FILE PHOTO: Vice President Leni Robredo.
A group of over 100 youth-led organizations on Friday said Vice President Leni Robredo is 鈥渢he most viable choice鈥� for the country to 鈥渞ecover from the shortcomings of the government鈥� and the effects of the global pandemic.
The 鈥淔1rst Ko Si Leni鈥� coalition, which collectively calls for Robredo to run for president in 2022, said the united stand of the youth was necessary to push for a better leader and government in the next polls.
The group said that Robredo was its 鈥渇irst choice鈥� to take on this key role.
鈥淥ur nation鈥檚 survival heavily depends on the results of the 2022 elections and we believe that we just cannot afford another six years with this kind of governance comprised of the worst economic downfall since the Marcos dictatorship, extrajudicial killings, the unrelenting death toll due to diseases and the worsening poverty and hunger,鈥� the group said in a statement.
The group, launched on Aug. 27, was formed a month after Robredo expressed that young people could be the main drivers of the coming elections, with 40 million Filipinos from ages 18 to 39 eligible to vote in the 2022 polls.
Responding as 鈥減olitical game changers,鈥� the coalition said its goal was to support Robredo鈥檚 possible presidential bid, onboarding youth groups that work with various sectors from farmers and fisherfolk, transport groups, student bodies, LGBTQ+ community and health-care workers.
Robredo鈥檚 spokesperson, lawyer Barry Gutierrez, said on Thursday that the opposition leader had yet to make a definite decision or announcement about her bid for the presidency.
But Gutierrez noted that in the past week alone, more than 200 groups, including other youth organizations, had come out to call for the Vice President to run.
He said that Robredo 鈥渨ill listen to them鈥� and consider their support in making her decision.