Robredo: No substitute for immersion in communities beyond election period

Vice President and presidential candidate Leni Robredo on Saturday said the greatest lesson she learned during the campaign trail is there is no substitute in spending time with communities.

"Ang pinaka-aral na napulot ko, hindi lang sa pag-ikot nitong kampanya, pero mula noon pa mang NGO worker ako, nag-aabogado ako para sa basehang sector, hanggang sa nag Congress ako, hanggang Vice President na ako, wala talagang kapalit yung magbabad sa communties dahil dun ka nakikinig,"  Robredo said.

(The greatest lesson I learned not only during this campaign but dating back to my days as NGO worker and lawyer for the marginalized, as a member of Congress, until I was Vice President is that there is no substitute to immersion in communities.)

"Pag sinabi kong  pagbabad sa communities, hindi during campaign, pero bago pa niyan. Dun ka nakikinig, dun mo nararamdaman iyong kahirapan na pinagdaraanan ng ating mga kababayan. Ito iyong nagseshape ng policies at projects that we do," Robredo added.

(When I say immersion, this is not done during the campaign, but way before that. In immersion, you listen, you feel their plight and it shapes the policies and work that you do.)

Robredo said this is why her proposed legislations as a lawmaker and and later initiatives as Vice President were focused on empowering communities with participation in policy making, livelihood provision, fighting corruption and anti-poverty program Angat Buhay.

"We are pushing for good governance, fighting corruption dahil kapag naalis natin ang korapsyon, mas maraming proyekto na mapupunta para sa ating mga kababayan," Robredo said.

(If we are able to eradicate corruption, more projects will benefit the people.)

"We also need to empower barangays dahil sila ang unang nilalapitan ng ating kababayan, sila ang unang nakakaramdam ng kahirapan ng ating mga kababayan," she added.

(We also need to empower barangays because they are the first responders whenever the people are in dire straits.)

Meanwhile, Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said on Monday that farming would be made profitable under the presidency of Vice President Leni Roberdo.

“We have to move away from subsistence farming which is the norm, to farm enterprise and farm entrepreneurship,” Pangilinan said.

He said farm enterprises and farm entrepreneurship are enshrined in the Republic Act 11321 (Sagip Saka Act).

With Pangilinan as the principal author, the Sagip Saka Act created the Farmers and Fisherfolk Enterprise Development Program under the Department of Agriculture.

The program is “a comprehensive set of objectives, targets, and holistic approach in promoting the establishment of enterprises involving agricultural and fishery products.”

Pangilinan also noted that Team Robredo-Pangilinan (TROPA) would double the budget of agriculture to ensure food security, adequate supply of rice at affordable prices to all Filipinos.

Meanwhile, the vice-presidential candidate said he supports corporate farming.

"There are several templates. Hindi naman one size fits all. Corporate farming is one way to go," Pangilinan said, citing the example of the successful case of Maguindanao’s La Frutera Inc.'s 2,000-hectare banana plantation, being managed by former Agriculture Secretary Senen Bacani since 1996.— with Mel Matthew Doctor/RSJ/BAP, GMA News