CLARK FREEPORT – Vice Pres. Leni Robredo said Pres. Duterte’s failure to admit economic and other problems could only worsen the economic woes of Filipinos.
In an interview with media at the Batang-Batang Elementary School in Victoria, Tarlac the other day, Robredo said Duterte should have taken advantage of his televised interview Malacanang had arranged last Tuesday to admit the country’s economic woes, particularly infl ation and assure them of what the government is doing.
“Iyong sa akin, sana nagamit iyong pagkakataon kahapon na humarap iyong ating Pangulo sa telebisyon na sabihin na talagang may problema (at) ito na iyong ginagawa natin,” she said.
Robredo said many proposals to solve infl ation have been made but have not been acted upon.
“ Marami tayong mungkahi. Halimbawa, iyong ating mga kasama sa Senado at sa House of Representatives, may hinain na mga panukalang batas na palagay natin malaki iyong matutulong para hindi na tumaas pang lalo iyong kahirapan. Halimbawa, iyong mungkahi ni Senator Bam Aquino sa Senado saka nila Congressman Miro Quimbo sa House of Representatives—iyong Bawas Presyo Bill—hinihingi sana nito na kung puwedeng huwag munang i-impose iyong susunod na tranche ng pagtaas ng… imposition ng excise tax sa langis, sa gasoline. Di ba iyong domino eff ect noong pagtaas ng gasolina napakalaki sa lahat ng presyo ng basic commodities,” she said.
Robredo said the government should have, from the beginning, manifested “one voice and solid plan to fight inflation.“
“Iyong pakiramdam kasi natin, iba-iba iyong humaharap sa atin, iba-iba iyong mga sinasabi, lalong nag-aalala iyong tao na walang solid na plano. Lalong nagaalala iyong tao, lalong lumolobo iyong infl ation.” She said that during Panelo’s televised interview last Tuesday, the President should have admitted the country’s problems and declared what the government is doing.
“Noong humarap iyong ating Pangulo, iyong inaasahan sana natin pagharap na pagtanggap na may problema; pagsabi na ganito iyong gagawin. Para sana kahit papaano assurance iyon sa mga tao na ang pamahalaan on top of the situation. Kapag hindi kasi nagpapakita ng control iyong pamahalaan, iyong pagkabahala ng tao na lalong hihirap iyong buhay, talagang lalo pang tinutulak tayo sa mas matinding kahirapan,” she lamented.
Robredo also urged Malacanang to resolve immediately the rice crisis. She said the President’s statement denying rice shortage contrary to what is being experienced by people nationwide.
She lamented the admission of government that rice hoarding could be a culprit in the rice crisis, yet no one had been arrested.
“Kung may kakulangan, tanggapin para may gawing solusyon,” she said.
Robredo also noted that Malacanang has ignored the clamor for the ouster of National Food Administration (NFA) administrator Jason Aquino, but this has been ignored.
“Matagal na nating hinihingi na baguhin na iyong liderato sa NFA dahll alam natin na iyong inefficiencies sa liderato ng NFA, isa ito sa pinaka-naging ugat ng pagtaas ng presyo ng bigas. Pero kahapon, wala pa ring assurance na ganoon. Ang sinabi lang ni Pangulo, sinabi ni Mr. Jason Aquino na pagod na siya,” she said.
She recalled during her recent sortie to Zamboanga along with Sen. Bam Aquino, people complained of hardship because of the high price of rice.
She also noted long lines of people seeking to buy cheaper rice wherever they are available.
Robredo warned that Duterte’s failure to admit problems would lead to more anxiety among the people.
She also said the President has not reached out to seek her help on current problems.
“Pero kahit kasi hindi humingi ng tulong, kailangan tayong magpa-abot ng ating mungkahi,” she said, adding that she already has submitted to Malacanang a lost list of proposals in the recent weeks.
Robreado was in Victoria to inaugurate a school building costing P1 million in Barangay Batang-batang.
The building could accomodate 54 Grade 1 and Kindergarten pupils.
The project was under her office’s Angat Buhay Program in partnership with Aklat, Gabay, Aruga Tungo sa Pag-angat at Pag-asa Foundation and JVR Foundation.
