For Vice President Leni Robredo, the election is a “reset button” and one that voters should use to elect good leaders who would aim to end patronage politics and rampant vote-buying.
She lamented how Masbate province, despite its rich resources, remains poor and Masbateños had gotten so used to the kind of politics that does not empower them enough.
“So, pag may nangyayaring ganito, 'yung eleksyon (when something like this happens, the election), is always a chance for us to do a reset button. 'Yung eleksyon pinapaalala sa atin na ang tunay na kapangyarihan nasa kamay ng ordinaryong mamamayan (The election is a reminder that true power is on the hands of the ordinary citizens),” she told Bishop Jose Bantolo, parish priests, and other religious leaders during a visit to Masbate City on Wednesday, April 13.
Robredo added that patronage politics and the lack of social services led to vote-buying and the “feeling of helplessness” that the electorate feels.
“Pag ako, ordinaryong mamamayan, nagkasakit 'yung aking magulang, lalapit ako kung sino naka-upo. Kung sinong lalapitan ko, bibigyan ako (If I am an ordinary citizen, my parents got sick, I will seek help from those who are seated. Whoever I will ask help from, will help me), and I would feel indebted to that person, and that's patronage,” she explained.
An unempowered electorate is the reason why vote-buying is endemic in the Philippines, the Vice President noted, sharing that in her home town of Naga City, vote-buying does not prosper because Nagueños are empowered.
She reiterated a controversial remark that admittedly put her in hot water in the past—that voters can accept the money offered by politicians because it came from them, but they should still vote according to conscience.
The one common thing among the poorest places in the Philippines is an unempowered people.
“Gustong sabihin, parang tinanggap na ng tao na ang may kapangyarihan 'yung mga namumuno sa kanila (What I mean is, the people already accepted that the leaders have power over them),” she said.
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Empowering the people would mean giving them a seat in governance and providing social services that would push patronage politics away, Robredo added.
Citing the programs established by her husband, the late former Interior secretary Jesse Robredo, she explained that Nagueños aren’t afraid to call out local politicians because there are enough services and programs to help those in need.
“Kasi pag ang tao, hindi niya nararamdaman na indebted siya sa politiko, 'yung participation niya sa governance, mas maayos (Because the people, if they don’t feel indebted to politicians, their participation in governance will be better). Meaning to say, pag nagkakamali 'yung politiko, hindi siya natatakot magpuna, kasi wala naman siyang utang na loob (when the politicians make a mistake, they won’t fear calling them out because there is no debt of gratitude),” Robredo stressed.
Patronage politics, she said, would be a never-ending cycle because people would simply stay silent if they need to constantly ask help from government officials.