Leni mulls holding office at Boracay mansion

MANILA, Philippines – Vice president-elect Leni Robredo is seriously considering holding office at the Quezon City Executive House where she can continue her programs for the poor and women, an official said yesterday.

Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte was referring to the two-story building recently constructed by the city government as a reception area and place to stay for foreign dignitaries in New Manila.

The property used to be linked to former president and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada during his impeachment trial in 2001, and was then dubbed as Boracay Mansion, owing to the artificial white sand that lined a swimming pool reminiscent of the world-famous beach attraction in Aklan.

The pool was removed during the construction of the building.

“Of all the locations we’ve scouted, VP Leni favors the executive building because it’s well suited for her work and advocacies. Most of the NGOs she will work with have their offices in Quezon City. Her residence is also in Quezon City,” Belmonte said in a telephone interview.

“The place is dignified but not ostentatious,” she said.

The property was titled in the name of the city government last year.

Robredo used to be a pro-bono lawyer for urban poor and farmer groups as well as for battered women before entering politics in 2013 as representative of Camarines Sur.

She won in the May 9 elections by a narrow margin of over 200,000 votes against her closest rival, Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

She decided not to stay at the Coconut Palace, where outgoing Vice President Jejomar Binay is holding office, owing to its huge rent of nearly P500,000 a month.