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Robredo to continue working to ease housing problems, stand on her beliefs
Vice President Leni Robredo vows to continue working to address housing problem in the country despite his resignation as the chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).
“It doesn’t mean that since I’m no longer HUDCC, I will not be doing anything, in fact if you recall I was appointed late and even if I was not yet appointed to HUDCC we in the office of the vice president already have a lot of flagship programs,” Robredo said.
“For me, my relief from housing will not left my advocacy, I meet my staff this morning to inform them about my decision to resign, and told them that we will add to our advocacy the housing program, so we will still be working,” she added.
Robredo admitted her resignation will make her work on housing and development programs difficult but she vowed her office will be very active in addressing the problem in housing sector.
“Of course it will be more difficult now because we are no longer the head, but because we understand the whole problem we will be very active especially in housing.
Robredo formally submitted her resignation to Malacanang on Monday morning after receiving a text message from Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. that President Rodrigo Duterte wanted her to stop from attending the cabinet meetings starting December 5.
“This morning, we submitted in Malaca?ang my resignation letter to the cabinet. My letter stated that, I have exerted all efforts to put aside our differences, maintain a professional working relationship, and work effectively despite the constraints because the Filipino people deserve no less,” she said..
“Like what I have said yesterday, that is I am being barred to attend and take part to the cabinet meeting, it is impossible for me to do my duties as housing secretary,” she said.
Duterte appointed Evasco to replace Robredo as HUDCC chairman.
Robredo said she will continue to stand on her beliefs.
“Along with many of you, I have expressed my strong opposition on issues like the Marcos burial. We still hope that the President will reconsider his position on these issues. We will continue to support policies and actions from this administration if we believe these are right and just and will benefit the last, the least, and the lost. If they don’t, we will not hesitate to dissent,” she said.
“This is not the time for fear. It is a time for conviction. It is a time for courage,” she added.
“My highest loyalty is to the Constitution and to you, the Filipino people?a vow that both the President and I took when we assumed our offices. This means, I must be free to speak my mind to protect you, your dreams, and your future. The welfare of our children will only be secure by a government that can listen and open even to the oppositions,” she added.
Robredo said the instruction given to her not to attend the cabinet meeting is like implying that she was fired from her position.
But Robredo was confident the reason for her relief was not related to her work as the head of HUDCC.
“Before I went down I saw the statement of Sec. Martin Andanar and spokesperson Abella they both say that they recognized my, the good things that I did in housing, I think they do not have problem on that,” she said.
Robredo expressed belief the instruction to exclude her in cabinet meetings has something to do with her issues with former Senator Bongbong Marcos and her recent statement against the burial of late President Ferdinand Marcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani.
“It’s like that they said that it’s (due to) irreconcilable differences so I presume because those that we were not able to agree with is the Marcos burial which is the most intense and that was the last statement that I issued. After this, we haven’t seen each other,” she said.
“At least for me that is what I see, it was the last statement that I issued, maybe that is immediate reason, maybe because if you issue the statement of Sec. Andanar and Sec. Abella they actually said this is not housing related,” she added.
Robredo urged Duterte to continue the programs she has started at the HUDCC for the benefit of the poor Filipinos specially the victims of super typhoon Yolanda. Robina Asido/DMS
