Robredo denies taking Diosdado Macapagal's route to the presidency

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Monday likened Vice President Leni Robredo to former Vice President Diosdado Macapagal who eventually became a Philippine president.

During the Senate Finance Committee hearing on the Office of the Vice President's proposed P673 million budget for 2020, Drilon said that Robredo's current situation, of not having a post in President Rodrigo Duterte's Cabinet, reminded him of Macapagal's situation.

“President Carlos Garcia did not give Diosdado Macapagal any work and therefore what Diosdado Macapagal did for the six or four years that he was in office was to go around the country, helping the needy.  Consequently, Macapagal won the presidency. Whether or not there is a parallel to that, I’m just stating facts,” Drilon explained.

Robredo downplayed the supposed similarity, emphasizing she was not looking at her job as a stepping-stone to the presidency.

“Siguro similar kami in the sense na pareho kaming walang Cabinet post. Pero yung kaibahan ‘yung mga areas kung saan ako nagpupunta sobrang lalayo, mahirap puntahan, at konti ang tao,” she told reporters when sought for comment after the budget hearing,

“So kung pulitika ang iisipin ko dapat wala ako dun, dapat ‘yung mga programa namin nandun lang sa heavily populated areas kasi dun ako makakakuha ng boto. Sa tingin ko, makakasama sa programs namin na isipin ko na ang 2022 kasi kung iisipin ko ang 2022 hindi na ako pupunta sa mga areas na malayo tapos hindi heavily populated areas,” she added.

Robredo also thought it better to set aside any thought on presidential elections as it would only distract from her office's programs.

As to whether she was considering taking the same path Macapagal took to the presidency, Robredo said she was not planning much of anything. 

“Mahirap sabihin na considering dahil yung trajectory ko sa pulitika walang plinano, parating bukas sa kahit anong possibilities, pero kailangan lang gawin ang mga dapat gawin. Sa akin kasi mahirap na planuhin sya kasi kapag plinano parang lahat ng ginagawa ko, ang iniisip ko na ‘yung san ba ako ako makakakuha ng maraming boto,” she said. — DVM, GMA News