MANILA, Philippines — Above the candidates’ proposed policies ahead of next year’s national elections, their track records on issues concerning workers’ rights should also be scrutinized, Vice President Leni Robredo said Monday.
Robredo, who is vying for the presidential seat, made the remark at the signing of the “Covenant Vision of a Robredo Presidency ” with the Alliance of Labor Leaders for Leni Robredo (ALL4Leni).
“Lagi kasi na mahalaga, hindi lang yung policy. Kasi kadalasan yung policy—yung policy writers sasabihin mo kung anong gustong marinig ng tao. Pero siguro yung caveat ko dito, hindi lang yung polisiyang inilalahad ang tingnan, pero ano yung track record,” Robredo said.
(It should not just be about the policy because more often than not, policy writers will just say what the public wants to hear. So my caveat here is let’s just not look at the policy but also their track record.)
“Ano ‘yung track record nung nagsasabi para paniwalaan natin na kapag nakaupo siya, matutupad. Madali lang kasi mag-commit e, madali lang magpromise lalo na pag panahon ng eleksyon,” she added.
(What is the track record so that we can believe that once they are elected, their promises will be fulfilled. It is easy to commit and to promise, especially during elections.)
Robredo said the public should look at the legislations concerning workers rights passed by former members of the House and the Senate who are now seeking a higher office.
“Hinihikayat natin sa mga kasama natin, nung hindi sila kandidato, nagbibigay ba sila ng oras sa mga mangagagawa? Kinakausap man ang ba nila? Nagkokonsulta man lang ba sila? Kasi yun yung indications na papanagutan yung commitments at hindi lang siya campaign promise,” Robredo said.
(We are encouraging our peers to think, when they were not yet candidates, did they spend time with the workers? Talk to them? Consulted them? Those are the indications that they will stand by their commitments and these are not just campaign promises.)
“Parang manliligaw yan, ‘pag nanliligaw ka, lahat ng matatamis na salita sinasabi mo…. Pero siguraduhin mo na pag mag-asawa na kayo, yung kanyang mga sinabi nya ay papanindigan nya,” the Vice President added.
(It’s like courting where you will say all the sweet words, but make sure that once you are married, you would stand by it.)