Vice President Leni Robredo’s speech was truly a mood for COVID-19 response!

Two days after President Duterte’s State of the Nation Address, Philippine's second-highest official has delivered his speech suggesting her detailed plans to fight the pandemic in the country.

On July 29, at 4:39 p.m., she shared her coping measures and message of hope to Filipinos through her official Facebook page with a transcript written in our very own national Language.

In her opening speech, she straightforwardly cited some of the drastic effects of the pandemic to the people due to the consistent increase in the number of confirmed cases daily.

“Sa puntong ito, halos isang buwan na na mahigit isang libo bawat araw ang dagdag sa mga COVID positive cases ng bansa, ” Robredo opened her speech. “Halos magdadalawang libo na rin ang pumanaw, bukod pa sa napakaraming naospital, naubusan ng ipon, nawalan ng trabaho, o nakakaranas ng paghihirap at pangamba sa mga panahong ito. Mahigit limang buwan na ang lumilipas mula nang naiulat ang unang kaso ng COVID-19 sa ating bansa,” she added.

Robredo pointed out that the Office of the Vice President (OVP) has been reaching all sectors and exerting efforts to help everyone in need with just limited resources and budget.

“…Minabuti ng Tanggapan ng Pangalawang Pangulo na gawin ang makakaya upang tumugon sa kahit anong paraan basta may maitulong, gaano man kalimitado ang aming budget o mandato.”

For Leni, the speech was a comprehensive report and a summary of what her office learned in the past months through the help of experts as well as the most affected by the pandemic.

“Ituring sanang karagdagang ambag ang pahayag na ito—mga rekomendasyon at aral mula sa halos limang buwan na naming pakikipag-ugnayan sa ating mga kababayan para labanan ang COVID,” Robredo said to clearly states her intentions.

The main speech was all about her ways for the government to solve the COVID-19 crisis. Here are the “Eight-Point Plan” suggested by the office of the Vice President:

• Establish an efficient data collection to avoid confusion and complications.
• Make sure to acquire fast COVID-19 test results.
• The gov’t must collaborate with universities and academic institutions for a quick validation process of the Health Department.
• For locally-stranded individuals, the gov’t must facilitate free swab testing and ensure to have better-holding facilities.
• Medical experts should take the lead and we all must adopt a “whole of nation approach”.
• Public and private sectors must come hand-in-hand.
• Equal and systemic distribution of resources to our healthcare systems must be ensured.
• Healthcare workers must be on top of the line of the country’s priorities as they face the deadly virus.

The Vice president also gave a list of suggestions for economic recovery wherein she focused on mandating stimulus package and patronizing local businesses to help the country.

For the education system which Robredo sees as one of the nation’s biggest problems, she suggested prioritizing the welfare and the needs of the students—internet hubs in every barangay, gadget and devices to students, and teachers’ training for distance learning.

In her speech, Leni pointed out, "Hindi mapipigil ang pandemya kung basta mag-aabang na lang tayo ng bakuna," where she wowed netizens for a solid plan for the country.

For many, Vice President Leni Robredo’s 22-minute speech with feasible and concrete plans are what Filipinos want to hear right now.

See some reactions from the netizens:

In her endnote, she shed light to lessen Filipino’s worrisome amid the uncertain pandemic.

“Malinaw sa akin, hindi pasaway ang Pilipino, kundi laging handang tumulong sa kapwa. Hindi inutil ang Pilipino, kundi may tapang at talino na humarap sa anumang hamon. Hindi talunan ang Pilipino. At tiyak na magtatagumpay tayo laban sa pandemyang ito.”