Should she win as president in the May 2022 polls, Vice President Leni Robredo said that she will unite the people behind a national consensus on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) dispute and make the economy more resilient.
The lone female presidential candidate stressed on Sunday, Feb. 27 that she will follow a four-point step in preparing the country for the impact of the disputes in the seas. These are: diplomatic, informational, military, and economic.
Primary of this is ensuring that the government will lead the push for a national consensus that the Filipinos are behind a single narrative or stand on the regional issue with China.
“Ika-apat (Fourth), economic. Sisiguraduhin natin na (We will make sure that) resilient ang ating ekonomiya para hindi tayo naiipit ng mga (our economy so we are not caught in between by) predatory practices ng ibang mga (of other) foreign powers,” Robredo said.
She attended the CNN’s “The Filipino Votes: Presidential Debate” with former presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella, labor leader Ka Leody de Guzman, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, former Defense chief Norberto Gonzales, Senator Panfilo Lacson, businessman Faisal Mangondato, Dr. Jose Montemayor Jr., and Senator Manny Pacquiao.
Former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declined the invitation. A seat was left empty for him.
Despite criticisms of her stand on allying with foreign powers, Robredo underscored the importance of diplomatic relations by strengthening alliances with countries that have the same interests as the Philippines.
“Para meron tayong kakampi (So we have an ally) just in case meron (there is) aggression,” she said.
Robredo earlier pointed out the country’s Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the United States since the treaty stated that the signatories—Manila and Washington—should come to each other’s defense in case of an external attack.
This should be coupled with improving the country’s military capabilities.
“Siguraduhin natin na popondohan natin ang (We are going to ensure to fund the) Armed Forces of the Philippines para makapag put up tayo ng (so we can put up a) credible defense against sa ating (our) aggressors. Hindi man natin mapantayan ang lakas ng ibang bansa (We may not be able to be at par with the strength of other countries), at least meron tayo ilalaban pareho ng pinapakita ngayon ng (we can fight the same thing that we see in) Ukraine,” Robredo added.