Maria Leonor "Leni" Gerona Robredo (; born Maria Leonor Santo Tomas Gerona; April 23, 1965) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the
14th vice president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022.
She was the wife of the late
Jesse Robredo, who was
interior secretary from 2010 until his death in 2012. A long-time human rights lawyer and social activist, she eventually ran for public office and was elected in 2013 as the
3rd district representative
Representative may refer to:
Politics
* Representative democracy, type of democracy in which elected officials represent a group of people
* House of Representatives, legislative body in various countries or sub-national entities
* Legislator, som ...
of
Camarines Sur
Camarines Sur ( bcl, Habagatan na Camarines; tl, Timog Camarines), officially the Province of Camarines Sur, is a province in the Philippines located in the Bicol Region on Luzon. Its capital is Pili and the province borders Camarines Norte an ...
, her home province. She served in this position for three years, writing legislation on agrarian reform, people empowerment, and anti-corruption. She then assumed the vice presidency in 2016, after winning that year's
election
An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office.
Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has opera ...
. Robredo defeated
Bongbong Marcos, son of the ousted dictator and kleptocrat
Ferdinand Marcos, by a narrow margin of 263,473 votes. Bongbong Marcos
protested the results, alleging that her party, the Liberal Party, had manipulated the votes. However, the
Supreme Court found no evidence of fraud and even reported that her actual lead over Marcos was higher at 278,566. Robredo is the second woman to serve as vice president of the Philippines, after
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the House Deputy Speakers since 2022, and previously from 2016 to 2017. She previously ...
, and the first vice president from the
Bicol Region
Bicol, known formally as the Bicol Region or colloquially as Bicolandia ( bcl, Rehiyon kan Bikol; Rinconada Bikol: ''Rehiyon ka Bikol''; Waray Sorsogon, Masbateño: ''Rehiyon san Bikol''; tl, Rehiyon ng Bikol), is an administrative region of ...
.
Robredo has spearheaded multiple programs in the
Office of the Vice President (OVP); her flagship
anti-poverty
Poverty reduction, poverty relief, or poverty alleviation, is a set of measures, both economic and humanitarian, that are intended to permanently lift people out of poverty.
Measures, like those promoted by Henry George in his economics clas ...
program, ''Angat Buhay'' (), has helped address key areas including education, rural development, and healthcare, in partnership with more than 300 organizations. During the
COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
The COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines has resulted in, as of , reported cases, resulting in reported deaths, the fifth-highest in Southeast Asia, behind Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The first case in the Philippines was ...
, the OVP under Robredo responded by providing free shuttle services for frontline workers,
swab tests,
telehealth
Telehealth is the distribution of health-related services and information via electronic information and telecommunication technologies. It allows long-distance patient and clinician contact, care, advice, reminders, education, intervention, mon ...
services, and raised funds for relief operations across the country. Robredo was awarded by the
government of Thailand
The Government of Thailand, or formally the Royal Thai Government ( Abrv: RTG; th, รัฐบาลไทย, , ), is the unitary government of the Kingdom of Thailand. The country emerged as a modern nation state after the foundation of ...
in 2016 for her work and advocacy in
women's empowerment
Women's empowerment (or female empowerment) may be defined in several ways, including accepting women's viewpoints, making an effort to seek them and raising the status of women through education, awareness, literacy, and training.Kabeer, Naila ...
and
gender equality
Gender equality, also known as sexual equality or equality of the sexes, is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making; and the state of valuing d ...
. Under her leadership, the OVP also received the
ISO 9001: 2015 certification for the office's quality management systems.
During her vice presidency, she served as the chair of the
Liberal Party
The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left.
__TOC__ Active liberal parties
This is a li ...
and ''de facto'' leader of the opposition to President
Rodrigo Duterte's administration, where she was appointed by Duterte and briefly served as the chair of the
Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and the co-chairperson of the
Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs. She has received backlash from government supporters for her being staunchly critical to
Duterte's policies such as the
war on drugs
The war on drugs is a global campaign, led by the United States federal government, of drug prohibition, military aid, and military intervention, with the aim of reducing the illegal drug trade in the United States.Cockburn and St. Clair, 1 ...
, counter-insurgency initiatives,
COVID-19 pandemic response, and soft stance toward China. She has been a constant target of
disinformation
Disinformation is false information deliberately spread to deceive people. It is sometimes confused with misinformation, which is false information but is not deliberate.
The English word ''disinformation'' comes from the application of the L ...
, with many articles making false claims about her personal life to discredit her.
Robredo
ran for president as an independent candidate in the
2022 Philippine presidential election with Liberal Party leader Senator
Francis Pangilinan
Francis Pancratius "Kiko" Nepomuceno Pangilinan (; born August 24, 1963) is a Filipino lawyer, politician, and farm owner who served as a Senator from 2001 to 2013 and from 2016 to 2022. He was the Senate Majority Leader from 2004 to 2008.
A ...
as her running mate.
Her campaign, which centered on thwarting
another Marcos regime
In politics, a regime (also "régime") is the form of government or the set of rules, cultural or social norms, etc. that regulate the operation of a government or institution and its interactions with society. According to Yale professor Juan Jo ...
, was noted for the strength of its volunteers and the attendance in its rallies, her popularity among the younger generation. Robredo lost the election, placing second with 15,035,773 votes;
her campaign has been observed to have been affected by disinformation against her, as well as her lack of
political machinery.
Early life and education
Maria Leonor Santo Tomas Gerona was born on April 23, 1965, in
Naga, Camarines Sur
Naga, officially the City of Naga (Central Bikol: ''Siyudad nin Naga''; Rinconada Bikol: ''Syudad ka Naga''; fil, Lungsod ng Naga) or the Pilgrim City of Naga, is a 1st class independent component city in the Bicol Region of the Philippines ...
, Philippines.
She was the first of three children born to Naga City Regional Trial Court Judge
Antonio Gerona (c. 1933–2013) and Salvacion Santo Tomas (1936–2020).
Robredo attended the basic education department of
Universidad de Sta. Isabel in Naga, graduating from elementary school in 1978, and from high school in 1982. She earned her degree in Bachelor of Arts in
Economics
Economics () is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and interactions of economic agents and how economies work. Microeconomics analyzes ...
from the
University of the Philippines School of Economics at
UP Diliman
, image = University of The Philippines seal.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = Official Logo of UP Diliman
, motto = Honor and Excellence
, established = February 12, 194 ...
in 1986, and proceeded to study law at the
University of Nueva Caceres
, image = Seal of University of Nueva Caceres.png
, image_size = 175px
, caption = Seal
, former_name = Nueva Caceres Colleges (1948)
, motto = '' Non Scholæ Sed ...
, graduating in 1992.
She passed the
bar exams in 1997.
Gerona chose to temporarily forego law studies and instead decided to work as a researcher for the Bicol River Basin Development Program (BRBDP),
a government agency tasked with integrated area development planning in the three provinces of the
Bicol Region
Bicol, known formally as the Bicol Region or colloquially as Bicolandia ( bcl, Rehiyon kan Bikol; Rinconada Bikol: ''Rehiyon ka Bikol''; Waray Sorsogon, Masbateño: ''Rehiyon san Bikol''; tl, Rehiyon ng Bikol), is an administrative region of ...
.
Here she met then-program director
Jesse Robredo, who would eventually become her husband.
Having passed the bar on her second attempt in 1996
and admitted in May 1997, Robredo served in the
Public Attorney's Office,
a role in which she often took up the defense for cases pursued by her husband, who by then had become Mayor of Naga.
From 1998 to 2008, Robredo became the coordinator of
Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Panligan (SALIGAN), a Naga-based alternative legal support group.
SALIGAN's work
aimed to encourage young legal professionals to take on leadership roles, and involved visiting distant rural communities to provide legal services to residents who would otherwise have little or no access to such services,
as well as conducting legal advocacy by proposing amendments and new laws based on the needs of these marginalized communities. Later, the group's focus shifted to include helping rural women to acquire capital in order to participate in competitive markets.
In addition, Robredo founded the Lakas ng Kababaihan ng Naga Federation, an organization that provides training and livelihood opportunities for women, in 1989.
In 2012, Robredo was named the chairperson of the Liberal Party in Camarines Sur.
Political career
Congressional career
Robredo ran in
Camarines Sur
Camarines Sur ( bcl, Habagatan na Camarines; tl, Timog Camarines), officially the Province of Camarines Sur, is a province in the Philippines located in the Bicol Region on Luzon. Its capital is Pili and the province borders Camarines Norte an ...
's 3rd congressional district during the
Philippine general elections of 2013. On May 16, 2013, she was proclaimed winner, beating Nelly Favis-Villafuerte (of
Nationalist People's Coalition/
United Nationalist Alliance
The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA; ) is a political party in the Philippines. It was created as a multi-party electoral alliance replacing the former United Opposition (UNO) coalition for the 2013 midterm elections, before it was launche ...
), wife of former Congressman
Luis Villafuerte
Luis Robredo Villafuerte Sr. (August 29, 1935 – September 8, 2021) was a Filipino politician who served as Governor of Camarines Sur and as a member of the House of Representatives from 2004 to 2013. He represented Camarines Sur
Camarines ...
and member of the politically powerful Villafuerte dynasty.
During her term in congress, Robredo was the vice chairman of the House committees on good governance, public accountability, and revision of laws, and a member of 11 other house panels. She was known for being a strong advocate of the
Freedom of Information Act Freedom of Information Act may refer to the following legislations in different jurisdictions which mandate the national government to disclose certain data to the general public upon request:
* Freedom of Information Act 1982, the Australian act
* ...
, and a strong supporter of the
Bangsamoro Basic Law.
Participatory governance and transparency were the major objectives and thrusts of Robredo's legislative agenda. The first law Robredo authored in congress was the Full Disclosure Policy Bill (HB 19), which would have mandated all government agencies and their sub-units and projects to disclose their budget and financial transactions in a conspicuous manner "without any requests from the public." Concerned that the marginalized sector should not be denied access to government frontline services and public meetings based on their attire, she sponsored the Open Door Policy Act (House Bill No. 6286),
which prohibits government offices and agencies from implementing strict dress codes.
Robredo also authored the People Empowerment Bill (HB 4911
), which sought to allow more participation from Filipinos in decision and policy-making, and the Participatory Budget Process Bill (HB 3905), which sought to increase participation in budget-related decisions in government projects by locals.
She also wrote the Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Bill (HB 3432) to prohibit discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, race, religion or belief, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expressions, language, disability, HIV status, etc.
To promote transparency in the taxation process, she sponsored the house version (House Bill 05831) of what would eventually become Republic Act RA10708, the Tax Incentives Management and Transparency Act of 2009 (TIMTA).
Other major legislation co-authored by Robredo includes the Anti-Dynasty Bill
and the Healthy Beverage Options Act (House Bill 4021).
Legislative portfolio
As a member of the 16th Congress, Robredo was one of the principal authors of the house version of "The Tax Incentives Management and Transparency Act (TIMTA)" (Republic Act RA10708, House Bill 05831), which was enacted on December 9, 2015. She also co-authored the house version
of the following laws: the “National Children’s Month Act,” Republic Act RA10661 (HB01641) enacted on May 29, 2015, declaring the celebration of the national children's month on November of every year; the "Charter of the Quezon City Development Authority," Republic Act RA10646 (HB03899), lapsed into law on November 8, 2014; the "Open High School System Act," Republic Act RA10665 (HB04085) enacted on July 9, 2015, establishing and appropriating funds for the open
high school system; Republic Act RA10638 (HB04089), extending the corporate life of the
Philippine National Railways for another 50 years, enacted on June 16, 2014; Republic Act RA10707 (HB04147), amending the "Probation Law of 1976" enacted on November 26, 2015, rationalizing and strengthening the
probation
Probation in criminal law is a period of supervision over an offender, ordered by the court often in lieu of incarceration.
In some jurisdictions, the term ''probation'' applies only to community sentences (alternatives to incarceration), such ...
system; the "Graphic Health Warnings Law," Republic Act RA10643 (HB04590), enacted on November 15, 2014, prescribing the printing of graphic health warnings on
tobacco
Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
products; Republic Act RA10655 (HB05280), decriminalizing
premature remarriages, enacted on March 13, 2015; and the "Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act.of 2015," Republic Act RA10742 (HB06043), enacted on January 15, 2016.
In addition, Robredo was one of many co-authors of the National Budgets for the years 2014 (RA10633, HB02630, enacted on December 20, 2013), 2015 (RA10651, HB04968, enacted on December 23, 2014), and 2016 (RA10717, HB06132, enacted on December 22, 2015).
Robredo was also a key supporter of: HB 4911: People Empowerment Bill to create a partnership between local governments and civil society through the establishment of a people's council in every local government unit. This act also prescribes the powers and functions of said council;
HB 3432: Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination to prohibit discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, race, religion or belief, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expressions, language, disability, HIV status, and other status, and provide penalties for these;
HB 4021: Healthy Beverage Options to regulate the availability of beverages to children in schools and for other purposes; HB 19: Full Disclosure Policy to require the full disclosure of all information on fiscal management from all national government departments, bureaus, agencies, and other instrumentalities, including government-owned or controlled corporations and their subsidiaries and local governments. This act will also provide penalties for violations of said requirements;
HB 3905: Participatory Budget Process to institutionalize citizens’ participation in the budget process and for other processes;
and HB 3237: Freedom of Information to strengthen the right of citizens to information held by the government.
Vice Presidency (2016-2022)
On October 5, 2015, after her three daughters set aside their initial objections, Robredo announced that she would run for the post of
Vice President of the Philippines
The vice president of the Philippines ( fil, Pangalawang Pangulo ng Pilipinas, also referred to as ''Bise Presidente ng Pilipinas'') is the second-highest official in the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the first in the p ...
under the
Liberal Party
The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left.
__TOC__ Active liberal parties
This is a li ...
in the
2016 election, as the running mate of presidential candidate
Mar Roxas.
Robredo won the election with 14,418,817 votes, or 35.11 percent of cast ballots, narrowly defeating her closest rival, Senator
Ferdinand Marcos, Jr, by 263,473 votes or by 0.64 percent.
Robredo was sworn in as vice president of the Philippines on June 30, 2016, at the
Quezon City Reception House
The Quezon City Reception House is a reception house built and owned by the government of Quezon City to accommodate visiting dignitaries. It was built on the lot of the uncompleted and controversial Boracay Mansion. It was previously occupied by ...
, which she had since used as her office.
Robredo first met President
Rodrigo Duterte personally at the
Armed Forces of the Philippines
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The ...
change-of-command ceremonies at
Camp Aguinaldo
Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo (CGEA), also known as Camp Aguinaldo, is the site of the general headquarters (GHQ) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) located in eastern Metro Manila, the Philippines.
It is located in Quezon City alon ...
on July 1, 2016, a day after their inauguration. She later paid a
courtesy call
A courtesy call is a call or visit made out of politeness. It is usually done between two parties of high position such as a government official to meet and briefly discuss about important or concerning matters.
Diplomacy
In diplomacy, a courtesy ...
on him at
Malacañang Palace
Malacañang Palace ( fil, Palasyo ng Malakanyang, ; es, Palacio de Malacañán), officially known as Malacañan Palace, is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the Philippines. It is located in the Manila distric ...
on July 4, their first formal meeting. On July 7, Duterte called Robredo during a press conference to offer her the cabinet position of head of the
Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council
The Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) was the umbrella agency of various housing and development offices of the Philippine government. It was established by President Corazon Aquino through Executive Order No. 90, Series ...
, which Robredo accepted. Robredo is the third vice president to head the government agency focused on housing programs, following her immediate predecessors
Noli de Castro
Manuel Leuterio de Castro Jr. (; born July 6, 1949), professionally known as Noli de Castro, is a Filipino journalist, news anchor and politician who served as the 12th vice president of the Philippines from 2004 until 2010, under President ...
and
Jejomar Binay
Jejomar "Jojo" Cabauatan Binay Sr. (born Jesus Jose Cabauatan Binay; November 11, 1942) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 13th vice president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016, under President Benigno Aquino III.
A h ...
. Duterte earlier said that he did not want to appoint a cabinet position to Robredo due to his unfamiliarity with her and his friendship with Marcos.
On December 4, 2016, Robredo was informed by Cabinet Secretary
Leoncio Evasco Jr. "to desist from attending all Cabinet meetings starting December 5", which prompted her to release a statement tendering her resignation as the chairwoman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, effective the following day.
In March 2017, Robredo sent a video appeal to the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...
in which she claimed that the Philippine National Police had unwritten policies in its operations in the drug war, where family members of drug peddlers were allegedly being held hostage and relatives of drug users and pushers wanted by the police were being killed. Robredo's message to a side meeting of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs annual meeting in Vienna last March 16 stirred a political firestorm as it coincided with the filing by
Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano of the
first impeachment case against President Duterte. Robredo also claimed of a "palit ulo" (head swapping) scheme, where police allegedly rounded up families of accused drug personalities to demand for their relatives to be taken in exchange for the accused drug personalities if they could not be found. Citing a lack of evidence to the claims, a group of lawyers and academics filed an impeachment attempt against Robredo for allegedly "betraying her oath to defend the country." The impeachment campaign against her was rejected by Duterte himself, and never gained traction due to a lack of endorsement from the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
.
On November 4, 2019, Duterte assigned Robredo to be co-chairperson of the
Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) until the end of his term in 2022, said presidential spokesman
Salvador Panelo
Salvador "Sal" San Buenaventura Panelo (born September 23, 1946) is a Filipino lawyer who served as President Rodrigo Duterte's Chief Presidential Legal Counsel (2016–2021) and Presidential Spokesperson (2018–2020). He was also the legal a ...
. After 19 days, however, Duterte fired Robredo from her post after stiff opposition from the Duterte administration following her meetings with foreign entities and request for classified drug war information during her tenure as ICAD co-chair.
The
Office of the Vice President under Robredo was identified by the
Commission on Audit in 2017 for delays in liquidating travel expenses. But for the next four consecutive years (2018–2022), the office received the highest audit rating from the commission.
Policies
Robredo has spearheaded programs under the
Office of the Vice President (OVP). As of January 2022, her flagship anti-poverty program Angat Buhay has benefitted 622,000 families in 223 cities and municipalities across the country since she assumed office in 2016. P520 million worth of aid has been mobilized for the program, mostly from donations by the private sector. The OVP under Robredo has partnered with 372 organizations in the implementation of Angat Buhay. The Angat Buhay program focuses on six key advocacy areas, namely: public education, rural development, food security and nutrition, women empowerment, universal healthcare, and housing and resettlement.
In October 2017, the Senate increased the 2018 budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) by ₱20 million, which was allotted for the vice president's Angat Buhay program.
In the same month, Robredo called on fellow Filipinos to remember the 165 soldiers and police who gave their lives for the liberation of Marawi City. Robredo said her office was already preparing to help in the rehabilitation of Marawi City, primarily through its flagship anti-poverty program.
COVID-19 pandemic response
During the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, the OVP under Robredo provided free shuttle services for pandemic frontline workers,
swab tests,
telehealth
Telehealth is the distribution of health-related services and information via electronic information and telecommunication technologies. It allows long-distance patient and clinician contact, care, advice, reminders, education, intervention, mon ...
services, and raised funds for relief operations across the country. The office has also delivered 7,350
personal protective equipment
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, e ...
(PPEs) to nine hospitals, including the
San Lazaro Hospital
The San Lazaro Hospital (SLH) is a tertiary health facility in Manila, Philippines. It is a referral facility for communicable diseases and is one of the retained special tertiary hospital of the Department of Health and is funded by subsidy fr ...
, the
Philippine General Hospital
The Philippine General Hospital (also known as University of the Philippines–Philippine General Hospital or UP–Philippine General Hospital), simply referred to as UP–PGH or PGH, is a tertiary state-owned hospital administered and operated ...
, and the
Lung Center of the Philippines
The Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) ( fil, Ospital ng Pilipinas sa may sakit sa Baga) is a government tertiary hospital specializing in the cure and prevention of lung and other chest diseases, located on Central, Quezon City, Philippines ...
. A total of ₱17.3 million was raised for these donations, including food and care packages for the health workers and their families.
2019 Philippine Senate election
On October 24, 2018, Robredo officially launched the opposition senatorial slate for the 2019 senatorial elections, declaring that 'the opposition is alive.'
The opposition candidates ran under the "
Otso Diretso
Otso Diretso ( ), initially called the Oposisyon Koalisyon () was an electoral alliance formed to field candidates for the 2019 Philippine general election, in opposition to President Rodrigo Duterte. Otso Diretso fielded eight candidates (''otso' ...
" slate, which included former senator
Mar Roxas, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, Mindanao peace advocate
Samira Gutoc-Tomawis
Samira Ali Gutoc (born 19 December 1974) is a Filipina civic leader, journalist, environmentalist, women's rights advocate and politician. She served as a member of the Regional Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao a ...
, human rights lawyer
Jose Manuel Diokno, former congressman
Erin Tañada, former solicitor general
Florin Hilbay
Florin "Pilo" Ternal Hilbay (born March 19, 1974) is a Filipino lawyer who served as the Solicitor General of the Philippines from 2014 to 2016, serving the Philippine agent in the international case, ''Philippines v. China'', which nullified all ...
, senator
Bam Aquino
Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aguirre Aquino IV (, born May 7, 1977) is a Filipino politician and social entrepreneur who served as a Senator of the Philippines from 2013 to 2019. He is a member of the prominent Aquino family in the Philippines.
Pre-p ...
, and Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano.
All Otso Diretso candidates lost the election, the second time that a Liberal Party-led coalition suffered a great loss since
1955.
Fake news
Robredo has been a constant victim of memes and "fake news" articles since taking office in 2016, some of which she claims emanate from a Senate source. Dealing with these, she said, was a "test of character".
Numerous
fake news
Fake news is false or misleading information presented as news. Fake news often has the aim of damaging the reputation of a person or entity, or making money through advertising revenue.Schlesinger, Robert (April 14, 2017)"Fake news in reality ...
stories have been manufactured on
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Mosk ...
,
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
,
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
, and other blog sites against Robredo after she won the vice presidency in 2016, a portion of which were fabricated by pro-Duterte bloggers.
Robredo has demonstrated the falsehood of these statements against her.
During the
2022 Philippine presidential election campaign period, Robredo was the "biggest victim" and target of misinformation reportedly perpetrated by social media supporters of fellow presidential candidate
Bongbong Marcos.
Electoral protest
Robredo's winning margin of 0.61% is the closest margin since
Fernando Lopez
Fernando Hofileña Lopez Sr. (April 13, 1904May 26, 1993) was a Filipino statesman. A member of the influential Lopez family of Iloilo, he served as vice president of the Philippines for three terms – under Elpidio Quirino (1949–1 ...
's victory in the
1965 vice presidential election. Her opponent,
Bongbong Marcos, filed an electoral protest on June 29, 2016, a day before inauguration. On February 16, 2021, the PET unanimously dismissed Marcos' electoral protest against Robredo.
2022 presidential campaign
Robredo officially announced her campaign for
president of the Philippines
The president of the Philippines ( fil, Pangulo ng Pilipinas, sometimes referred to as ''Presidente ng Pilipinas'') is the head of state, head of government and chief executive of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of t ...
on October 7, 2021,
the day she filed her certificate of candidacy before the
Commission on Elections
An election commission is a body charged with overseeing the implementation of electioneering process of any country. The formal names of election commissions vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may be styled an electoral commission, a c ...
as an
independent candidate despite her being the party leader of the Liberal Party of the Philippines. Hours after the announcement, a source from Robredo's camp revealed that she had selected senator and Liberal Party president
Francis Pangilinan
Francis Pancratius "Kiko" Nepomuceno Pangilinan (; born August 24, 1963) is a Filipino lawyer, politician, and farm owner who served as a Senator from 2001 to 2013 and from 2016 to 2022. He was the Senate Majority Leader from 2004 to 2008.
A ...
as her running mate.
Robredo placed second in the official tally with 15,035,773 votes, and lost to fellow presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos by a
wide margin of over 31 million votes.
Post–vice presidency (2022–present)
After her term ended, Robredo established a
non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from g ...
called
Angat Buhay
Angat Buhay Foundation, incorporated as Angat Pinas, Inc., is a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in the Philippines. It was founded and officially launched on July 1, 2022, a day after its founder Leni Robredo's term as Vice Preside ...
, taking the name and template of the anti-poverty program that she established during her tenure as vice president.
Political positions
Domestic policies
Campaign against illegal drugs
Robredo has repeatedly expressed her dissent for the government's war on drugs, particularly the policy of Oplan Tokhang. After her short tenure as the co-chairperson of the government's ICAD, she made recommendations to improve the government's campaign against drugs. During her presidential campaign, she vowed to continue intensified efforts against drugs, but would focus on rehabilitation and prevention.
Martial law
During the
Marawi siege
The siege of Marawi ( fil, Pagkubkob sa Marawi), also known as the Marawi crisis (), and the Battle of Marawi (), was a five-month-long armed conflict in Marawi, Philippines, that started on May 23, 2017, between Philippine government security ...
, Robredo called for unity as government troops engaged in a firefight against the
Maute group
The Maute group ( or ), also known as the Islamic State of Lanao, was a radical Islamist group composed of former Moro Islamic Liberation Front guerrillas and foreign fighters led by Omar Maute, the alleged founder of a ''Dawlah Islamiya'', or ...
in
Marawi
Marawi, officially the Islamic City of Marawi (Maranao language, Maranao: ''Inged a Marawi''; fil, Islamikong Lungsod ng Marawi), is a 4th class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city and capital of the Provinces of th ...
, and she organized donations and directed relief operations for the victims.
She then visited wounded soldiers in
Iligan
Iligan, officially the City of Iligan ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Iligan; fil, Lungsod ng Iligan; Maranao: ''Inged a Iligan''), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the region of Northern Mindanao, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it ha ...
to give support and contributions. Robredo respects President Duterte's
implementation
Implementation is the realization of an application, or execution of a plan, idea, model, design, specification, standard, algorithm, or policy.
Industry-specific definitions
Computer science
In computer science, an implementation is a real ...
of
martial law
Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory.
Use
Marti ...
in the whole of Mindanao as a way to combat
terrorism
Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of criminal violence to provoke a state of terror or fear, mostly with the intention to achieve political or religious aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violen ...
, but has requested measures to ensure that the implementation would not resemble the "abuses and violations" during
Ferdinand Marcos' implementation of
Proclamation No. 1081. She also questioned the coverage and prolongation of the implementation and called on members of the Congress to review and validate the implementation as a "constitutional duty". Robredo said that the
martial law
Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory.
Use
Marti ...
in
Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
has failed to address threats in the region. On November 26, 2019, Robredo called on the government to assure that troop deployments in
Samar
Samar ( ) is the third-largest and seventh-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 1,909,537 as of the 2020 census. It is located in the eastern Visayas, which are in the central Philippines. The island is divided in ...
,
Negros
Negros is the fourth largest and third most populous island in the Philippines, with a total land area of . Negros is one of the many islands of the Visayas, in the central part of the country. The predominant inhabitants of the island region a ...
, and
Bicol would not lead to martial law.
Political dynasties
Robredo voiced her support for the proposed anti-turncoat law in the House. During her congressional career, she co-authored the Anti-Dynasty Bill.
Foreign policy
Robredo criticized
China for establishing
missile
In military terminology, a missile is a guided airborne ranged weapon capable of self-propelled flight usually by a jet engine or rocket motor. Missiles are thus also called guided missiles or guided rockets (when a previously unguided rocke ...
s in the South China Sea. She says that China must first recognize the ''
Philippines v. China
''Philippines v. China'' ( PCA case number 2013–19), also known as the South China Sea Arbitration, was an arbitration case brought by the Republic of the Philippines against the People's Republic of China (PRC) under Annex VII of the United ...
'' arbitral ruling before forging any agreement with the Philippines, a position that contrasts with that of Duterte's more diplomatic approach. Robredo called for transparency in government-sponsored deals with
China.
Personal life
Leni was married to
Jesse Robredo, whom she met while working at the Bicol River Basin Development Program, from 1987 until his death from a
plane crash
An aviation accident is defined by the Convention on International Civil Aviation Annex 13 as an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft, which takes place from the time any person boards the aircraft with the ''intention of fl ...
in 2012. The couple has three daughters: Jessica Marie "Aika" Robredo, Janine Patricia "Tricia" Robredo, and Jillian Therese Robredo.
Their eldest daughter, Aika, was an executive assistant at the
Office of Civil Defense
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) was an agency of the United States Department of Defense from 1961–64. It replaced the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization. The organization was renamed the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency on May 5, 197 ...
and holds a
Master of Public Administration from the
Harvard Kennedy School
The Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), officially the John F. Kennedy School of Government, is the school of public policy and government of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school offers master's degrees in public policy, public ...
(which Jesse also received from the same school), while their second eldest, Tricia, is a
licensed physician and was a
UAAP basketball
sideline reporter for
National University. Their youngest, Jillian, graduated with a
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...
degree with a
double major
A double degree program, sometimes called a dual degree, combined degree, conjoint degree, joint degree or double graduation program, involves a student's working for two university degrees in parallel—either at the same institution or at diffe ...
in
economics
Economics () is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and interactions of economic agents and how economies work. Microeconomics analyzes ...
and
mathematics on a scholarship at
New York University
New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin.
In 1832, th ...
.
From May 14, 2017, Robredo has hosted her own public service radio program entitled ''BISErbisyong LENI'', aired on
DZXL, until June 26, 2022, after her term end as vice president.
Robredo is fluent in
Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
,
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
, and her native
Central Bikol
Central Bikol commonly called Bikol Naga, also known simply as Bikol, is an Austronesian language spoken by the Bicolanos, primarily in the Bicol Region of southern Luzon, Philippines. It is spoken in the northern and western part of Camarines ...
.
Honors and recognition
On August 1, 2016, Robredo was awarded the Honorary Outstanding Woman Award of the Year 2016 by the
Thai government, coinciding with Thailand's Women's Day. The recognition was given to Robredo for her work and advocacy on
women's empowerment
Women's empowerment (or female empowerment) may be defined in several ways, including accepting women's viewpoints, making an effort to seek them and raising the status of women through education, awareness, literacy, and training.Kabeer, Naila ...
and
gender equality
Gender equality, also known as sexual equality or equality of the sexes, is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making; and the state of valuing d ...
.
On August 23, 2016, Robredo was awarded the Most Influential Filipina Woman of the World award by Filipina Women's Network (FWN), a non-government organization.
In September 2022, Robredo was named as one of
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...
's
Hauser Leaders for Fall 2022.
Four universities have conferred Robredo with
honorary doctorates
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or '' ad hon ...
:
*
Polytechnic University of the Philippines
, mottoeng = ''Light of the Nation''
, type = Public coeducational research higher education institution
, established = October 19, 1904
, closed =
, religious_affiliation = ...
(2015, Doctor in Public Administration),
*
University of Saint Anthony in
Iriga
Iriga, officially the City of Iriga (Rinconada Bikol: ''Syudad ka Iriga''; bcl, Siyudad nin Iriga; fil, Lungsod ng Iriga), is component city in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 11 ...
,
Camarines Sur
Camarines Sur ( bcl, Habagatan na Camarines; tl, Timog Camarines), officially the Province of Camarines Sur, is a province in the Philippines located in the Bicol Region on Luzon. Its capital is Pili and the province borders Camarines Norte an ...
, her home province (2017, Doctor of Humanities),
*
University of the Cordilleras
The University of the Cordilleras (UC or UC-BCF; fil, Unibersidad ng Kordilyeras), formerly known as the Baguio Colleges Foundation (BCF), is a Private university, private research Mixed-sex education, coeducational university in Baguio, Philip ...
(2017, Doctor of Laws),
*
Ateneo de Manila University
, mottoeng = Light in the Lord
, type = Private, research, non-profit, coeducational basic and higher education institution
, established = December 10, 1859
, religious_affiliation = Roman Catholic ( Jesuits)
, academic ...
(2022, Doctor of Philosophy in Economics).
Remembrance
Pathologist Dr. Raymundo Lo named a pink orchid hybrid after Robredo. ''Rhyncholaeliocattleya Leni Robredo'', which was only named upon Robredo's announcement of her candidacy for president in October 2021, was said took seven years to bloom since its pollination from two orchid species. The flower is not yet in commercial production.
In July 2022, the
Ateneo de Manila University
, mottoeng = Light in the Lord
, type = Private, research, non-profit, coeducational basic and higher education institution
, established = December 10, 1859
, religious_affiliation = Roman Catholic ( Jesuits)
, academic ...
announced the discovery of two new species of Hydrophilidae, water scavenger beetles. One of them, ''Anacaena angatbuhay'', named after Robredo's
Angat Buhay
Angat Buhay Foundation, incorporated as Angat Pinas, Inc., is a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in the Philippines. It was founded and officially launched on July 1, 2022, a day after its founder Leni Robredo's term as Vice Preside ...
program, had been discovered in Ifugao.
Electoral history
, style="background:#0D5F31;",
, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, PFP
,
Bongbong Marcos
, style="text-align: right; , 31,629,783
, style="text-align: right; , 58.78%
, -
, style="background:#FE18A3;",
, Independent politician, Independent
, ''Leni Robredo''
, style="text-align: right; , 15,035,773
, style="text-align: right; , 27.94%
, -
! style="background:#000040;" ,
, PROMDI
, Manny Pacquiao
, style="text-align: right; , 3,663,113
, style="text-align: right; , 6.81%
, -
! style="background:#9683EC;" ,
, Aksyon Demokratiko, Aksyon
, Isko Moreno
, style="text-align: right; , 1,933,909
, style="text-align: right; , 3.59%
, -
! style="background:#CD5C5C;" ,
, Independent politician, Independent
, Panfilo Lacson
, style="text-align: right; , 892,375
, style="text-align: right; , 1.66%
, -
! style="background:#D2691E;" ,
, Katipunan ng Kamalayang Kayumanggi, KTPNAN
, Faisal Mangondato
, style="text-align: right; , 301,629
, style="text-align: right; , 0.56%
, -
! style="background:#DCDCDC;" ,
, Independent politician, Independent
, Ernesto Abella
, style="text-align: right; , 114,627
, style="text-align: right; , 0.21%
, -
! style="background:#0E2864;" ,
, Partido Lakas ng Masa, PLM
, Leody de Guzman
, style="text-align: right; , 93,027
, style="text-align: right; , 0.17%
, -
! style="background:#CD5C5C;" ,
, Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas, PDSP
, Norberto Gonzales
, style="text-align: right; , 90,656
, style="text-align: right; , 0.17%
, -
! style="background:#0054A5;" ,
, Democratic Party of the Philippines, DPP
, Jose Montemayor Jr.
, style="text-align: right; , 60,592
, style="text-align: right; , 0.11%
, -
See also
* List of Leni Robredo 2022 presidential campaign endorsements
* Wiktionary:kakampink
References
External links
*
Profileat the House of Representatives of the Philippines
Profileat ''Bayang Matuwid''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Robredo, Leni
1965 births
Living people
Bicolano people
21st-century Filipino politicians
21st-century Filipino women politicians
Bicolano politicians
21st-century Roman Catholics
Chairpersons of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council of the Philippines
Candidates in the 2016 Philippine vice-presidential election
Candidates in the 2022 Philippine presidential election
Duterte administration cabinet members
Filipino radio personalities
Filipino women lawyers
Filipino YouTubers
Liberal Party (Philippines) politicians
Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Camarines Sur
People from Naga, Camarines Sur
University of the Philippines Diliman alumni
Vice presidents of the Philippines
Women members of the Cabinet of the Philippines
Women members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
Women vice presidents
Independent politicians in the Philippines
Female YouTubers