MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Leni Robredo gave a reminder that like other Filipinos, she also has the right to criticize the government when she finds something wrong.
During an interview with journalist Howie Severino, Robredo was asked to respond to an editorial made by a local newspaper. According to the editorial, Robredo has no right to voice out her opinion on policy matters because as per the constitution, the vice president has supposedly no role in policy-making. Robredo said it is her right as a citizen to give suggestions that will help in nation building.
“Kahit hindi ako VP, kahit ordinaryong mamamayan lang ako may karapatan akong ipahayag ‘yung aking mga mungkahi. May karapatan akong mag-criticize if I need to criticize, kasi ‘yun ‘yung demands ng pagiging Filipino ko. And demands sa akin as a Filipino ay maging bahagi, maging bahagi ako sa nation building,” Robredo said.
The Vice President lamented how frustrating it is to witness the lack of coordination and direction of the various agencies in the government’s efforts against COVID-19.
“Kasi parang napaka-frustrating tingnan. Napaka-frustrating tingnan na ‘yun nga hindi mo alam kung ano ‘yung direksyon. ‘Yung sasabihin ng isa, sasalungatin ng isa. ‘Yung direksyon ng ahensya hindi sabay-sabay,” Robredo said.
"And I think nakikita ito during the press conferences. Ako I have been religiously watching the Monday press conferences. Dapat sana 'yung press conferences for me dapat reassuring, dapat 'di ba? Alam mo ‘yun,” she added.
Robredo compared how the press conferences of other world leaders such as New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen were more clear in their directives. She went on that the Duterte government has no sense of urgency which only puts the poor citizens at risk.
"Parang ‘pag humaharap sa publiko parang 'yung plano nakalatag. Parang ako kung makikinig ako alam ko kung ano ang ie-expect ko ngayong linggo, ano ‘yung mangyayari, ano ‘yung targets, ano ‘yung nangyari du'n sa targets last week. Pero frustrating panoorin na parang alam mo ‘yun parang walang sense of urgency. And I think detrimental ito lalo sa mahihirap,” she said.
She said it would be a disservice to the Filipino people if he would turn a blind eye on the government’s inefficiencies. Robredo said she knows she will be attacked by trolls for her opinions but it will not stop her from making suggestions.
In the end, Robredo reiterated that it is her obligation and the rest of the Filipinos to voice out their criticisms. "It might not be the same for all pero may mga taong pareho ng aking paniniwala. So sa akin obligasyon ‘yun and hindi puwedeng sabihin na dahil hindi ako presidente, hindi ako puwedeng magsalita. Kasi kahit as I have said kahit walang katungkulan puwedeng magsalita,” she said.
“Problema natin hindi tayo naging maagap”
The Vice President had been vocal of her dissatisfaction of the government’s anti-COVID response. She said the government has not been proactive and had no sense of urgency since the first case of COVID-19 was recorded in the country.
"Ang problema kasi natin hindi tayo naging maagap. Marami tayong kailangang ginawa February at saka March, parang ngayon pa lang tayo humahabol,” she said.
Robredo has sent to Malacañang her 3 sets of proposals that aimed to help the government boost its COVID-19 response. However, she earned the ire of President Duterte in August for criticizing the government and said she is only “adding fuel to the fire.”
"At ito namang kay Leni that, in her ending statement, said that kung hindi ko raw gawin, ng gobyerno, gagawin ng tao. Well, sa panahong itong pandemic na medyo desperado ang mga tao tapos dagdagan niyo ng mga ganoon na wala naman kayong base, sana may maipakita kayo. Please do not add fuel to the fire," said Duterte.
— Sally, The Summit Express
During an interview with journalist Howie Severino, Robredo was asked to respond to an editorial made by a local newspaper. According to the editorial, Robredo has no right to voice out her opinion on policy matters because as per the constitution, the vice president has supposedly no role in policy-making. Robredo said it is her right as a citizen to give suggestions that will help in nation building.
“Kahit hindi ako VP, kahit ordinaryong mamamayan lang ako may karapatan akong ipahayag ‘yung aking mga mungkahi. May karapatan akong mag-criticize if I need to criticize, kasi ‘yun ‘yung demands ng pagiging Filipino ko. And demands sa akin as a Filipino ay maging bahagi, maging bahagi ako sa nation building,” Robredo said.
The Vice President lamented how frustrating it is to witness the lack of coordination and direction of the various agencies in the government’s efforts against COVID-19.
“Kasi parang napaka-frustrating tingnan. Napaka-frustrating tingnan na ‘yun nga hindi mo alam kung ano ‘yung direksyon. ‘Yung sasabihin ng isa, sasalungatin ng isa. ‘Yung direksyon ng ahensya hindi sabay-sabay,” Robredo said.
"And I think nakikita ito during the press conferences. Ako I have been religiously watching the Monday press conferences. Dapat sana 'yung press conferences for me dapat reassuring, dapat 'di ba? Alam mo ‘yun,” she added.
Robredo compared how the press conferences of other world leaders such as New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen were more clear in their directives. She went on that the Duterte government has no sense of urgency which only puts the poor citizens at risk.
"Parang ‘pag humaharap sa publiko parang 'yung plano nakalatag. Parang ako kung makikinig ako alam ko kung ano ang ie-expect ko ngayong linggo, ano ‘yung mangyayari, ano ‘yung targets, ano ‘yung nangyari du'n sa targets last week. Pero frustrating panoorin na parang alam mo ‘yun parang walang sense of urgency. And I think detrimental ito lalo sa mahihirap,” she said.
She said it would be a disservice to the Filipino people if he would turn a blind eye on the government’s inefficiencies. Robredo said she knows she will be attacked by trolls for her opinions but it will not stop her from making suggestions.
In the end, Robredo reiterated that it is her obligation and the rest of the Filipinos to voice out their criticisms. "It might not be the same for all pero may mga taong pareho ng aking paniniwala. So sa akin obligasyon ‘yun and hindi puwedeng sabihin na dahil hindi ako presidente, hindi ako puwedeng magsalita. Kasi kahit as I have said kahit walang katungkulan puwedeng magsalita,” she said.
“Problema natin hindi tayo naging maagap”
The Vice President had been vocal of her dissatisfaction of the government’s anti-COVID response. She said the government has not been proactive and had no sense of urgency since the first case of COVID-19 was recorded in the country.
"Ang problema kasi natin hindi tayo naging maagap. Marami tayong kailangang ginawa February at saka March, parang ngayon pa lang tayo humahabol,” she said.
Robredo has sent to Malacañang her 3 sets of proposals that aimed to help the government boost its COVID-19 response. However, she earned the ire of President Duterte in August for criticizing the government and said she is only “adding fuel to the fire.”
"At ito namang kay Leni that, in her ending statement, said that kung hindi ko raw gawin, ng gobyerno, gagawin ng tao. Well, sa panahong itong pandemic na medyo desperado ang mga tao tapos dagdagan niyo ng mga ganoon na wala naman kayong base, sana may maipakita kayo. Please do not add fuel to the fire," said Duterte.
— Sally, The Summit Express
I know that we have the right to criticized but what opposition now doing are, they criticized whatever project of the administration has even if it is good. What opposition always see are anything that can criticized, they are only looking for mistake.
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