FINALLY, AT LEAST FOR NOW

When I opened my Facebook yesterday morning, some people were thanking VP Leni Robredo for the activities her office has been doing in relation to this health crisis our country is currently experiencing.  This has caught my special attention, which led me to jump to Google in order to have concrete knowledge as to what her office is up to.

Then I decided to check Robredo’s official social media page to get direct information and confirmation as well. So far, these are the things her office has been doing for our health frontliners:

- free shuttle service which started last March 19 (the only thing I knew prior

  to this article)

- food deliveries to 37 hospitals in Metro Manila (and counting)

- opening of two dormitories (Cubao and Teachers’ Village)

- donation of  32, 325 personal protective equipment (ppe) sets to 103 hospitals

  in Metro Manila and some provinces in Luzon

My further scrolling revealed that these were made possible by the funds of the Office of the Vice President, as well as funds generated by her office’s donation drives. As of March 28, the combined funds totaled to 37.3 million pesos.

However, I am not inclined to be thankful, for such efforts are part of Leni’s job to start with. And it is in this same vein that I am not thankful to the efforts made by our current administration. Trabaho nila yan. With the exception of course of our medical frontliners who are risking their own lives in dealing with the minacious microbe.

But what I am thankful for, is that Robredo has aligned herself, or her office, with the Duterte administration in its war against the COVID-19 by making her own initiatives and contributions. And this phenomenon either rarely or never happened before, for it is common knowledge that Robredo has this penchant for opposing the government in dealing with certain issues.

Yes, I know that this health crisis is a far different issue and that it should not be politicized.

You may dismiss this alignment thing as mere coincidence. But I don’t, and brand it as alignment still nevertheless.

And as for Leni’s efforts, I guess this is what all Filipinos (regardless of their political affiliation) have been waiting for – for her to finally rise up from her bed of political ambition to create an impact, be relevant, and be one with the government.

Finally, at least for now.

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