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'PH needs a strong woman:' Ex-Arroyo officials back Robredo bid

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Thousands of supporters gather at the Plaza Divisoria in Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental during the visit of presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday, February 22. VP Leni Media handout" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/02/23/20220222-election-leni-robredo-cagayn-de-oro-vplmb2094.jpg"/><figcaption>Thousands of supporters gather at the Plaza Divisoria in Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental during the visit of presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday, February 22. VP Leni Media handout</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — Former government officials who served during the Gloria Arroyo administration have thrown their support for the candidacy this year of Vice President Leni Robredo.In a statement on Wednesday, the group said Robredo &quot;leads the Philippines through the pandemic and other fronts.&quot; &quot;With her, we stay safe, restore our economy and social fabric, and keep our Republic whole and secure,&quot; they said.The former officials emphasized the Philippines&#x27; need for &quot;a strong woman in the house,&quot; saying Robredo portrays the &quot;tough love of mothers&quot; and who can drive communities along &quot;the path of resilience.&quot;&quot;She listens to the high and low. She quiets down the babel of voices to bring our aspirations together. She lifts up small enterprises, fishers, and farmers. She help create productive and fairly paid work through a covenant between business and government. She cloaks the weakest from disease, ignorance, and injustice,&quot; they said.&quot;Leni Robredo assembles families, teachers, and schools to overcome the crisis in education. Professionals, civil society, corporate social responsibility, and the donor community are behind her.&quot;As the Philippines faces tough crises, the group said the country needs Robredo to lead the Filipinos in addressing the country&#x27;s needs.&quot;As challenges mount, Leni Robredo does more in less time,&quot; they said.Among the 47 signatories of the statement was Sen. Leila De Lima, who served as Commissioner of Human Rights chair, and former Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Del Rosario, who was Philippine ambassador to the US during former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo&#x27;s term.The others were:-Silvestre Afable Jr., former OP Communications Director -Estrella Alabastro, former Science and Technology Secretary -Ignacio Bunye, former Press Secretary -Dante Canlas, former National Economic and Development Authority director-general and Socio-Economic Planning Secretary -Avelino Cruz, former Defense Secretary -Manuel Dayrit, former Health Secretary -Edilberto del Jesus, former Education Secretary, -Teresita Deles, former Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process -Jesli Lapus, former Education and Trade Secretary -Florencio Abad, former Education Secretary -Imelda Nicolas, former National Anti-Poverty Commission Lead Convenor -Joe Nathan Tenefrancia, former Senior Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs -Rene Dg Bañez, former BIR Commissioner -Veronica Villavicencio, former NAPC Lead Convenor -Thomas Aquino, former Trade Undersecretary -Cliff Burkley, former Social Welfare Undersecretary -Vilma Cabrer, former Social Welfare Undersecretary -Adrian Cristobal, former IPO Director-General and Trade Undersecretary -Cecilio Lorenzo, former Defense Undersecretary -Mateo Montaño, former Social Welfare Undersecretary -Alexander Padilla, former Health Undersecretary -Francisco Del Rosario, former Defense Undersecretary -Antonio Salvador, former Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Undersecretary -Jose Santos, former Defense Undersecretary -Eduardo Escueta, former NAPOLCOM vice chairman -Diwa Gunigundo, former BSP Deputy Governor -Ronald Solis, former NTC Commissioner -Jorge Sarmiento, former NTC Deputy Commissioner -Rene Sarmiento, former Comelec Commissioner and OPAPP OIC/Undersecretary -Othello Carag, former Defense Assistant Secretary -Emily Abrera, former CCP President -Zorayda Amelia Alonzo, former HDMF President &amp; CEO -Victoria Avena, former PCGG Commissioner -Edita Bueno, former NEA Administrator -Ruben Carranza, former PCGG Commissioner -Mary Anne Colayco, former ERC Commissioner -Lilia de Lima, former PEZA Director General -Cesar Garcia, former NICA Chief -Danilo Gozo, former PAGCOR Director -Francisco Licuanan, former SBMA Chairman -Leopoldo Maligalig, former PMA Superintendent -Eduardo Matillano, former PNP Police Director -Vitaliano Nañagas, former Development Bank of the Philippines Chairman -Romero Federico Quimbo, former Pag-IBIG Fund PresidentLast month, former government officials who served the Fidel V. Ramos administration also endorsed the presidential candidacy of Leni Robredo.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/13/22/ramos-admin-officials-rally-behind-robredos-presl-bid">Ramos admin officials express support for Robredo&#x27;s presidential candidacy</a></li></ul>Asked earlier what her Cabinet would look like if she won as president, Robredo said its members should be &quot;experts in their field,&quot; efficient managers, and &quot;respected&quot; by the sector they would lead.She added it is important for a President to settle differences within the Cabinet as soon as possible so that these do not go out in public or result in policy conflicts.RELATED VIDEO<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GggxwLxhPNM?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

In a statement on Wednesday, the group said Robredo 'leads the Philippines through the pandemic and other fronts.' 