Robredo on choosing pink over yellow: Iba na ang laban ngayon

Vice President Leni Robredo on Friday explained why she chose pink — and not yellow — as the color to symbolize her 2022 presidential bid.

"Yellow is a color of protesting dictatorship. Iba na ang laban ngayon. Mas malaki ang laban. Laban ito sa pagbabalik ng anak ng diktador at masamang pamamahala na sanhi ng problema na pinagdaraan natin," Robredo said in a press briefing.

(This is a different fight. We have a bigger fight ahead. This is a battle against the comeback of the dictator’s son and incompetent governance which is the root of our problems.)

Yellow is associated with the Liberal Party (LP) and the previous administrations of the late Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III and his mother, the late Corazon Aquino.

Robredo did not mention a name but she was evidently referring to former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos who is also seeking the presidency in 2022.

It was Cory Aquino who replaced the elder Marcos when his decades-old regime was toppled via the 1986 People Power Revolution.

Robredo defeated Bongbong Marcos in the 2016 vice presidential race.

"Pink is also the color of protest and activism globally at the moment, and this has been chosen by the volunteers because they thought this will symbolize our aspirations to replace this existing leadership," Robredo said, still explaining her choice of new color.

Robredo, who chairs LP, filed her certificate of candidacy as an independent candidate for president on Thursday afternoon, hours after announcing her presidential bid.

The move to pick a new color surprised many of Robredo's supporters, given that she remains the LP chair.

Robredo argued that this move is meant to expand alliances between like-minded individuals.

"I ran as an independent because it is our symbolic way of saying that bukas kami sa pakikipagalyansa sa maraming partido [we are open to building alliances with other parties]," she said.

"This is about inclusivity. Hindi naman ako kumandidato pagkapangulo para sa partido, kundi para pag-isahin ang lakas ng sambayanan [I did not run for President for the party, but to bind the strength of our people],” she added.

Kiko

For her running-mate, Robredo has picked Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, who is LP president.

In choosing Pangilian, Robredo cited his vast experience as a senator, former presidential adviser for food security, and a student activist, among others.

"He is the choice that makes the most sense. I have no doubt that with him as vice president, he will take the Office of the Vice President a notch higher," she said of Pangilinan.

Pangilinan thanked Robredo for the opportunity. He also said he was the first to convince Robredo to run for President.

"This is a call of duty. Kung may pagkakataong makatulong sa mas marami; kung may pagkakataong maglingkod sa mas malawak na paraan; kung tatawagin sa mataas na katungkulan -- tungkulin nating tumugon lalo na sa gitna ng pinakamatinding krisis sa kalusugan at ekonomiya ng bansa," Pangilinan said.

(If there is chance to be of help to more people in a wider capacity, it is a duty to heed the call especially amid the health and economic crisis.)

"Tinanggap ko ang hamon hindi dahil sa katiyakan ng pagkapanalo, kundi sa katiyakan ng aking paninindigan," he added.

(I am up for the challenge not because winning is guaranteed, but because of the certainly of my principles.) —KBK, GMA News