Robredo: I did my part in addressing poverty in CamSur

Vice President Leni Robredo on Saturday said she had invested in anti-poverty programs in her home province of Camarines Sur, one of the poorest provinces in the country.

"Marami na kaming programang inihain, hindi lang ngayon na kandidato ako pero mula pa nung nasa, sinimulan namin sa Office of the Vice President. In fact, 'yung pinaka-flagship program namin, 'yung anti poverty program namin Angat Buhay, 'yung pag asikaso talaga sa pinakamahihirap na mga communities," Robredo said.

(We've implemented a lot of programs, not just when I started my presidential run, but we started these at the Office of the Vice President. Our flagship program, the anti-poverty program Angat Buhay, is focused on the poorest of communities.)

Robredo was referring to the assistance given fisherfolk and farmers, among others, under her office's Angat Buhay program which combines resources of her office and that of the private sector in aiding poor communities.

Robredo, however, said that only good governance would make any anti-poverty programs successful.

'Yun driver kasi nito, Jessica, good governance, ang driver nito yung tiwala ng tao sa kaniyang pamahalaan, ang driver nito inclusivity at saka empowerment. At yun yung tututukan natin," Robredo said.

(Good governance drives these programs. This will also drive our people's confidence in the government. Good governance is about inclusivity and empowerment, and we are going to focus on that.)

Likewise, Robredo said that she also considered running for governor of her home province of Camarines Sur to alleviate poverty.

"'Yung aming probinsya, isa sa pinakamahirap na probinsya at dahilan talaga nito hindi lang yung mga calamities na laging pumapalo sa amin pero bad governance. Ito din yung dahilan kung bakit at one point, pinag iisipan kong tumakbo, pinag iisipan kong tumakbo sa isang local na executive position, kasi kapag tumakbo ako sa isang localexecutive position marami akong magagawa," Robredo said.

(Our province is one of the poorest, and not just because it's usually in the path of natural calamities, but also due to bad governance. This is the reason that, at one point, I considered running for a local executive position, because as a local executive I could do more for my province.)

Robredo cited the work of her late husband, former Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo, who transformed Naga City into a highly urbanized city after two decades of sitting as local chief executive.

"Naga City became a local government unit, [at] gusto namin gawin din yun sa Camarines Sur, kaya ito yung aking motivation kung bakit naging very attractive sa akin 'yun, talagang factor ng, factor talaga ng progress yung governance at yun sana yung gusto natin baguhin," Robredo said.

(And that was what we wanted to in Camarines Sur. That's why I running local office sounded attractive. Good governance would fuel progress, and that's what we wanted to transform.)

— DVM, GMA News