Leadership Style: Grassroots Builder vs Power Consolidator
Robredo’s leadership was transformative. She championed programs for the marginalized communities. She partnered with private organizations and NGOs, for an inclusive governance style that prioritized people over politics. She served without regard to any political color.
In contrast, Duterte acts more as a singular power consolidator. She unduly paid her minions at DepEd to control their loyalties. She claimed the PNP accomplishment in training the youth as her own, despite not spending any cent for it. Duterte felt no accountability to the people to explain her actions. To her, she is not serving but should be served instead.
While then VP Robredo empowered and build consensus with people, VP Duterte admitted to empower only herself as she proudly declared, “I do not trust anyone except myself”.
Leadership by Example: Hands-on vs Escapism
In July, 2024, while Luzon reeled from floods brought by typhoon Carina, VP Duterte went on instead for a family vacation in Germany. Without regard for her flooded kababayans, she berated later those who photographed her trip and noted her absence.
VP Robredo, on two occasions – in September, 2024, and in October, 2024 – then VP Leni waded waist-deep flood water to distribute relief goods due to typhoon Enteng and Kristine, respectively, to typhoon victims in Naga City. She led by example, while Sara, on handling similar challenges, led by tokenism if not escapism.
Robredo’s hands-on approach sets her apart. Whether packing relief goods, visiting disaster-hit areas, or working alongside volunteers, she exemplified servant leadership with a genuine commitment to public service.
Thrust of Public Service: Advocacy-driven vs Populism-driven
Robredo’s governance was advocacy-driven, non-partisan and addresses real needs. Her sincerity in serving Filipinos transcended political affiliations, earning her respect even from critics.
Meanwhile, Duterte’s service are more populist-driven to sustain the Duterte brand. The brand is primary, the people are secondary. People are not really meant to be served, but are good only if they serve the brand, even if it stinks, or sinks.
Choosing Leaders Who Embody Integrity
The legacies of Robredo and Duterte highlight two vastly different models of leadership. Robredo exemplified governance rooted in transparency, integrity, highest accountability and a commitment to uplifting the marginalized.
Duterte’s tenure, by comparison, does not prioritize or advocate responsible accountability. She uses public funds in many unaccountable manner. She usurped projects of other departments and her accomplishments are only for optics and rhetoric. All these partly contributed to her unprecedented impeachment.
Conclusion and Final Verdict
Our people and all branches of our government must hold leaders accountable to the highest standards of transparency, public accountability and service. An elective position is not a mere contests of charisma or name recall but a position entrusted with the highest accountability. Elected leaders must serve the people, and not people to serve any corrupt leader’s end.
Then VP Robredo embodied high moral integrity and genuine public service, while VP Duterte embodied the highest sense of privileged untouchability with the lowest sense of public accountability.
In the tale of these two VPs, the lesson is clear: the best leaders are those who build trust, inspire hope, and govern with transparency and the highest accountability. For in the end, it is not political power but ethical governance that truly transforms a nation and wins the people’s trust and confidence.
The final impeccable and unimpeachable verdict: VP Leni Robredo epitomizes what a true, sincere and selfless public servant is to the Filipino people, while VP Sara Duterte, to the contrary, epitomizes what all of it is not!/PN
