Vote Leni Robredo, because she brings out the best in Filipinos
Regardless of what happens on May 9, Leni Robredo will always be our President.
But this piece isn’t a hard sell “VOTE LENI OR DIE.” Instead, it is mostly a celebration. It highlights what makes the Filipino great, and why our country needs us – and Leni Robredo – more than ever.
What makes the Filipino great?
The average Filipino is self-made. We fight for every scrap we can get. We transform what little we gather to feed our families, sometimes even those not our own.
And yet, we persevere because we Filipinos are caring and resourceful people. Maabilidad, wais, these are terms borne out of our unique traits.
Leni Robredo is the same. We’ve all heard the stories. The impressive COVID-19 programs. The Angat Buhay initiative that elevated 321,000+ families nationwide. The response that gathered P42 million worth of relief goods for Typhoon Odette survivors in just two weeks.
These are major impacts from the same Office with yearly budget cuts as big as 21%.
Much like the average Filipino, Robredo can do so much with so little.
The Bayanihan spirit
The Filipino has the Bayanihan spirit AKA the impulse to give to those who have less. This sense of community is crucial for the next six years.
Thanks to the pandemic, the next president will deal with trillions in debt, a high poverty rate, and a reeling economy. In short, it will suck, big time. While the new administration picks up the pieces, giving a crap about each other will keep us afloat.
Robredo’s “People’s Campaign” embodies the Bayanihan spirit. Supporters from all walks of life willingly donate food, money, and time to fuel a campaign that otherwise lacks the political machinery to thrive.
The movement knows no regional barriers. Batangas (280,000+), Cebu (150,000+), Negros Occidental (86,000+), Davao Del Norte (35,000+) and many more can attest to that.
Where Leni goes, the people follow, bringing along the same scene: People singing, dancing, feeding strangers until food is raining down from the sky.
When Filipinos march, it’s usually to kick out a president. Now, they celebrate to install one.
Our love for country
The 2022 elections have seen a lot of firsts. There are people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s who will exercise their right to vote for the first time, knowing these polls will define our future unlike any other.
Those apolitical, who rarely speak about social issues, let alone attend rallies, now brave the summer heat or make impassioned speeches about how their vote is for their children and grandchildren.
That’s what makes the Robredo campaign so great. It is more than Leni Robredo.
As John Arcilla puts it, “Hindi natin sinasamba [o sinasanta] si Leni Robredo”. Instead, we vote for a future that gives a damn about each other, where we’re loyal to principles rather than candidates. We choose our leaders, not based on the achievements of those around them, but rather “sa kanyang mga ginawa, nagawa, at gagawin pa.”
A Robredo presidency merely acts as the spark to make this happen.
The best in all of us
Resourcefulness, the Bayanihan spirit, and love for country are all inherent traits that make the Filipino great. But it takes a special kind of leader like Robredo to awaken and turn these into a movement.
May 9 is not just a chance to vote for a President, but also the kind of Philippines that we want to see. We decide if it’s a country that favors the same old clans and practices, or one based on integrity, community, and competency.
One that brings out the best in its people, as it should.
We The Pvblic endorses Leni Robredo.
The post <b> Vote Leni Robredo, because she brings out the best in Filipinos </b> appeared first on WE THE PVBLIC.
Source: we the pvblic
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