‘LET LENI LEAD’: Ilonggos share thoughts on VP’s presidential bid

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

Vice President Leni Robredo’s announcement of her 2022 presidential bid on Thursday made waves on social and traditional media.

Robredo made the announcement in a live ceremony from her office at the Quezon City Reception House around 11 a.m. Thursday.

She said she went through a long process of discernment, saying that it wasn’t just based on the calls of her supporters, but the weight of the responsibility and what it would mean for the country.

She also mentioned having met with different presidential aspirants and her intent to step aside with the goal of unification.

“Sa prosesong ito, walang naging lugar ang ego o pansarili kong interes. Mabigat na responsibilidad ang pagka-Pangulo, at hindi ito puwedeng ibase sa ambisyon o sa pag-uudyok ng iba. Pagdating sa pamumuno, iisa lang dapat ang konsiderasyon: ‘Ano ba ang pinakamabuti para sa bansa natin?” Robredo said.

Tagging herself as the “mother of the country”, she confirmed the long-time wish of her supporters, calling it a “formidable fight”.

“Buong-buo ang loob ko ngayon: Kailangan nating palayain ang sarili mula sa kasalukuyang situwasyon. Lalaban ako; lalaban tayo. Inihahain ko ang aking sarili bilang kandidato sa pagkapangulo sa halalan ng 2022,” she said.

A few hours after she made the announcement, she filed her certificate of candidacy, sealing the deal as a contender for the top executive job.

Contrary to what many had assumed, she ran as an independent and not under the Liberal Party, where she had been affiliated with since her first run as representative of Camarines Sur’s third district in 2012.

Before and after the announcement, the vice president’s supporters ranging from celebrities to everyday people changed their profile pictures – either wearing pink clothing or simply posting a blank pink-colored canvas.

As of 6:15 p.m. on Thursday, the hashtag ‘#LabanLeni2022’ was still on top of the Twitter trends both in Iloilo City and in the Philippines, and number 3 on the worldwide list.

 

REACTIONS FROM ILONGGOS

Ilonggos shared their reactions and thoughts on Robredo’s declaration with Daily Guardian.

Journalism student Allaine Kate Leda called the vice president’s bid as “an act of political defiance against bad governance and a patriarchal society”.

Leda cited the vice president’s grit “amidst the prejudice and dehumanization from political enemies and the internet”.

“October 7, 2021 not only signifies Leni Robredo’s filing of presidential candidacy.  Today is a day of reckoning. The fall of the tyrants and the dismantling of the cage of elitism. The preservation of Philippine democracy and constitutional rights is now possible regardless of our identity and social class,” Leda said.

John Felip Gerasol struck a similar tone, tagging Robredo’s decision as “the rise of a lioness amidst the lion den”, saying that her win would “crush the patriarchy”.

“Our country had already suffered from decades of incompetence from patriarchal system and power dominance, where the submissive voices were disrupted to propagate. The victory of Leni Robredo will be the end of the fascist era. A lioness that will unselfishly lead and truly govern her cubs is the person we believe is more than capable to lead and the govern the den,” Gerasol said.

History student Jarl Matthew Tuazon said that the vice-president’s run gave him hope not only for himself, but also for the marginalized sectors that were left behind by the “anti-people” policies of the Duterte regime.

Tuazon warned, however, that her vast number of supporters should not be complacent, citing the machinery of the current administration and its allies and sympathizers.

“Hindi dapat tayo magpakampante dahil siguradong gagamit ng makinarya ang Duterte-Marcos tandem upang sirain ang VP, at isang malaking hamon sa atin kung paano ito malalabanan. Sa pamamagitan ng collective action at paglabas sa ating comfort zone sa pakikipag-usap at pagkumbinse sa tao, siguradong mananaig ang sambayanan,” Tuazon said.

Communication and Media Studies senior Mary Hope Abilo was doubtful if Robredo would really run but expressed being ecstatic when the vice president finally declared her candidacy.

“I wasn’t sure if she was running. She didn’t leave a clue or any sign that would give us a hint of her candidacy unlike other politicians. Like, sis Leni??? Kaya today??? So her announcement today, not really a surprise, gave me a sense of relief and hope. With everything going on in our country today, we need someone like Leni – strong, genuine, and strategic. She’s not perfect, there’s a lot she needs to work on but she is a good person with clean intentions. And that is something we always fail to see. Basta nalipay gid ko nga mapadalagan siya, ara gid sa iya akon suporta,” she said.

Netizen Rene Areño compared Robredo’s candidacy to that of Cory Aquino, alluding to both having been widows of political figures (Jesse Robredo and Ninoy Aquino), as well as their opponent being a Marcos.

Aquino defeated the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos in the 1987 snap elections, while Robredo is up for a rematch with Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the presidential race.

Robredo defeated Marcos in the 2016 vice-presidential race with 14.02 million votes against the latter’s 13.8 million ballots.

The younger Marcos took Robredo to the Presidential Electoral Tribunal and challenged the results of the race, but was also unsuccessful. In fact, the vice president’s lead widened by an additional 15,000 after the recount.

Areño also cited the “change” touted by then-presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte, which he said the latter failed to achieve.

“Like many, I was holding back hoping for the promised change and change did come–for the worst. [Robredo] is the brightest of a few stars that shone in this darkened era. The president downplayed the deadly ‘beerus’ and made a response slower than a snail. When the ‘beerus’ did come, his friends made a killing in profits by 104,000 [percent],” Areño said.