De Lima commends Robredo's commitment, dedication to serve public; says VP Leni is the embodiment of the phrase "Kung Gusto, May Paraan"

Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima lauded presidentiable and Vice President Leni Robredo's commitment and dedication to serve the public, following the efforts exerted by the latter to attend the recent presidential forum while simultaneously performing her duty to help the survivors of Typhoon Odette.

De Lima, a social justice and human rights champion, said Robredo made sure not to disappoint either the Filipino people who were expecting to watch her live participation during the presidential forum hosted by the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) last Feb. 4 on the one hand, or the families whose homes were destroyed by Typhoon Odette and were waiting for her visit, on the other.

The Senator noted that yesterday's performance alone proved that the hard-working Vice President is the epitome of the first part of the Filipino saying "Kung gusto, may paraan; kung ayaw, palaging may dahilan," or the English phrase, "If there's a will, there's a way."

"Hindi lang sa pagsagot sa mga tanong at maiinit na isyu sa bansa pinatunayan ni VP Leni ang kanyang husay at kakayahan, kundi sa pagsigurong wala syang napapabayaan at kinaliligtaan sa trabaho.

"Alam ni VP Leni ang kahalagahan ng paglahok sa mga debate lalo na upang mas makilala at mas makilatis ng mamamayan ang mga nag-aapply sa pinakamataas na posisyon sa bansa kaya't ginawan pa rin niya ng paraan na makasama dito sa kabila ng kanyang busy schedule. Ang kahanga-hanga, matapos makadalo sa forum ay tuloy din ang kanyang pagbisita sa mga apektado ng bagyong Odette para sa pagtugon sa kanilang mga pangangailangan," she said.

"VP Leni is the perfect image of a dedicated leader who genuinely cares for the people and values them. Hindi takot harapin ang mga isyu. Walang palusot. Nagtatrabaho. Tumutulong anuman ang sitwasyon," she added.

Robredo, along with four other presidential aspirants, were given a live platform to discuss their plans for the country in the next six years in the "Panata sa Bayan: The KBP Presidential Candidates Forum."

During the forum, Robredo, who had to borrow an office with internet connection just to be able to participate in the event, dealt with the poor internet connection that was available, an issue she even apologized for, in the time-honored Filipino tradition of humbly and politely accepting blame for something beyond her control.

"I apologize for the bad connectivity during the forum. The fault is all mine. Our team tried hard to convince me to cancel all other engagements today, pero pinilit ko pa din hanapan ng paraan to fulfill all our commitments, dahil alam kong naghihintay rin yung mga communities na pupuntahan namin para maihatid yung tulong na pabahay bago magstart ang campaign period," Robredo said.

During the forum, Robredo elaborated her comprehensive platform rooted in her appreciation for data and her solid experiences working for and with the poorest Filipinos in the country.

Notably, her plans are hinged on a government led by honest and competent leaders, which means clamping down on corruption, playing no favorites, and getting rid of selective justice.