Robredo, Moreno join Marcos in Palace launch of LGU programs

MANILA, Philippines — Will the public expect more close encounters between President Ferdinand R.Marcos Jr. and former Vice President Leni Robredo as the 2028 election season draws closer, or is everything just pure coincidence?

Robredo, the incumbent mayor of Naga City, reciprocated Marcos’s gesture by visiting him at Malacañang in Manila on Monday.

A pool photo of the Malacañang Press Corps (MPC) showed Marcos, Robredo, and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso together with other LGU officials. Marcos, Robredo and Domagoso vied for the presidency in 2022.

READ: ‘Service first, argue later’, says Marcos amid political differences

“I’m very happy that despite things in the past, President Bongbong Marcos opted to help local government units like the City of Manila,” Domagoso told reporters.

Journalists and other guests at the chief executive’s official residence snapped photos of Marcos and Robredo together, but neither of them granted interviews nor spoke for long.

Robredo was among the hundreds of local chief executives who graced the launching of the “Sa Bagong Pilipinas, Bawat Bayan Makikinabang” initiative, to expand the national government’s support for all local government units through the Local Government Support Fund.

She also attended the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the Department of Education and city governments for the Nationwide Classroom Building program.

Monday’s events were the third time Marcos and Robredo have met since she defeated him for the vice presidency in 2016, with the last two happening within a span of three days.

Marcos visited Naga City on Feb. 20 to inspect the implementation of the “Oplan Kontra Baha” project, and to personally turn over to Robredo the special allotment release order (SARO) amounting to P500 million for the rehabilitation of the Jesse M. Robredo Coliseum.

READ: Marcos-Robredo meet: ‘No politics,’ loaded optics

Both Robredo and Marcos denied they talked about a possible alliance in the 2028 elections, following the early pronouncement of Vice President Sara Duterte to run for presidency.

Robredo said doing so would be a “disservice” to her constituents.

For his part, Marcos said his administration still had “many things to do” in the two remaining years of his term.

“Differences in politics should never prevent us from working together for our people,” the President said on Sunday.

“Nation first. Personal agendas later,” he added. /gsg