After Densing remark, Robredo urges gov't to hire competent execs

Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday appealed to the government to hire competent officials, saying it is a "lesson" for them after Interior Department Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III drew flak over his "si lugaw" statement.

It can be recalled that Densing had said that "si lugaw" was a non-essential item amid the controversial video of a barangay official who stopped a rider from delivering the rice porridge.

"Si lugaw" was also how Robredo's critics mockingly referred to the Vice-president.

"Pero para magsayang akong oras para depensahan ang sarili ko sa ganoong klaseng ospital, pero para sa akin na lesson iyon, lesson sa gobyerno na tayong nagha-hire sana pagbasehan natin sa competency, hindi lang sa politika para naninilbihan sa kababayan natin ay maayos," Robredo said on her weekly program, adding that the salary of officials comes from taxpayers.

(Should I waste my time defending myself? Well it is a lesson for us, for the government that when they hire someone, it should be based on competency, not just politics so that they will serve us well.)

She was also stunned that people were debating whether lugaw was essential or non-essential amid the ECQ.

"Sa gitna ng pandemya, ang pagdedebatehan natin kung essential ang lugaw o hindi. Reflective yan anong klaseng mundo na tayo," said Robredo.

(Amid the pandemic, will we debate whether porridge is essential? It is reflective of the kind of world we live in.)

The Palace, for its part, reiterated that food deliveries must be unhampered amid the enhanced community quarantine, and that lugaw was an essential food item.  — DVM /GMA News