Robredo vows energy-related gov’t subsidies for Northern Samar

Presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo on Monday said her administration would provide energy-related subsidies to Northern Samar if she is given the chance to be the next commander in chief.

"Marami pang kailangan pondohan ang pamahalaan rito. Napakamahal ng [presyo ng] kuryente, kaya kinakailangan talaga mag-subsidize ang pamahalaan rito, lalo na may renewable resources kayo rito," Robredo said during her campaign stop in Calbayog, Northern Samar.

(The government still needs to allocate more resources here. For one, electricity rates are high here, so the government needs to provide subsidies given that the province has renewable resources of energy.)

"You have geothermal, hydrogen resources, kaya kailangan talaga i-subsidize [ng pamahalaan ito] lalo na ang mahal ang presyo ng gasolina. Kung hindi isa-subsidize ito, hindi tayo aasenso," she added.

(The government needs to provide energy subsidies because oil prices are rising. Otherwise, we won't achieve progress.)

Robredo said these subsidies would aid fisherfolk and farmers the most.

"Sa ngayon, napakataas na ng gastos nila dahil sa napakamahal ng gasolina," she pointed out.

(As it is, fisherfolk and farmers are already spending too much on fuel.)

In addition, Robredo said she will ensure that beneficial government initiatives implemented in the province will be continued if she wins the presidency.

"We will ensure that the development projects being implemented now will continue and its number will be increased," Robredo added.

In the 2016 vice presidential race, Robredo won in Northern Samar with 111,461 votes against former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. 's 73,214 votes.

The certificate of canvass (COC) from Northern Samar was also the last COC to be counted by Congress in the official tabulation, sealing Robredo's victory over Marcos by 263,473 votes.

Robredo is again battling Marcos, Jr. in the 2022 polls, this time for the presidency. — BM, GMA News