VICE PRESIDENT Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo has urged legal management students to be inclusive as they strive to help solve the country’s problems amid the political bickering ahead of the 2022 elections.
“Include rather than divide. Harmonize and collaborate with the people around you to craft the best, most effective solutions to the problems we face,” Robredo said in a taped speech during a forum organized by the UST Legal Management Society last Oct. 23.
“We need leaders who are competent and compassionate, whom we can trust, and will champion our principles and beliefs. Leaders who unite rather than divide, who harmonize rather than induce conflict,” she added.
Robredo, who is gunning for the presidency in 2022, also urged students to be trustworthy leaders who will hear and empathize with the people
Having such qualities, Robredo said, would aid in achieving equality, empathy, and justice that the people aspire for.
“Hear their stories, empathize with their pain, fight for their hopes and dreams orient yourself toward service, and always empower, nurture, and listen,” the vice president said.
Robredo also urged the students to recognize these traits to challenge and put an end to “bad governance.”
“Tumindig para siguraduhing mawawakasan ang bad governance na ugat ng patuloy na pagkagutom kahirapan, at kamatayan ngayong panahon ng pandemya (Stand up to put an end to bad governance, which is the root of hunger, poverty, and death during the pandemic),” she said.
Robredo said she is confident that young leaders can unite the people and create a better country.
“With young Filipinos like you leading the way, I am confident that we will achieve a better normal,” she added.
Unified opposition
Robredo had exerted efforts to unify the opposition and had conducted unity talks with other presidential candidates but failed to reach an agreement.
Robredo has said her stance was not aligned with Manila Mayor and presidential aspirant Isko Moreno’s remarks on the Marcoses, one of the factors that prodded her to run.
The vice president has been vocal about her intention to stop the Marcoses’ from returning to power, which Moreno has questioned.
Meanwhile, presidential aspirant Sen. Panfilo Lacson felt insulted in a meeting with Robredo after it was implied that he has to withdraw his presidential bid for a unified opposition.
Analysts have said a unified opposition has a better chance of beating the candidate backed by the Duterte administration. F – J. Moises
