VICE President Leni Robredo expressed gratitude to economists, retired military officials, diplomats, and former government officials who endorse her candidacy for president.
She said it gives her confidence that the people who have served the country believes in her
capacity to be the next president.
“They are all very capable and well-respected individuals who have devoted a good part of their lives working for government. That they believe VP Leni should be the country’s next President because of her leadership and her qualifications is a boost for the campaign, and we hope this can inspire and encourage others to support her presidential bid,” said Robredo’s spokesperson, Barry Gutierrez.
On February 11, over 130 Filipino economists released a statement expressing full support for Robredo’s presidential bid.
At least seven former socio-economic planning secretaries and heads of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) signed the statement.
“We believe that VP Leni Robredo is our best hope to turn the tide and bring back the people’s trust in government in order to restore and sustain vigor to people’s lives and livelihoods at the soonest possible time,” the group said.
The group added that Robredo is a trained economist and lawyer who has devoted herself to giving legal aid to poor people.
It said the Vice President also possess a “proven track record of hands-on leadership and good governance, as evidenced by the efficient and responsive programs of the Office of the Vice President throughout the pandemic.”
The group approved of the Vice President’s Kalayaan sa Covid (Freedom from Covid) Plan, describing it as a “coherent and comprehensive” document.
They said the country’s economy can only recover if the government will focus on a systematic pandemic response.
Among the former socio-economic planning secretaries who signed the endorsement were Solita “Winnie” Collas-Monsod, Emmanuel F. Esguerra, Dante Canlas, Cielito Habito, and Ernesto Pernia, who was Neda chief under the Duterte administration.
Others who signed the statement were Marikina Representative Stella Quimbo, a PhD. graduate and former professor at the University of the Philippines School of Economics and Diwa C. Guinigundo, a former deputy governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
On February 8, the start of the official campaign period, 47 more retired military officials, diplomats, and career government officials mostly from the administration of the late President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III joined their colleagues in endorsing Robredo for President.
Early this month, nearly a hundred former government officials, career diplomats and four retired military chiefs under the Aquino presidency backed Robredo’s candidacy.
Among those who recently signed the statement were former Ambassador Jose Cuisia, former Philippine Economic Zone Authority director general Lilia de Lima, Philippine Commission on Women head Emmeline Versoza, former Navy Flag Office in Command Vice Admiral Alex Pama, former Armed Forces Vice chief of staff Lieutenant General Salvador Mison, and former Air Force commanding generals Lieutenant General Lauro Catalino de la Cruz and Jeffrey Hidalgo.
A number of cabinet members under the administration of former President Fidel V. Ramos also endorsed Robredo's presidencial bid.