Robredo committed to build railway in Northern Mindanao, says CDO solon

Vice President Leni Robredo has committed to build a railway in Mindanao and rehabilitate the Agus-Pulangui hydropower plant if she becomes president, according to Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez.

Rodriguez, who represents Cagayan de Oro in Congress, said this was discussed during a meeting with Robredo on Wednesday afternoon, a day before her campaign stop in Lanao del Norte.

Rodriguez said they had submitted a proposal for such a railway back in 2008 but it was not implemented.

"We asked the Vice President, if she becomes president, to focus on the development of Mindanao. Railway from Cagayan de Oro to Laguindingan going to Iligan. Under her presidency, she committed that she is going to have this railway to serve Northern Mindanao," Rodriguez told reporters on Wednesday.

"She said we are going to rehabilitate the Agus Pulangui River," the lawmaker added.  "She [said she] will rehabilitate Agus-Pulangui hydropower plant for 1,000 megawatts of electricity."

"Those are the two important things we have decided on," Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez, who is backing Robredo for president but is campaigning for Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte for vice president, committed to work on expanding support for Robredo in Mindanao.

"Our commitment to VP Leni is to campaign hard, convince our people, in Cagayan de Oro...on my part, to convince other Congressmen to join her," he said.

Rodriguez, however, said their support for Sara Duterte's vice presidential bid was not discussed during the meeting. "We did not discuss that. We just discussed the campaign for her," he added.

Aside from Rodriguez, Robredo also had a March 30 meeting with Misamis Oriental Representative Juliette Uy and her allies who also backed Robredo's 2022 presidential bid.

On Thursday morning, Robredo met with Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno, who is backing Robredo and her running mate, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan.

Pangilinan earlier called on the supporters of Robredo to stick with the Leni-Kiko tandem as electing somebody else from another ticket could put Robredo at risk. —KBK, GMA News