Leni: Mandaue was Jesse’s last stop

CEBU, Philippines - Camarines Sur Representative Leni Robredo yesterday turned “emotional” as he set foot on Mandaue City’s Paknaan relocation site, it being the last stop of her husband, former Interior secretary Jesse, before his plane crashed in Masbate in 2012.

“Emotional ako pag nasa Mandaue City. Bago namatay si Jesse, he was here. Kayo ang kasama niya,” said Robredo before thousands of residents of Mandaue’s 6.5-hectare relocation site in Barangay Paknaan.

Robredo, who earlier told the media that she will not be banking on the achievements of her late husband for her candidacy, told the residents that they are also close to her heart as Jesse’s “top priority” project was housing for the poor, even since he assumed as mayor in Naga City.

Robredo is Liberal Party’s candidate for the vice presidency next year.

She said she is happy that Mandaue City was able to replicate what Jesse did to Naga during his time as mayor.

“Sana patuloy ang pakikipag-partner nyo sa gobyerno,” she said.

For his part, Mayor Jonas Cortes said the late Jesse Robrero was his “inspiration” when he launched the Performance Governance System in Mandaue.

Naga City was the first to have institutionalized the PGS, a system whose ultimate goal is to make governance transparent and corrupt-free.

Sixth District Representative Luigi Quisumbing, meanwhile, campaigned for Robredo, saying Mandaue will support her candidacy “100 percent” which was apparently welcomed by the audience through their applause.

The young congressman, who will run for mayor in Mandaue next year, said the relocation site, which will house 1,200 households, will get a P15 million funding for its road and drainage system.

After the short program, 6.5 Paknaan Site Management Council through its head Leopoldo Chavez, said if the P15 million funding dangled before them by Quisumbing will materialize, then he will be among the happiest in their area.

The relocation site, which was a dry land and a fish pond before, becomes muddy during rainy days. It still has no concrete road as of yesterday.

Chavez said the amount will add up to the funds for the project given to them by the city.

Quisumbing said the fund will also be used to construct a covered court and multi-purpose building. (FREEMAN)