Maria Leonor Gerona Robredo, an alternative lawyer, and public servant is the 14th Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines. After years of working with the poor and the marginalized, teaching the less fortunate about their rights under the law, Leni, as she is popularly known, emerged into national consciousness following the loss of her husband, long-time Naga City Mayor and Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo. Called upon to carry on his legacy of good governance, she stepped into the political arena in 2013, when she won as Representative of the Third District of Camarines Sur.
Amid a productive term in Congress, she was called upon to run for the Vice Presidency and rose above many odds to assume the second-highest elected post in the country. Determined to bring the Office of the Vice President closer to the people, she led the crafting of its flagship anti-poverty program, Angat Buhay - an endeavor inspired by six key advocacy areas, including food security and nutrition, women empowerment, education, healthcare, rural development, and housing. It has reached out to poor communities around the country, through the generosity of partner organizations and individuals, most of whom are from the private sector. She also launched Istorya ng Pag-asa, a program that aims to spread hope and positivity by featuring extraordinary stories of Filipinos through words and portraits shown at events, exhibits, and social media.
Moving forward to 2020, the Vice President led her office in its initiatives, first to help communities affected by earthquakes in Mindanao and the Taal Volcano unrest in Batangas and nearby areas.
VP Leni continued to exemplify grace and resolve as she and her office stepped up to help in the government's response against coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Despite limited resources, the Office of the Vice President launched various initiatives, through the help of many partners and donors, aimed at filling in the gaps found in terms of supporting frontliners and communities in need during this time--from providing PPE sets, locally produced protective suits, and medical supplies to frontliners across all regions of the Philippines; to providing free shuttle service and dormitories for frontliners in Metro Manila; to distributing relief packs, hot meals, and other assistance to communities, helping locally stranded individuals return to their respective provinces, giving market vendors and tricycle drivers a platform to boost their livelihood anew through community marts, giving livelihood opportunities and assistance to individuals, communities, and sectors who lost their jobs and sources of income; providing distance learning support for students, teachers, and their families; promoting mass testing efforts; and providing free medical teleconsultation services to patients, among others.
The Vice President and her office remained relentless as Filipinos faced more challenges when Typhoons Quinta, Rolly, and Ulysses barreled across Luzon towards the end of 2020. VP Leni was among the first in the government to visit hard-hit areas, including those in the Bicol Region and the provinces of Isabela and Cagayan. Fostering her office's culture of swift and strategic response, alongside the Filipino Bayanihan spirit, the OVP was able to bring relief assistance to many affected communities, and eventually, also start rehabilitation efforts through the BAHAYanihan housing initiative.
