The support for Vice President Leni Robredo and her running mate, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, continued to mount in Bicol with seven more Albay mayors rooting for the tandem running for the country’s top posts in the 2022 elections, according to Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman.
In a statement, Lagman said those who signed a joint statement of support dated Oct. 28 were Mayors Armando Romano of Bacacay, Ann Gemma Ongjoco of Guinobatan, Wilfredo Maronilla of Libon, Lenybelle Ceriola-Santos of Malinao, Alan Arandia of Pio Duran, Ronald Galicia of Rapu-Rapu, and Jaime Villanueva of Tiwi.
Lagman said the local executives firmly believe the tandem of Robredo and Pangilinan “is truly qualified and sincerely motivated to effectively realize” the uplifting of the lives of the Filipinos, particularly the marginalized and disadvantaged.
Meanwhile, Robredo’s camp said the COVID-19 pandemic situation could have caused the recent decline in President Rodrigo Duterte’s net satisfaction rating.
“I think it is very clear that the people are already tired that for the past two years, we are still here (in this kind of situation),” Robredo’s spokesperson Barry Gutierrez said.
“The worries and the lack of a clear answer as to how to address the problem. That could have contributed to the anxieties and lack of trust in our leaders now,” he added.
Should she become the next president, Robredo also vows to reach out and give help to the people in far-flung areas, Gutierrez added.
He claimed people from the remote areas were emotional seeing the Vice President because they feel that she is not a traditional politician.
“VP Leni is not a politician. That is the simple reason why. Her background is that she is a lawyer helping the poor. She is used to going to places where there are more people (in need) no matter how far they are,” he said during the weekly radio program of Robredo.
He said the Vice President had even walked half a day and took a boat ride for five to six hours several times just to get to the people who would need her help.
“That is her perspective, and that is her kind of service since the time she has not entered politics up to the time she became a congresswoman, and the vice president,” he added.
Once elected as president, Robredo would not change her old self, Gutierrez said.
“The public could expect the same thing from her if she is elected president. That kind of service no matter how far or remote, help would be provided,” he said.
The mayors also cited Robredo’s “effective and immediate response” to the COVID-19 pandemic by protecting the people’s health and rescuing the Philippine economy, and elimination of graft and corruption and elevation of official integrity and accountability.
Moreover, Lagman said, the mayors think the duo could humanize the solution to the drug menace, uphold human rights and the freedoms of the press and expression, and resurrect all the sectors of the economy, particularly micro, small, and medium enterprises.
The latest Social Weather Stations survey showed Duterte scored +52 in the poll conducted from Sept. 12 to 16. While the figure is still considered “very good,” it is 10 points below the June 2021 score of +62.
The survey also showed 67 percent of adult Filipinos are satisfied with the President’s performance, an 8-point drop from June.
About 15 percent are dissatisfied, which is up by 2 points, while 11 percent are undecided, which is down by one point.