<div class="image-550">
<img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources-9/rebredo-bayanihan-sm.webp" alt="Leni Robredo" />
<div>
(Leni Robredo)
</div>
</div>

She noted that the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, or "Bayanihan 2," was not enough to address the problems associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which is a given considering the widespread effect of the pandemic.


Her formula? "The government must spend more."


It was an easy statement to make for a Monday morning quarterbacker, since the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte was already implementing it through the "Build, Build, Build" program. She did not even give details on how the government should spend its limited resources.

Her sudden appearance was also obviously baiting a comparison between her and President Duterte, who also had a press briefing shortly after she delivered her address.


It was all meant for image building as Robredo tried to create the impression of being presidential, but all she exuded was pure political posturing, by throwing malice on the actions of the administration and the President.
Apart from distributing limited amounts of food packs, Robredo was silent throughout the pandemic period.


Now she is saying the "government must spend more, spend efficiently, and spend quickly, with the utmost sense of urgency, as if our economic survival depends on it - because it does. And yet, here we are, still counting on a pre-COVID budget."


The statement only proved the difficulty of a person who has been in deep hibernation then coming out of it, trying to make a grand appearance with all her guns blazing.


For the almost three months since the start of the community quarantines, President Duterte gave people an assurance that public funds would be spent wisely, mainly to support families, while the government undertook intervention programs to contain the pandemic.


Money was spent for different Social Amelioration Programs meant to provide diverse sectors seriously affected by the lockdowns with assistance, resulting to public funds being depleted, since the budget was reoriented toward the battle against the coronavirus.


She apparently had too much time sleeping during the health emergency to realize that Bayanihan 2 is already the second phase of the program. Somebody should tell the VP that it was also the reason why a "2" is appended to the recently approved law.


Robredo also mentioned that the government "should not regard health and economic programs in the time of a pandemic to be opposing interests, as addressing health problems would lead to a better economy."


It only showed that Robredo was not made aware of the difficult balancing act of the President and his Cabinet in implementing what she tried to pass off as her unsolicited advice.

Robredo's failed attempt to create the impression of being presidential