Vice President Leni Robredo has rejected criticisms that she is weak because she is a woman.
“They always say, ‘That person is weak because she is a woman.’ We don’t accept that,” the presidential aspirant said in her remarks before supporters in Zamboanga City on Monday.
“Strength is determined not by the loudness of your voice or by the brashness of your actions. Strength is determined by how you make your choices. In times of crisis, where were you and what did you do? During the most difficult times that our country is facing, where were you?” she said.
Robredo said the battlelines for the 2022 elections are very clear, referring to the candidates’ beliefs, what they are fighting for, and the kind of politics and governance they maintain.
“This is not just a war of programs, because during every election, everyone has a good program of governance. This is about character. This is about integrity. This is about what kind of route do you want our country to take in the next six years,” she said.
Despite lacking the machinery and funds that other candidates have, Robredo said she remains confident about victory in the upcoming elections.
“We are doing this for the country. I am just one of many candidates. But if we decide to fight this out for our country – all those resources, all those machineries, all those political minds will not stand a chance against the determination of the ordinary people,” she said.
“I promise you a clean and honest government, and you will be inspired to fight alongside me because the answer to our problems will not just be with me, but with all of us,” Robredo added.
Robredo also visited on Monday a thriving mangrove rehabilitation project in Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay that has provided new sources of livelihood to the community.
The presidential aspirant was joined by 2021 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee Roberto “Ka Dodoy” Ballon, who served as her guide while exploring the area.
Ballon and other fishermen were responsible for the rehabilitation of the hectares-wide mangrove project in Kabasalan.