LUCENA CITY – The former vice president and now incumbent Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo has allegedly reaffirmed her declaration that she is not running for president in the 2028 national elections during the Leadership Training of the Vice Mayors League of the Philippines (VMLP) – Quezon Chapter held in Naga City.
Mayor Robredo was reported to have said that her stint as vice president is enough and she is more fitted in the local government as she stressed that she is more needed by her constituents in Naga city.
Robredo was asked by one of the delegates at the Leadership Training Seminar led by VMLP-Quezon Provincial Chapter President Paul Villaflor, Vice Mayor of Pitogo, Quezon, if she is still planning or considering the idea of running for a national government position particularly in the presidential election in 2028.
“Tama na ang aking karanasan bilang Vice President at mas nababagay para sa akin ang lokal na posisyon dahil mas kinakailangan ako ng aking mga kababayan sa Lungsod ng Naga,” Robredo was quoted to have said in reply to the question of a Quezon vice mayor participant at the event which runs from Oct. 7 to Oct 10.
Mayor Robredo reminded the participants at the event that a position in the government should not alter the lifestyle of the public servant and be the reason to pursue a comfortable life.
“Sapat nang matiyak na maayos ang buhay ng pamilya, nakapag-aaral ang mga anak at may pangunahing pangangailagan kaya’t hindi kailangan dagdagan ang luho,” Robredo said as she stressed her principle of “Wala akong kailangan” as she has long opted to live simply and continue to drive her own car.
She made it clear that the first priority of a public servant is his work, his public service and to act speedily on problems of the constituents and the documents on the table before any personal conveniences.
She said she is not coordinating with her constituents mainly because of politics but to address the concrete needs in the community.
Robredo left her last message to the participants with clarity: “Position is not a license to live differently, not a privilege to live in comfort but an obligation and duty to serve.”
Quite a number of the Quezon vice mayors at the event expressed hopes that the former vice president would still change her mind and heart and eventually see more clearly that she is needed more in the national government.
Some memorable statements of Robredo’s late husband, former DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo – about values and principles of leadership – were flashed on the screen during the event.
The VMLP-Quezon chapter leadership training seminar was held in partnership with the Ateneo School of Government which highlighted the program called PILLAR – Presiding with Integrity and Legislative Leadership Action Reform.
Villaflor, Candelaria vice mayor Ireneo ‘Boyong’ Boongaling and most of their colleagues in the 39 towns of the province made their way to take pictures with Robredo.
Infanta Mayor Lord Arnel Ruanto, a close friend of Robredo, a political campaign strategist and advocate of good governance and transparency in government, attended the event as a guest of honor and speaker who shared his knowledge, experiences and insights about his stint as vice mayor of his town particularly in crafting of municipal ordinances and ordinances and how to handle problems and situations when the executive and legislative branches are in disagreement and how to be effective as presiding officer of the local legislative body.