Vice President Leni Robredo led the blessing and inauguration of her campaign headquarters in Bacolod City and joined the launching of a volunteer-driven provincewide “lugaw (rice porridge)” feeding program in poverty-hit areas of Negros Occidental on Saturday, November 6.
She also met with the Murcia Women’s Association – Lakas ng Kababaihan (MWA–LNK) leaders at Sitio Sumbingco, Brgy. Damsite, Murcia, Negros Occidental, who have been among the recipients of sustainable livelihood subsidy grants under her Angat Buhay Project.
At the meeting, the officers and chapter leaders of MWA-LNK thanked the vice president for the P362,000 grant for their rice retailing livelihood project.
Between August and October 2021, MWA-LNK had purchased 395 sacks of rice that were distributed to 87 retailers and they earned a gross income of P21,250, they said.
MWA-LNK is registered under the Department of Labor and Employment and was organized through the initiative of 15 women leaders from different barangays in Murcia.
They said the project has made access to rice easier for communities amid the COVID-19 pandemic and enabled them to earn extra income.
Robredo stressed the importance of providing communities with sustainable livelihood programs, and not just dole outs.
Also with Robredo at the MWA-LNK meeting was former governor Rafael Coscolluela, Murcia Mayor Gerry Rojas and Vice Mayor Johnny Reosura.
‘PALUGAW NI LENI’
Robredo also joined the launching by the Laban Leni Negros Occidental (LLNO) volunteers of their “Palugaw ni Leni” feeding program in Sitio Sumbingco.
The weekly feeding program will be conducted by LLNO provincewide, its members said.
During the feeding program, the Lawyers for Leni Negros Occidental Chapter also presented Robredo with a statement of support for her presidential bid.
They said Robredo, a fellow lawyer, “inspired, not with rhetoric, but by her life of servant-leadership.”
“She will do justice to every Filipino and will consecrate herself to the service of our imperiled nation,” the statement said.
CAMPAIGN HQ
Robredo, who is running for president in the 2022 elections, was then joined by her runningmate, Senator Francis Pangilinan, at the blessing and inauguration of their campaign headquarters at Hernaez Street in Bacolod City.
The headquarters was set up by the Leni for Negros group with donations from her Negros supporters, Coscolluela said
The headquarters’ building has been loaned to them by the family of Emmanuel Alagao, and the murals on its walls were painted for free by local artists, he said.
Alagao’s daughter-in-law, Arian, said ever since they have been supporters of Robredo because they believe in what she stands for.
So when they heard that Robredo is running for president they thought of ways to help, and offered their building for her campaign headquarters in Bacolod, she added.
In all Robredo’s stops in Negros Saturday she was met by cheering supporters in pink chanting her name.*