Leni: ‘Courage is not about gender’

By Mavic Conde

Vice President Leni Robredo, who is also the lone woman presidential aspirant for the 2022 elections, believes that her gender is not a weakness.

“Kung katapangan lang naman, hindi ito nakikita sa gender. Nakikita ito kung paano ka nagdedesisyon sa maraming aspeto ng iyong buhay,” Robredo said during her interview with veteran broadcast journalist Jessica Soho for the Presidential Interview aired over GMA News.

Robredo gave that answer when asked if the Philippines need a strong leader with an iron fist.

According to her, it depends how you define that phrase. If it means being a courageous leader, she said, she’s already shown it as a vice president and in many stages of her political career.

Robredo recalled past experiences to cite examples, from her running as a representative of the 3rd District of Camarines Sur against the political dynasty of the Villafuertes, all the while mourning for the passing of his husband, to being the underdog in the 2016 vice presidential race, and for standing up and firm from the attacks of the tough-talking President Duterte simply because she’s a woman. Robredo also stood firm against the online attacks against her as a vice president.

Robredo also assured that courage in leadership is not measured by the time spent in this field. “Jessica, maigsi yung aking panunungkulan sa pulitika, pero long before I became a politician, I was already a public servant… And para sa akin, ito ‘yung mahalaga,” Robredo said.