Vice President Leni Robredo (Screengrab from Facebook / Vice President Leni Robredo)
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday hoped that the public would understand the weight and relevnce of journalist Maria Ressa’s Nobel Peace Prize award.
Ressa, one of the two awardees of the Nobel Peace Prize, was cited for protecting press freedom and freedom of expression.
“Sobrang deserving ni Maria Ressa. ‘Yung sa’kin lang, magpasalamat tayo sa kanya. Pero at the same time, sana naiintindihan natin ‘yung bigat ng award na ‘to,” Robredo said over BISErbisyong LENI program on DZXL.
(Maria Ressa is very deserving. For me, we have to thank her. But at the same time, I hope we understand the significance of this award.)
“Si Maria Ressa, siya ‘yung nakikipaglaban para ‘yung freedom of the press, ‘yung freedom of expression, patuloy na mapangalagaan,” she added.
(Maria Ressa fought to ensure the freedom of the press and freedom of expression.)
Robredo said that Ressa and co-awardee Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov both fought for a leadership that has a “deliberate attempt” to control the media and freedom of expression.
The country’s second highest official also narrated that during her early days as vice president, she heard of Ressa as the one who fights trolls.
“Naalala ko, early days pa lang ng pagiging VP (vice president) ko, wala pa kaming kamuwang-muwang sa nangyayari sa social media, siya na ‘yung naririnig namin na nag-umpisa nang pag-aralan kung ano ‘yung nangyayari. Naririnig namin ‘yung kanyang mga statements, parang mag-isa siyang lumalaban,” Robredo recalled.
( I remember during my early days as vice president, we did not have any idea yet on what’s happening on social media, we heard that she was the one who started to study the digital situation. We heard her statements. It seems that she was fighting alone.)
Senator Francis Pangilinan likewise hailed Ressa’s achievement.
“Tayo rin ay nag-ce-celebrate at tuwang-tuwa [na] naipanalo o naibigay niya ang karangalan sa ating bansa, ‘yung Nobel Peace Prize,” Pangilinan said, noting that Ressa is the first Filipino Nobel Peace Prize awardee.
(We are celebrating and are happy that Ressa won or got the award for our country, the Nobel Peace Prize.)