President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Leonor “Leni” Robredo. PHOTO FROM LENI MEDIA BUREAU
A Catholic bishop from Mindanao on Tuesday urged the country’s top two newly sworn-in officials to be “one working team” to achieve the change that the current administration wanted to enforce in the next six years.
Noting that governing a country was like heading a family, Malaybalay Bishop Jose Cabantan said President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo should be united in their vision for the Philippines.
“Bilang pangulo at pangalawang pangulo ay katulad din sila sa (Being President and Vice President is similar to being in a) family—they need to be one heart and one mind, or the need for unity, for the country to move toward our vision and goal for integral, inclusive human development,” Cabantan said over church-run Radyo Veritas.
Cabantan said “inclusive human development” can be achieved only if Duterte and Robredo would work hand in hand and set their political differences aside.
About two months after being elected, Duterte and Robredo officially met for the first time on Monday afternoon at Malacañang Palace, where the Vice President assured the Chief Executive of her support.
READ: Robredo vows to rally support for Duterte administration
Duterte and Robredo’s first meeting in person was during the military’s change of command ceremony last Friday, which the former Camarines Sur lawmaker described as “warm and cordial.”
The supposed distance between the two were fanned by speculations following their separate inaugurations last week, a first in Philippine history.
A “noncommittal” Duterte also previously said there was “no compelling reason” for him to give Robredo a Cabinet position as he did not want to hurt the feelings of his friend, defeated vice presidential candidate Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. The son and namesake of the late dictator lost to the widow of the late interior chief Jesse Robredo by over 200,000 votes in the May elections./rga
READ: Even after meeting Duterte, Robredo no longer expects Cabinet post
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