Robredo eyes petition to allow OVP to continue COVID-19 response efforts during campaign period

Vice President and presidential aspirant Leni Robredo on Thursday appealed to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to allow her office to continue implementing COVID-19 response initiatives even during the campaign period for the 2022 elections.

"'Yung nakikita lang namin na problema ngayon, kasi kandidato ako, ako yung head of office, and by February 8 campaign period na, so hihingi sana kami, we're preparing our petition na sana payagan kami ituloy-tuloy ng office, hindi ako," Robredo said in an interview during Vaccine Express activity in Pasay City.

(The problem we are seeing is when the campaign period starts on February 8 since I am a candidate and also head of OVP. So we are looking at preparing a petition so that the office, not myself, will be allowed to implement these programs during the campaign period.)

Under election laws, an individual who filed a certificate of candidacy is not considered a candidate until the campaign period starts.

Robredo said that to isolate the programs from politics, she would not be present in these initiatives when the campaign period starts.

"Hindi ko pupuntahan yung mga programs pero sana payagan kami na ituloy-ituloy yung mga programa, especially for COVID-19 related operations gaya ng Vaccine Express, 'yung Swab Cab, 'yung Bayanihan E-konsulta kahit campaign period na kasi yung need nandiyan. Hindi ko alam kung… sana payagan 'yung office," she said.

(I won't be present during the execution of these programs but I hope we will be allowed to continue these initiatives of helping with COVID-19 vaccine inoculation, providing free RT-PCR test and online consultation because there is a need for them.)

With the new Omicron variant now detected in the Philippines, Robredo said the unhampered implementation of these COVID-19 initiatives is very important.

"With the new variant, we should increase our alert level given the lessons we took from the past. COVID-19 vaccination needs to be ramped up, because most of the infected are those unvaccinated or those who are fully vaccinated but are yet to receive booster shot," she said.

The Philippines has 42 million fully vaccinated individuals so far. It is targeting to fully vaccinate 54 million people against COVID-19 by end of 2021.

Hands-on leader

Robredo said that if elected president, she would see to it that she would be a hands-on leader, especially during disaster situations.

"I am very hands on. I will not go to a place just to inspect, and my constituents know this. Before, during and after the disaster strike. I am there as long as I am needed, not just because I need to show up," she said.

Robredo said said based on her experience, a team could accomplish more if the leader is present "because there will be a coordinated response."

"As a leader, I will have the mandate to call the shots on who are in charge of providing help. And even as the vice president with a lesser mandate, I have always been consistent that we should be able to do what we are capable of," she added. —KBK, GMA News