TALISAY CITY, Cebu —Vice President Leni Robredo has high hopes that she will repeat her 2016 victory in this province in her presidential bid in the upcoming May polls.
Robredo, a presidential aspirant, said she already has receipts or proof that she fulfilled her promises to Cebuanos when she ran for the vice presidency.
“Hindi ko pinabayaan ang (I’ve not neglected) Cebu in the almost six years as vice president,” she said in a media interview.
“Para sa akin, hindi na lang siya nakasalalay sa hope, nakasalalay siya sa proof na pina-promise natin na hindi lang pangako, pero ito na ‘yung service na binibigay natin (For me, it does not only depend on hope, it relies on the proof that what we promised will not only remain as a promise, but it’s the services we’ve provided) every single day as VP,” Robredo added.
The Vice President has toured many far-flung areas in the six years that she was the country’s second highest official but she has never been here in Talisay, a fishing community threatened with security in the seas, climate change, and modernization.
She told the fisherfolk she felt guilty for being there for the first time and only because of the elections.
“Sana mas malalim ang ugnayan natin (We could have a deeper relationship),” Robredo said as she promised to go back there once the elections are over.
During the Vice President’s visit, a young mother bravely went to her to ask help for her four-year-old child who has leukemia.
Robredo pledged medical support for the child and immediately asked a staff to attend to the mother.
The presidential candidate was in Talisay, Cebu to hold a townhall meeting with the Mananagat Sa Tangke PAMO Association (MATAPA). With her was running mate Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, whose former stint as food security czar made farmers’ and fisherfolk’ concerns close to his heart.
Pangilinan promised that since he is still senator until June 30, he will write to the national government and the Department of Agriculture (DA) about the concerns of the fisherfolk in Talisay.
The primary source of income in Talisay is fishing.
“Ilang mga daing at ilang mga problema na hinaharap natin na hahanapan at gagawan ng solusyon lalo na itong isyu sa reclamation at paano naapektuhan ang pinagkakakitaan, ang hanapbuhay ng ating mga fisherfolk (Some of the grievances and some of the problems faced and we are trying to look a solution for especially this issue about reclamation and how it affects the source of income, the livelihood of our fisherfolk),” the senator said in a dialogue with the fishing community in Brgy. Tangke, Talisay City, Cebu.
Based on the dialogue, Pangilinan shared that the fisherfolk is looking for livelihood training and support and capital to start their own businesses.
The fishermen told the senator, who was once the presidential assistant for food security and agricultural modernization, that they are also concerned about the security of the seas.
Pangilinan was also the former head of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and is now running under the slogan, “Hello Pagkain, Goodbye Gutom (Hello Food, Goodbye Hunger).”
The team proceeded to the St. Scholastica’s Academy to attend the Talisay City People’s Rally which was attended by pink-clad supporters from all sectors, many of whom are students and educators.
“Alam ko po na hindi pa po kami pumupunta dito, napakarami niyo nang ginagawa para sa amin, 'yung mga volunteers. Kaya maraming, maraming salamat po (I know that even before we went here, you have been doing a lot for us, the volunteers. That’s why thank you very, very much),” she told the crowd.
“Alam niyo po mahirap 'yung laban ngayon dahil malapit na at marami pa tayong gagawin. Pero kayo po 'yung nagpapagaan sa dala-dala namin. Kaya po maraming salamat po sa mga nandito (You know the battle is hard now because are near and we still need to do a lot of things. But you lift our burden),” Robredo added.
As the crowd spent time under the sun listening to the Vice President, she asked them why they are willing to go to such lengths to express their support.
“Dahil alam natin na napakahalaga noong eleksyon na ito, di ba? Dahil alam po natin na ang eleksyon na ito, hindi lang po ito laban namin ni Senator Kiko pero laban po ninyo itong lahat kasama namin (Because we know that this election is very important, right? Because we know that this election, this is not only mine and Senator Kiko’s fight but this is your fight, too),” she said.
Robredo said people will be fighting for the kind of government and politics they want to see in the next six years, adding that Filipinos deserve an honest and excellent government.
“Ang pinaglalaban po natin ngayon, ang gobyernong tapat may eleksyon o wala nandiyan siya para sa taumbayan (What we are fighting for now is an honest government whether there’s an election or not is there for the people),” she stressed.
Despite the lack of endorsements from local officials, the lone female presidential candidate this 2022 polls insisted that they draw strength from the volunteers, who spend time, money, and resources for them.
Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. and his son and namesake, Cebu Vice Governor Hilario Davide III, have already endorsed Robredo’s presidential bid.
Cebu-based local political party Bando Osmena Pun dok Kauswagan (BOPK) of former Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmena, whose wife, Margot, is running for mayor this election, also supports Robredo.