Tete-a-tete ‘a lost opportunity’
VP Leni tells admin: Focus on rising prices, not politicking

Vice President Leni Robredo called on the administration to focus on finding solutions to inflation and rice supply troubles, urging that it take concrete steps against rising prices instead of making repeated pronouncements against opposition figures.

In an interview Wednesday, the Vice President said President Rodrigo Duterte’s televised “tete-a-tete” with his Chief Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo was a lost opportunity, where the chief executive could have addressed the people’s urgent concerns.

“[N]asasayangan tayo sa pagkakataon…[N]apakalaking pagkakataon iyon para i-address iyong pagkabahala ng taumbayan tungkol sa kahirapan na pinagdadaanan natin ngayon sa ating ekonomiya,” she told reporters in Tarlac. “Iyong aking inaasahan, kaya niya haharapin iyong taumbayan kahapon, para sabihin nga na, ‘Totoong may problema tayo, pero ito iyong solusyon na ginagawa ng ating pamahalaan.’”

VP Leni emphasized the public’s need for assurance of a clear government response amid rising prices and problems over rice supply, noting that these issues are closely affecting Filipinos, especially those in need.

She said the President’s insistence on attacking political foes, in particular Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, is not helping in this regard, and takes away focus from addressing these pressing problems.

“Hindi nakakatulong na mas pinagtutuunan ng pansin iyong away nila ni Senator Trillanes,” she said. “Iyong mga panahon ng kagipitan, hindi ito panahon na pinagtutuunan ng pansin iyong politika… Panahon ito para asikasuhin iyong problema natin sa ekonomiya. Hanggang ngayon, iyon pa rin iyong hinihiling natin—na sana pagtuunan ng pansin iyong ating ekonomiya kasi naghihirap iyong taumbayan.”

“Kahapon noong humarap iyong ating Pangulo, iyong inaasahan sana natin pagharap na pagtanggap na may problema, pagsasabi na ‘Ganito iyong gagawin,’” she added. “Kapag hindi kasi nagpapakita ng kontrol iyong pamahalaan, iyong pagkabahala ng tao na lalong hihirap iyong buhay, talagang lalo pang tinutulak tayo sa mas matinding kahirapan.”

The Vice President and members of the Liberal Party in Congress have presented concrete suggestions on how to address these issues, including a stronger leadership at the National Food Authority, the suspension of the next tranche of excise tax on fuel, and ensuring the full implementation of cash transfers for the 10 million families and jeepney drivers targeted under TRAIN 1.