Angat Buhay volunteers before the onslaught of Typhoon Karding. Image from Atty. Leni Robredo’s Facebook account
MANILA, Philippines — At the height of the onslaught of Typhoon Karding (international name: Noru), netizens — both critics and supporters alike — were looking for former Vice President Leni Robredo, who during her term had made disaster response her office’s priority.
Thus, it was no surprise for the topic “Leni” to trend on Twitter on Tuesday, with netizens asking for the whereabouts of the former government official as Karding, the country’s 11th tropical cyclone, wreaked havoc over parts of Luzon.
On Sunday, the topic “Nasaan si Leni?” also trended on Twitter.
“Nakalabas na ‘yung bagyo, wala pa rin si Leni on the ground, akala ko ba lagi siyang nauuna on the ground? ‘Yan ang lider ng mga Kakampanget, puro salita, puro tweet, puro coordinate, walang action, kaya ayaw sa kanya ng mga tao,” internet personality Jam Magno tweeted on Monday.
Nakalabas na yung bagyo wala parin si Leni on the ground, akala ko ba lagi siyang nauuna on the ground? Yan ang lider ng mga Kakampanget puro salita, puro tweet, puro coordinate, walang action kaya ayaw sa kanya ng mga tao.
— Jam Magno (@ItsJamMagno) September 25, 2022
(The storm is already out of the country but your Leni is nowhere to be found on the ground. I thought she was always the first? That’s the leader of the Kakampinks, all talk, all tweets, all coordinate, no action. That’s why people don’t like her.)
“Asan na si Leni Robredo ??? Sana sinalubong niya Yung bagyo para tumigil na! Asan na Yung MGA Kakampwet na nagsasabi na pág darating si Nanay Lugaw may himala!” another Twitter user wrote.
(Where is Leni Robredo? I hope she faced the storm so that it would stop already. Where are her supporters who kept saying that she brings with her a miracle?)
Asan na si Leni Robredo ??? Sana sinalubong niya Yung bagyo para tumigil na! Asan na Yung MGA Kakampwet na nagsasabi na pág darating si Nanay Lugaw may himala!
— @RTOP (@jhayr66508296) September 25, 2022
Robredo stepped down from office in June after losing the 2022 presidential race.
Now as private citizen, Robredo focused her efforts on her nongovernment organization Angat Buhay which she aimed to be the “largest volunteer network” in the country.
Other netizens highlighted this fact in responding to the former vice president’s crtics.
“’Asan na Leni niyo?’ 1st of all, she’s now a private citizen & supposed to be, is no longer obliged to think of the welfare of the Filipinos & yet, here she is. Still doing the job to the best of her capabilities. 2nd, si BBM binoto ninyo at ang Presidente, siya ang hanapin niyo!,” a Twitter user wrote.
“Asan na Leni niyo?” 1st of all, she’s now a private citizen & supposed to be, is no longer obliged to think of the welfare of the Filipinos & yet, here she is. Still doing the job to the best of her capabilities. 2nd, si BBM binoto ninyo at ang Presidente, siya ang hanapin niyo!
— francesca (@mariaIeonor) September 25, 2022
“Remember that Angat Buhay is a non-government organization. It is a VOLUNTEER group funded by PRIVATE DONATIONS and not by taxpayers’ money. It acts according to its capacity & no one can demand what it does and does not do. Kung si Leni lagi nyo hanap, sana sya binoto nyo, 31M,” another netizen tweeted.
Remember that Angat Buhay is a non-government organization. It is a VOLUNTEER group funded by PRIVATE DONATIONS and not by taxpayers’ money. It acts according to its capacity & no one can demand what it does and does not do. Kung si Leni lagi nyo hanap, sana sya binoto nyo, 31M💁🏻♂️
— MIGO ᵕ̈ (@migosaur) September 26, 2022
On Monday, without responding to the taunts of critics, Robredo said her NGO is helping victims of Karding, saying they distributed aid to residents of Nueva Ecija, Quezon, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, and Laguna.
Tuloy tuloy ang pagkilos ng @angatbuhay_ph para tumulong sa mga nasalanta ng Super Typhoon #KardingPH. Namamahagi na tayo ng tulong sa Nueva Ecija, Quezon, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, at Laguna.
Maraming salamat sa ating volunteers sa agarang pagtugon. pic.twitter.com/yLDUoLDXB8
— Leni Robredo (@lenirobredo) September 26, 2022
“Bago pa man dumating ang bagyong Karding, nakikipag-coordinate na tayo sa ating volunteers, na nag-mobilize agad para sa relief operations,” she wrote.
(Even before then storm came, we have already coordinated with our volunteers, which were immediately mobilized for relief operations.)
“Gaya ng lagi, posible ang lahat dahil sa bayanihan. Maraming salamat sa lahat ng mga nakikiisa para tumulong sa panahong ito,” the former vice president added.
(As always, everything is possible in heroism. Thank you to all who helped in these times.)
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