Robredo says gov't should invest in internet for youth’s education

Vice President and presidential candidate Leni Robredo on Tuesday said the government should invest in the internet connection in the country, underscoring its importance especially among the students who are taking online classes.

“Ngayong panahon, napakahalaga na ng internet connection dahil dependent diyan ang ating mag-aaral. Kaya dapat ang gobyerno, nagi-invest ng pera para maayos at siguraduhin na lahat ng lugar ay may internet connection para nakakasabay ‘yung mga kabataan dito at nagagamit siya para sa edukasyon ng lahat,” she said during her visit in Lubang, Occidental Mindoro.

(Internet connection is very important nowadays because the students are dependent on it. The government should invest money to fix it and make sure that all places have an internet connection so that the youth can keep up and use it for their education.)

Robredo previously said that the government should incentivize telecommunications companies so they could more aggressively enter communities and address the slow internet in the country.

She then pointed out that there should be a common tower for all telcos and a government intervention is needed to make this possible. This is where the incentives will come in for telcos to enter “hardship areas.”

Further, Robredo vowed that if elected president, her administration will visit small and far-flung areas to personally hear the plight of the people.

She emphasized that in the case of Occidental Mindoro, she knows that aside from internet connection, one of the residents’ biggest problems have always been the power outages and high cost of electricity.

“‘Pag ako naging pangulo, alam ko dapat ang lahat ng problema ninyo. Alam ko na dito sa Occidental Mindoro at maraming bahagi sa Pilipinas, problema pa rin ang brownout. Hindi lang brownout, pero napakataas ng presyo ng kuryente,” she said.

(If I am elected president, I should know all your problems. I know that here in Occidental Mindoro, just like in many parts of the country, brownouts are still a problem. Not just brownouts, but the high cost of electricity.)

She also vowed to address the concerns of local farmers and fisherfolk who are having troubles due to the series of fuel price hikes. She also promised to provide livelihood assistance to mothers and financial aid to tricycle drivers and operators affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Ito ang klase ng pamamahala na aasahan ninyo pag ako naging pangulo–isang klaseng pamamahala na lahat mahalaga. Isang klase ng pamamahala na hindi kayo mauuhaw na mabisita kayo ng national government officials,” she added.

(This is the kind of government you can expect when I become president–one that gives priority to all, and one in which national government officials visit the people.)

Talisay City, Cebu sortie canceled

Aside from Lubang, Occidental Mindoro, Robredo and her camp were supposed to go to Talisay City, Cebu on Tuesday night to campaign and attend a rally. However, this was canceled, as confirmed by Cebu Vice Governor Hilario Davide III.

In a Facebook post on Monday, Davide explained that his running mate Cebu governor aspirant Ace Durano has decided to support another presidential bet.

“Since the Partido Pilipino sa Pagbabago of my partner, gubernatorial aspirant Ace Durano, has decided to support another presidential candidate, it is inevitable that he is bound to follow the organization’s endorsement. Despite our different choices for president, it has not diminished in any way our shared belief to continue our movement for A Better Cebu,” he said.

“We are grateful to VP Leni for believing and supporting our Cebu Priority Development Agenda in her speech during her visit to Cebu last April 21st,” he added.

During Robredo and her running mate Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan’s campaign in Mandaue City, Cebu, she said that the Cebu Development Plan presented to her by different sectoral organizations was aligned with her plans for the province.—AOL, GMA News