CAVITE—Presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo on Thursday, Nov. 25, told her supporters and volunteers to “look for empathy” when deciding who to vote for in the 2022 elections.

But empathy, she said during the People’s Council event here in Dasmariñas City, is not something one learns.

“It’s not magic,” Robredo stressed in Filipino. “Ang (My) description ko nga po diyan ang (of that is) empathy para siyang (is like a) spiritual muscle na (that) the more you use the muscle the more nararamdaman mo ‘yun paghihirap na pinagdadaanan ng mga kababayan mo (you feel the hardship that your fellowmen are going through).”

“Kapag pipili po tayo ng lider pag-aralan natin (If we are going to choose a leader, let’s study).”

She stressed the need to look at the “track record” of the candidates—whether or not the candidates have done what they promised during the campaign period.

“Kung ano iyong mga naging posisyon in the past, paano niya ba pineform ang kanyang role. Kasi baka totoo na nag mayor, nag governor, nag congressman o kung ano man pero laging naman siyang absent. Iyong kanyang pagperform ay dahil lang sa pagperform ng kanyang mga staff (Whatever their positions were in the past, how did they perform their roles. Because it might be true that they became mayor, governor, congressman or whatever but they’re always absent. Their performance was because of their staff),” Robredo said.

The Vice President boasted about her own track record, adding that she can proudly say she is a hard worker.

“Ibang klaseng serbisyo po ang bibigay sa atin kapag iyong mga namumuno sa atin ganung klaseng lider (They will give us a different kind of service when our officials are those kind of leader),” she added.

READ: Robredo urges voters: Check on candidates' track record on fighting corruption, poverty

While her supporters and volunteers have been warmly welcoming her visits to their provinces, Robredo said that this is not enough and asked her supporters to invite others in joining their cause.

She told supporters not to be contented with surrounding themselves with the same group of people who also plan to vote for her.

Rather, she asked them to engage with others because this is the only path to victory.

“Siguraduhin po natin na nagpaparami tayo (Let us make sure that we are multiplying),” Robredo said. “Mayroon pa po tayong six months. Maraming oras pa yan. Bawat buwan maraming nangyayari (We still have six months. That’s still a lot of time. Every month, a lot can happen).”

Although the campaign season is not set to start until February 9, Robredo and her team have been going around the country to thank supporters, oversee the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) projects, and inaugurate volunteer-driven initiatives and donor-sponsored headquarters.

She recalled that during the 2016 vice presidential race, she started at one percent in preferential surveys but went on to win over a formidable rival, former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

“Walang dahilan na hindi natin maulit ang nagawa natin noong 2016...dahil sa sipag, suporta nyo nagtagumpay po tayo (There is no reason for us not to repeat what we did in 2016...because of your diligence, support we won),” Robredo said.

However, the aspiring president warned her supporters against trolling on social media, advising them instead to “block the trolls.”

“Pero kung may nakikita kayong kasinungalingan, kailangang sagutin natin ng katotohanan kasi kapag pinabayaan natin ang kasinungalingan, maraming maniniwala (But if you can see lies, we need to answer that with the truth because if we let the lies spread, many will believe them),” she added.