By Merlina Hernando-Malipot and Tara Yap

Vice President Leni Robredo decided to just ignore the recent remarks of President Rodrigo Duterte and urged her fellow public servants to focus on finding solutions to the country’s problems instead of spewing insults to one another.

“Ako kasi, ayaw kong sagutin muna iyon kasi hindi ko alam kung gaano kaseryoso. Pero iyong sa akin lang, iyong mga mahahalaga at mga importanteng mga problema ng ating bansa, hindi naman dinadaan sa pagkapikon, hindi naman dinadaan sa pang-iinsulto. Mahirap na papatulan ko, kasi hahaba lang iyong usapan. Iyong sa akin, parating solusyon iyong hinahanap natin.”

(I don’t want to answer that now because I don’t know how serious it is. But for me, the important problems of the country should not be dealt using emotions nor throwing insults. I don’t want to respond to it because the issue will just be dragged longer. I would rather focus on finding solutions.)

Asked if she takes offense on the recent remarks of the President, Robredo shrugged it off noting that “from the very start, I have always been at the receiving [the short] end of the President’s numerous insults.” Instead of paying attention and responding to each and every insult thrown at her, the VP opts to just focus on what matters most.

“Sa dami ng gagawin, kailangan matutunan ko i-focus kung ano iyong mga mahahalaga [at] hindi ako puwedeng ma-distract from the work that I am doing, kasi less than three years na lang ang natitira sa akin,” Robredo said. (With so much left to do, I have to learn to focus on my priorities. I cannot be distracted from the work that I am doing because I only have less than three years left.)

For Robredo, there are so much more important things that should be addressed and paid attention to. “Iyong paniniwala ko, kaming mga… kaming mga naninilbihan sa taumbayan, walang space para sa aming ego, walang space para sa emosyon, walang space para sa pagkapikon, kasi hindi namin magagampanan nang maayos iyong aming trabaho,” she said. (I believe that for as public servants, there should be no space for ego, no space for emotion, and should not be easily angered because we will not be able to do our jobs well if we focus on these.)

Robredo also decided not to take every little thing that the President throws at her seriously. “Sa akin kasi, wala nang value iyong maraming sinasabi, dahil alam naman natin na marami nang sinabi in the past, hindi lang dahil—hindi lang tungkol sa akin—na hindi naman naisasakatuparan” (For me, many of the things he says especially those he said in the past – not just about me – no longer have value because he couldn’t even fulfill his own promises).

“So iyong sa akin, mas gusto kong i-direct iyong aking energy sa mga bagay na magiging useful ako, na magta-transform ako ng buhay…mas mabuting pagtuonan iyon ng pansin kaysa masaktan sa mga sinasabi ng Pangulo” (I would rather direct my energy to where I would be useful, where I could transform lives instead of focusing on the hurtful things that the President says.)

Robredo reiterated that with so many pressing issues and problems that should be addressed, she would rather use all her energy on doing productive things. “Sa dami ng nangyayari sa ating paligid, sa dami ng problema natin, kailangang matutunan natin na piliin kung ano iyong magpapaapekto tayo saka hindi (With so many problems around us, we need to learn how to choose to affected or not),” she said.

For Robredo, the most important thing right now is doing her job. “Despite the many limitations, despite the difficulties that are being thrown my way, I would always find ways to serve the people and focusing on things that don’t matter is nothing but a waste of energy,” she added.

Duterte’s recent remarks against Robredo was triggered by her supposed stance against the government’s anti-drug war and her vocal opposition against the alleged extrajudicial killings as well as some of his policies.

“Wala na yata akong masasabing iba kasi nasabi ko na lahat pero siguro pagpaalala na lang, na hindi lang kay Presidente pero sa aming lahat na mga public servants na sa dami nating problema, huwag nating idaan sa pagkapikon, huwag nating idaan sa pang-iinsulto, kasi hindi naman ito nakakatulong.” (I don’t have anything else to say anymore because I’ve already said everything I needed and wanted to say to him. Maybe just a reminder, not only to the President but to all of our public servants that we have a lot of problems, let’s resort to exasperation or insults because it doesn’t help.)

Instead of resorting to insults, Robredo urged all public officiials to just work together and find solutions to the country’s problems. “Bakit hindi na lang magtulungan para maghanap ng paraan para mas mapabuti? Kasi kung sarado tayo sa kritisismo, kung sarado tayo sa pagtulong ng iba, eh hindi tayo naghahanap ng paraan para mapagbuti iyong ating ginagawa” (Why not just work together to find ways to improve? If we are not open to criticisms or helping others, we are not looking for ways to improve what we’re doing.)

The Vice President’s remark came less than 24 hours after Duterte said he is ready to transfer “full powers” to Robredo over the campaign against illegal drugs, which the opposition has criticized for killings thousands of innocent civilians.

Robredo was in Iloilo, a former bailiwick of the opposition Liberal Party (LP), for three separate programs.

Robredo launched the 10-million Mingo Meals (10 MMM) for malnourished children in Bingawan town. It is in partnership with the Negrense Volunteers for Change (NVC) Foundation Inc.

Robredo then proceeded to Iloilo City, where she gave out financial aid for the Ahon Laylayan Koalisyon program at Assumption Iloilo.