FILE PHOTO: Vice President Leni Robredo.
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday said she wishes that President Rodrigo Duterte delivers a “very honest” and “realistic” evaluation of the country’s situation in his final State of the Nation Address (Sona) on July 26.
According to Robredo, the President does not have “to paint a very beautiful picture” since the country has been battling a pandemic.
“Iyong sa akin, maging very honest [si President Duterte] about iyong situation sa bansa ngayon. Kasi sa panahon ng pandemic, hindi naman kailangan na mag-paint ng napakagandang picture, ‘di ba?” Robredo told reporters after she was asked what she expects on Duterte’s final Sona during the second run of Vaccine Express in Manila City.
(For me, [Duterte should] be very honest about our situation in the country. Because during a pandemic, you don’t have to paint a very good picture.)
“Ang para sa akin, mas mabuti mas honest assessment kung ano iyong kakulangan, ano iyong problema, papaano natin gagawin, para iyong tao mas na-a-appease siya sa kaniyang mga pag-aalala,” she added.
(For me, it is better to have an honest assessment of what’s lacking, the problem, how to resolve it, so that the people’s worries will be appeased.)
Robredo continued: “Halimbawa, pagdating ng vaccine supply, nasaan ba talaga tayo? Kasi ngayon naman, iyon ang nasa isip ng halos lahat na tao, ‘yong COVID at saka ‘yong effects niya, ‘yong pagbuhay, ‘di ba? Iyong kabuhayan—ano ba ‘yong plano? Ano ‘yong plano natin dahil ang daming nawalan ng trabaho? Ang ine-expect ko sasabihin how do we move forward, ano ‘yong balak na jobs generation,” she said.
(For example, when it comes to vaccine supply, what’s our real situation? Because now, what is in everyone’s minds is COVID and its effects, their survival, their livelihood — what is the plan? What is our plan because so many have lost their jobs? I expect him to tell us how do we move forward, the plans for jobs generation.)
“So tingin ko iyong tao ang ine-expect niya iyong mas realistic na assessment, mas honest assessment, ano iyong nangyayari, ano iyong balak nating gawin para matawid natin iyong mga kahirapan na pinagdadaanan natin,” she also said.
(So I think the people are expecting a more realistic assessment, a more honest assessment of what is happening, what do we plan to do so that we can overcome the difficulties that we are going through.)
Duterte’s sixth and final Sona will be held at Batasan Pambansa on Monday next week. Robredo, however, was not invited to physically attend the event.
The Vice President is set to attend the Sona via Zoom.
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