
Robredo justified her intention in alleviating poverty through her work history. She worked at the Public Attorneys Office (PAO) and in a non-government organization that serves the poor.
"Ngayon na Vice President na ako, karamihan sa aming proyekto nandun sa pinakamalalayo, pinakamahirap, pinakamaliliit na lugar para maibsan yung kahirapan sa mga lugar na yun. Ang edge ko kapag sinabi kong ganito ako, meron akong pruweba (Now that I'm the Vice President, many of our projects are in the farthest, poorest, and smallest places to ease poverty in those areas. My edge is when I say I am this, I have proofs)," she said.