Robredo laments fading of ‘homegrown values’

Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo. FILE PHOTO by Gianna Francesca Catolico/INQUIRER.net

MANILA — Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday lamented that “homegrown values” in the country such as integrity and honesty, justice and the rule of law have become “scant” in society.

She voiced this concern in her keynote address focusing on sustainable development goals and corporate social responsibility at the 3rd Annual SEC-PSE Corporate Governance Forum.

“[These are] values that turn us into considerate, fair, and kind human beings. All these, simple values though they may be, are the bedrock and the essence of good governance and our fight to focus on the welfare of the bottom billion, who stare at poverty every single day,” the Vice President said.

“And in an increasingly competitive and extremely fast-paced world of business, corporations such as yours will have to take the time for introspection to figure out how to grow in a good way, how to compete with integrity, and how to incorporate metrics that are beyond profitability,” she added.

Filipino women, according to Robredo, are still being “undermined [through] catcalling, sexual abuse and harassment, even glass ceilings in the workplace.”

“Often, we are reduced to our bodies. This is unacceptable. Tasteless remarks and inappropriate advances against women should have no place in our society,” Robredo said.

Empowering the Filipino women throughout the country is one of the five aspects of poverty reduction that Robredo’s office seeks to address through its Angat Buhay: Partnerships Against Poverty, to achieve sustainable development.

Aside from women empowerment, the program also focuses on hunger, health, education and rural development.

Robredo has been the subject of nasty intrigue the past weeks. The black propaganda linking her to a Quezon City lawmaker was resurrected earlier this month.

On Monday, fake online new sites claimed she was pregnant.

Robredo said she no longer wanted to answer the latest rumor, when reporters tried to interview her after the SEC-PSE forum.

Robredo has said that the pregnancy rumor was an insult to women.  SFM/rga