Lawyer and former Vice President Leni Robredo on Friday, July 1, announced the launching of Angat Pinas Incorporated that will continue the works of the Angat Buhay program, which she started during her vice presidency.
Robredo led the ceremony at the program's volunteer center on Katipunan Ave. in Quezon City, where she also announced the approval of the non-governmental organization's (NGO) business registration.
The NGO's name will be Angat Pinas Incorporated due to the existence of another company named Angat Buhay. However, the program's name will remain as Angat Buhay.
On May 13, during her thanksgiving ceremony with her supporters after losing her presidential bid, Robredo announced the creation of Angat Buhay NGO, which is poised to become the widest volunteer network in the country.
The establishment of the organization was driven by the hundreds of thousands of people who showed up and even volunteered during the campaign of Robredo, who will now chair the NGO.
"Hindi dapat masayang yung magandang nasimulan natin. Hindi man tayo nagwagi, nagtagumpay pa rin tayo (We should not lose what we started. We might not have win, but we still triumphed). We really started something very very special during the campaign," said the former vice president.
The NGO will primarily have four pillars, just like what the Angat Buhay had in the past six years. They will be: health, education, disaster relief and rehabilitation, and community engagement.
At the height of Covid-19 crisis, Robredo, through the Angat Buhay program, managed to provide free transportation service as well as dormitories to frontline workers. Her office also provided vaccines to market vendors and drivers, and free health consultation to those in need.
In terms of education, Angat Buhay provided, among others, free dormitories to children who live far away from their schools. While in disaster relief and rehabilitation, Robredo's office responded to bring basic necessities in areas affected by typhoons, earthquakes or volcanic eruptions.
Angat Buhay will have its own phone application, where interested individuals can donate. There are three choices: patron-based donations, which will be done on a regular basis; project-based donations, the funds of which will be dedicated for a certain project; and disaster relief fund, which will collect funds for future disasters.
"Yung challenge talaga sa'tin papaano natin mahaharness yung energies natin lahat (The challenge for us is how to harness our energy) into things that are productive. And we feel like the Angat Buhay will be the perfect platform for it," Robredo said.