FILE—Vice President Leni Robredo denies accusations the “dilawans” will make a comeback if she’s elected president. (Photo by Charlie Villegas / OVP)
MANILA, Philippines — The “dilawans” (yellows) are not expected to reappear under Vice President Leni Robredo’s presidency, since politicians affiliated with the party previously had already left it.
Robredo made this assurance to the public in the DZBB’s presidential interviews on Monday in reaction to the assertion that her presidency would open the floodgates for dilawan stalwarts.
According to Robredo, the mass exodus from LP to other parties like the ruling PDP-Laban prompted them to recruit ordinary citizens to join the party.
“Ito nga ang parati kong tanong ‘pag tinatanong sa akin ‘yan: sinong mga dilawan?” she asked. “Dahil alam natin na after 2016, napakaraming mga kasama namin no’ng 2016 ang lumipat ng partido, marami ‘yong mga dating Liberal Party na wala na sa Liberal Party ngayon.”
(This has been my question every time I get asked about that: who are the yellows you are talking about? Because we know that after 2016, a lot of our colleagues jumped to another party, a lot of Liberal Party members are not with LP anymore.)
“In fact kakaunti na lang ‘yong natirang pulitiko sa Liberal Party, such that nagdesisyon nga ‘yong partido na ibukas na sa ordinaryong mamamayan, ibukas sa civil society, advocacy groups, ibukas sa mga interest groups ‘yong membership ng partido,” she added.
(In fact, the membership within LP dwindled as such, the party decided to open memberships to ordinary citizens, for civil society groups, advocacy groups, and open the membership to interest groups.)
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LP’s detractors have used “Dilawan” to criticize the party led by former LP member and late former president Benigno Aquino III. The use of the color yellow stems from LP’s main motif, which has been yellow, owing to the movement that started after the death of Aquino’s father, former senator Benigno Aquino Jr., during the Marcos regime.
The term has been used by several administration officials already — including President Rodrigo Duterte himself — to refer to Robredo’s supporters.
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Before announcing her candidacy in October 2021, observers noted a shift in the color motif used by Robredo, from yellow to pink. Robredo explained that it was not her choice but a decision made by her supporters.
However, she said it is only apt to use ‘pink’ as it has been the color of present movements and activism.
READ: ‘Dilawan’ no more? Robredo turns to pink — the color of protest, activism