VICE President Leni Robredo assured Negrenses on Tuesday that she will double the budget of the agriculture sector and improve education and health services if she becomes the country’s next president.
She gave the assurance during a rally in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental wherein she declared that education, health and agriculture would be top priorities of her administration.
“’Yun, ’yung aming pangako sa inyo. ’Yung budget natin sa agrikultura, dodoblehin natin. ’Yung ating pong health-care system, sisiguraduhin natin na hindi niyo na kailangan pumunta pa ng malayo para makakuha kayo ng medical attention,” Robredo said.
[That’s our promise to you. We will double the budget for agriculture. We will make sure our health care system is fixed, so you don’t have to go too far just to get medical attention].“Sisiguraduhin po natin, hindi magiging hadlang ang kahirapan para matanggap niyo ’yung medical assistance na kinakailangan ninyo. Aasikasuhin po natin ’yung pagpalakas ng local government units at mga basehang sector,” she added.
[We will make sure poverty won’t be a barrier to get medical assistance. We will strengthen local government units and basic sectors].Robredo also assured them that all senior citizens will receive their pensions and, when told that not all have been receiving their government-granted benefits, said she may even double it.
“Some mayors told us that few senior citizens are getting pensions. I told them our program will not discriminate. All senior citizens will receive pensions and we will double that because we know how hard it is for you,” she said, speaking in Filipino.
The vice president noted that the amount that senior citizens are currently receiving is not even enough to cover for their medicines. Robredo was in Negros Oriental just hours after holding a rally in Balanga, Bataan on Monday night, which was attended by an estimated 65,000 people and did not have any prominent provincial and municipal officials present.
“You know, we are quite apprehensive because we don’t have many local officials on our side here. But you proved tonight by your presence where true power lies,” the vice president said.
Before her sortie in Bataan, the presidential candidate campaigned in Zambales where a huge crowd also showed up in her rally in Olongapo City.
During the rally, the Aetas of Zambales endorsed the candidacy of Robredo, with chieftain Fe Domulot raising her hand and that of her running mate, Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan.
Image credits: VP Leni Robredo's Facebook page