Robredo vows to fix government ills if elected president

Vice President Leni Robredo on Saturday vowed to address broken systems in the government should she be elected president on May 9.

"May mali sa sistema, at may magagawa ako para maitama ito," Robredo said before a large crowd at her miting de avance in Makati City.

Despite her brief stints as housing and anti-drug czar, Robredo said she devised concrete plans for the government to provide low-cost housing and address the illegal drug problem.

"Palalayain ka ng gobyerno [na nais namin] mula sa dumadagan sayo," she added.

VP Robredo: May mali sa sistema, at may magagawa ako para maitama ito @gmanews pic.twitter.com/z6gSajFh7z

— Llanesca T. Panti (@llanescajourno) May 7, 2022

Organizers said up to 780,000 people attended Robredo's final campaign rally based on estimates by the local response team.

"Noon, kakaunti lang ang kasama ko nung nagdeklara ako. Ngayon, hindi ko na matanaw ang dulo [ng tao] na mga kasama natin," she said.

"Talagang walang kayang tumumba sa nagkakaisang lakas ng sambayanan. Aaminin ko, pananalig lang ang pinanghawakan ko [noong una] pero kahit kailan, hindi ako nagduda, hindi ako kailanman nawalan ng pag-asa, kasi alam ko mahal ng Pilipino ang kapwa niya Pilipino," she added.

While Robredo's rallies consistently drew big crowds, she has trailed former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr., the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., in opinion polls by double digits. 

Volunteers, however, have been conducting house-to-house campaigning in the hopes of widening her support ahead of the election. 

Sea of pink in Makati City for Leni-Kiko miting de avance (???? VP Leni Media Bureau) @gmanews pic.twitter.com/ULEJuhzjCt

— Llanesca T. Panti (@llanescajourno) May 7, 2022

'Once in a blue moon'

Among those who attended the miting de avance were Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, as well as actresses Angel Locsin and Anne Curtis, with Gray describing Robredo as a "once in a generation leader" that inspires hope. 

"The government has the power to change our lives, but we have the power to change the government. VP Leni is not a leader that comes so often. She is a once in a generation leader, bearer of hope and change. If you need proof, look around you. We are as diverse as our nation," Gray said.

"VP Leni has inspired us to go out of our homes, out of comfort zone, to not just wait for change but become the change ourselves. She inspires us to hope again. Look around you, people stood up to give their resources to give a hand up for anyone who ask for it," she added.

Curtis said Robredo's love for the country is like that of a mother.

"Mamahalin niya ang ating bayan. Like a mother, she will protect us and love us. Pati na rin po kay Sir Kiko, naniniwala po ako sa plano nila sa ating bansa," Curtis said.

All of the celebrities that supported Robredo then took an oath on stage to continue standing up for what is right.

"Lahat ng aking sinasabi, tatapatan ko ng buong pagsisilbi. Ibibigay ko ang aking lakas, hindi ako aatras, makakasama mo ako, hanggang maibigay ko ang aking boto," actress Iza Calzado said while leading the "Panata sa Bayan" oath, which was taken with fists raised.

"Asahan mong hindi ito ang huli, hanggang dulo, tayo ay magkakampi. Panghawakan natin ang liwanag, puso ay pananatiling nag-aalab," she said. —VBL, GMA News