Vice President Leni Robredo visits Naga City to commemorate husband’s death anniversary
Today, August 18, is a special non-working holiday in Naga City to allow residents to commemorate the death of former DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo.
The former secretary and mayor of Naga died in a plane crash off Masbate province four years ago, and his remains was found after few days inside a Cesna plane.
Proclamation No. 37, signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Aug. 9, acknowledged Robredo as a “champion of good governance.” It said Robredo was “instrumental in the implementation of far-reaching reforms in local governance.”
Four years after his death, the late former secretary’s wife Vice President Leni Robredo said today his husband still manages to bring comfort and inspiration to her as one of the higher officials of the country.
“Maraming aral pa rin ang napupulot ko sa kanyang buhay,” Robredo said during an interview in her hometown Naga, which she visited for Jesse’s fourth death anniversary on Thursday.
“In fact kapag binabalikan ko ang kanyang mga interviews dati, binabalikan ko iyong mga sinabi niya dati, parang kahit iba iyong sitwasyon noon, parang iyong mga sinasabi niya puwede kong sabihin ngayon,” Robredo added.
Robredo said that she had been able to relate with Jesse’s past challenges and problems after she became the Vice President.
The connection brings her family comfort, she added.
“Itong mga ganito parang sabi ko lang, pagpapaalala siguro na hindi niya kami iniiwan, na his spirit still lives in us. Ito parang very comforting ang pakiramdam,” Robredo said.
Robredo also vowed to continue her late husband’s legacy.
“Iyong klase ng leadership na sinimulan niya. Na ang leadership hindi dapat magarbo, simple lang pero ito ang leadership na nag-iinspire. Ito iyong leadership na brings out the best in people. Iyon ang pinakamalaking naiambag ng asawa ko,” she said.
A commemoration mass will be held at around 6:30 p.m. at the Mary the Queen church in San Juan City and this will be attended by Robredo’s daughters Aika, Tricia and Jillian.
A commemoration dinner to be hosted by the Jesse M. Robredo Foundation at the Centennial Hall of Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan is set at 7 p.m.