Leni Robredo visits ARMM, vows LGU empowerment

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo on Tuesday assured officials of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to focus on participatory governance and empowerment of local government units if elected vice president in May.

The ARMM, which covers Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, which are both in mainland Mindanao, and the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, is a known bastion of the Liberal Party. Robredo is the ruling party's second top candidate running alonside presidential hopeful Manuel Roxas II.

Robredo promised to continue the efforts of her husband, the late former Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, to empower local government units in the autonomous region via administrative and fiscal interventions meant to improve the capability of LGUs to manage peace and development projects.

Secretary Robredo had served as member of President Benigno Aquino III's cabinet from 2010 until his death in a plane crash in 2012.

Robredo, elected congresswoman on May 13, 2013, was in Cotabato City on Tuesday to deliver a keynote message at the ARMM's 1st Bangsamoro Women Leadership Summit.

The event was organized by the executive department of the autonomous region and two of its component-agencies, the Regional Commission on Bangsamoro Women and the regional education department.

The empowerment of Moro women, their role in the southern peace process and in governance, in the propagation of Muslim-Christian solidarity and in economic activities were among the topics discussed by summit participants.

Robredo, at a press conference after her speaking engagement with hundreds of Bangsamoro women from across ARMM, said she will also support the Mindanao peace process if elected.

The press conference was held in the conference hall of the office of re-electionist Gov. Mujiv Hataman, the Liberal Party's figurehead in the region.

Hataman told reporters she is grateful to Robredo for agreeing appear as a keynote speaker at the summit.

Nearly all of the 100 mayors in the autonomous region are Liberal Party members.