Former BSP deputy governor Diwa Guinigundo described Vice-president Leni Robredo as highly competent in helping people during the pandemic even with the meager resources.
“Her ability to do with less is the leadership the country needs as it recovers from the pandemic while saddled with a huge deficit,” said Guinigundo.
Guinigundo said the fact that Robredo outperformed agencies with huge allocations is “a skill set we need in the post-COVID era” when the cost of reconstruction dwarfs tax collection.
“The next president must be able to judiciously utilize scarce resources,” said Guinigundo, adding that among the candidates for president “Robredo is the only one with executive experience to make every peso count.”
He said the country is entering an era when a COVID-hit economy will not be able to contribute revenues that can substantially finance a national budget.
Due to this, he insisted that the country needs a Robredo presidency that will provide “the necessary ingredients to kick start the economy.”
“One, she will inspire market confidence. She will attract investors who will be lured (by the fact) that an economist is at the helm,” he said. “They will see her as fair to labor, capital and consumers,” explained the finance expert.
According to Guinigundo, the VP was able to maximize her office’s allocation to fund an operation truly national in scope.
He added that Robredo’s accomplishments were supported by a “catalog of resibos” that shows various projects across the country.
Recalling the projects, she had done in a province or a town, even in remote areas like Ayutaya in Palawan, has been a feature of Robredo’s speeches during her sorties.
He also said the VP has no qualms “rolling up her sleeves” to accomplish something for the people, even if it meant she would be inconvenienced.
“VP Leni is the leader who will join you in a bus or motor ride just to reach places needing help. She is not a leader who will demand a first-class seat in an airplane.”
Meanwhile, former senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes said the Robredo presidency will implement post-COVID recovery programs that aim at re-invigorating MSMEs and improving the purchasing power of people.
Trillanes, who is again running for senator under the banner of Robredo, said the legislative priority of the new administration will be a slew of economic policies that will include financial aid for those most affected by the pandemic.
He said if he will be lucky to win as senator and Robredo as president, the first to be passed is her post-COVID economic recovery program.
Trillanes noted the policy agenda would help recover the economy and generate jobs.
“That will be the marching orders of VP Leni in the Senate slate. Because within the first 100 days, we need to pass this especially that our economy is in a very critical condition,” said Trillanes.
Among the measures the would be implemented are: unemployment insurance, financial aid to small businesses, and an expanded cash aid program or “ayuda” for poor families.
He also said there’s employment benefit like assistance for those who lost their jobs, to help them in their daily needs while looking for a job.
Unemployment insurance is one of the big-ticket programs of Robredo’s “Hanapbuhay Para sa Lahat” project that she unveiled earlier this year.
Also under implementation is the aid to small businesses or MSMEs, which account for 62 percent of the country’s total employment. He said this will generate employment.
“We will have subsidy or financial assistance for small businesses and the private (sector) will also provide jobs,” he added.
Under Robredo’s Hanapbuhay Para sa Lahat, MSMEs will be given wider access to credit and integration into public procurement programs.
Also, Trillanes said part of Robredo’s plans is to expand the “ayuda” system for families that includes an allotment of PhP216 billion in the national budget for social aid to families.
