Robredo turns over opposition leadership baton to Hontiveros

Vice President Leni Robredo on Monday passed the opposition leadership baton to Senator Risa Hontiveros, the lone opposition candidate who won in the 2022 Senate race.

This developed during Hontiveros' oath taking ceremony administered by Robredo in her Quezon City office.

"Ikaw na ang aming leader. Nasa likod mo lang kami, tutulong, kung kailan mo kami kailangan. You are now the highest elected official in the opposition," said Robredo three days before stepping down from public office

(You are now our leader. We got your back, and we will be here to help you out whenever you need us.)

"Kampante kami na patuloy mong ipaglalaban kung ano ang mabuting pamamahala, naroon kami na sumusuporta sa iyo. Kami na ang mga sundalo mo,"  Robredo added.

(We are confident that you will continue to fight for good governance. We are here to support you. This time, we will be your soldiers.)

VP Robredo to Hontiveros: Ikaw na iyong leader namin [sa oposisyon]. Nasa likod mo lang kami, tutulong, kung kailangan mo kami. Tiwala kami na patuloy mong ipapakipaglaban ang mabuting pamamahala @gmanews pic.twitter.com/HA0iM0ovwd

— Llanesca T. Panti (@llanescajourno) June 27, 2022

Robredo then lauded Hontiveros' resolve, saying her fellow opposition stalwart has always used her office to aid the marginalized.

"Yung aking paghanga sa 'yo ay lalo pang dumoble nung ikaw ay nabigyan ng pagkakataon na humawak ng kapangyarihan, from being in Congress hanggang sa pagiging senator. Nagamit mo 'yung posisyon para sa maging boses para sa mga pinakamaliliit," she said.

(My admiration for you doubled because when you were given power, from being in Congress to being a senator, you have always amplified the voice of the marginalized.)

Hontiveros served as Akbayan party-list representative in Congress for two terms, 2004 to 2010. She ran for the Senate in the 2010 and 2013 polls and lost both before finally winning a Senate seat in the 2016 elections.

Hontiveros was one of the principal authors of the following laws: The Act Strengthening the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law, Philippine Mental Health Law, HIV and AIDS Policy Act of 2018 and– Safe Streets and Public Spaces Act, among others.

"Lahat kami masaya na ikaw 'yung natitirang humahawak ng ating bandila (We are all happy that you are our flag bearer)," Robredo added.

Hontiveros, in response, vowed to be fierce in the tough battle ahead.

"We will help spur economic growth and restore healthcare services disrupted by the pandemic. As promised, we will facilitate and push for increase of budgets for agencies integral to our recovery initiatives. Tuloy pa rin ang ating adbokasiya para sa Healthy Buhay at Hanapbuhay," she added.

(Our advocacy for a healthy life and jobs remain.)

Likewise, Hontiveros vowed zero tolerance for fake news.

"I remain an advocate in protecting our constitutional freedoms and our most basic human rights: freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press. All these are fully guaranteed," Hontiveros said.

"But we will not tolerate people who bear false information. We will fight back harder, against rumors, lies, propaganda, and fake news. Let me make this even clearer: this is a stern warning to all the dubious characters in the fake news universe: This time, we will not let your reckless disregard for truth slander our democracy—our country— ever again," she added.

Tsek.ph, a fact-checking academe group Tsek.ph, earlier found that Robredo is  the biggest victim of online disinformation while President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. is the biggest beneficiary of such online disinformation.

Hontiveros also assured Robredo and the opposition of support even if the latter will now be engaged in anti-poverty initiatives outside of public office.

"We will continue to support and work with Vice-President Leni Robredo, other opposition leaders, parties, and movements to redress inequality on the ground. Pararamihin natin ang mga Pilipinong nakikibahagi sa proseso ng demokrasya, upang maramdaman ng mas marami pa ang mga resulta nito," she said.

(We will get more Filipinos to participate in the democratic process so that more people will feel its benefits.)

"May we all remain strong in the fierce battle ahead," she added.

No favors

During her last general assembly with her office employees and staff later in the day, Robredo also expressed gratitude over the professionalism in their ranks.

She credited her chief-of-staff, Undersecretary Boyet Dy, for leading the way in hiring the best people.

"Not many people know that the appointments, those hired in the office since I was elected Vice President, I largely depended on Usec Boyet. I asked him to be the chief-of-staff, and I thank him for agreeing to it," Robredo said.

"The appointees, choosing Assistant Secretaries and Directors, everyone here up to the last employee, I did not have a hand at all. I was hands off on hiring, promotion. Some people got mad at me, including friends who were asking me to hire their children to work here, but I didn't do it and I am thankful that I did it that way because it professionalized our ranks. We had the best of the best because of that," she added.—AOL, GMA News