MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday said she will decide whether or not she will run in the 2022 National Election either by September or October, just a few weeks or days before the filing of certificate of candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
“Sa’kin iyong decision-making, ang deadline ko, October 8. Kung kaya na magdesisyon by September, magdedesisyon na by September. Pero sa akin, kapag nag-file ako … hindi ako magwi-withdraw kahit pa gaano kahirap,” said Robredo on her weekly radio show.
(My decision-making deadline is October 8. If I can decide by September, then I will announce it by September. But to me, when I file… I will not withdraw no matter how hard it is.)
But according to Robredo, she will have to suspend all talks regarding the election especially amid the recent surge in COVID-19 due to the rising cases of the more transmissible delta variant and the placing of Metro Manila under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
“Dahil sa surge, mahihinto na naman iyong ating efforts kasi kailangan talaga mag-focus tayo dito. Iyong opisina namin tuloy-tuloy iyong mga initiatives para makatulong hindi lang sa vaccination pero ito, iyong telemedicine, iyong ating emergency services, iyong marami pang iba. Iyong mga pagpapakain sa mga communities,” said Robredo.
(Because of the surge, our election efforts will be stopped again because we really need to focus on this. Our office will continue its initiatives to help not only with vaccination, but also in telemedicine, emergency services, among others and feeding communities.)
“So ito muna, tutukan ko muna. Sana in two weeks, maging okay na iyong numbers natin para makapaglaan tayo ng oras para sa preparation for the 2022 elections,” she added.
(So this first, I’ll focus on this first. Hopefully in two weeks, our [COVID-19] numbers will be okay so that we can make time for preparation for the 2022 elections.)
Robredo said that pausing talks on election includes exploratory talks with other national elections contenders, which she said started in June, as well as plans on unification.
“Pero pagpaalala din ito na una, may bigger concerns to face tayo dahil nga sa ECQ, pero pagpaalala din na iyong filing ng candidacy mga two months from now and konektado din dito sa pandemic kung gaano kahalaga na magkaisa kami. Kasi pinapakita ng pandemic kung gaano kahalaga na mahusay iyong gobyerno niya. Kasi talagang matter of life and death para sa ating lahat kung iyong gobyerno niya hindi nakakapag-respond na mas maayos,” said Robredo.
(But a reminder that first, we have bigger concerns to face because of the ECQ, but also a reminder that the filing of candidacy is about two months from now, and the importance of being united is also connected to this pandemic. The pandemic is showing the importance of good governance. It’s really a matter of life and death for all of us if government can’t respond better.)
“Iyong sa akin, mahalaga siya pero dapat bukas ang mata natin na may mga inaasikaso tayo ngayon na other concerns. So sa akin … sana matapos na kaagad iyong surge na ito para mabigyan ulit natin ng oras iyong usapan,” she added.
(To me, it is important but we must keep our eyes open that we are dealing with other concerns now. So for me … I hope this surge will end soon so that we can give talks on [the elections] more time.)
The filing of COCs is scheduled to start on October 1 to 8, 2021 for the 2022 National Elections.
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