Whoever becomes president, Robredo vows to be hard-working VP

Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo.  INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

WHOEVER wins the presidency in the May elections, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo said she would give the same amount of hard work and attention to her job if she gets elected as vice president.

Be it her running mate Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas, incumbent Vice President Jejomar Binay or any other president, Robredo said she would perform her duties as the future vice president as best as she could.

“Siyempre kung ako ang tatanungin gusto ko si Secretary Mar. Pero sa akin po kahit sino sa kanila. Kasama iyon sa job description na iyon na in-aapplyan ko ngayon na kahit sino ang pangulo, parehas na sipag at atensyon ang ibibigay ko,” Robredo said in an interview over DZBB radio on Thursday.

To change the common perception that vice presidents are merely toeing the line of the head of state, Robredo pointed out that she and Roxas have differing views on certain policies that they aim to push if elected.

“Yung plataporma po ni Secretary Mar ay pinepresenta namin as a tandem kaya dapat nagkakaintindihan kami sa mga major points. Parehas naman ang aming paniniwala, iba lang lens ang ginagamit namin,” she said.

While Roxas focuses on creating national policies, Robredo said she would focus on addressing local issues.

“Halimbawa ang isyu ng drugs, ang tinitignan ni Secretary Mar ang national policy, iyong implementation. Ako naman nag-a-agree ako sa kanya pero sa akin papalakasin iyong Barangay Drug Abuse Council. Iyong sa baba talaga,” she said.

Before Robredo became a legislator, she was a pro-bono human rights lawyer who worked with poor communities.