Leni Robredo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Her Excellency Leni Robredo
Official portrait, 2016
14th Vice President of the Philippines
In office June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2022
President	Rodrigo Duterte
Preceded by	Jejomar Binay
Succeeded by	Sara Duterte
Co-Chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs
In office November 6, 2019 – November 24, 2019 Serving with Aaron Aquino
President	Rodrigo Duterte
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Dante Jimenez
Chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council
In office July 12, 2016 – December 5, 2016
President	Rodrigo Duterte
Preceded by	Chito Cruz
Succeeded by	Leoncio Evasco Jr.
Member of the House of Representatives from Camarines Sur's 3rd district
In office June 30, 2013 – June 30, 2016
Preceded by	Luis Villafuerte
Succeeded by	Gabriel Bordado
Chairperson of the Liberal Party
In office August 10, 2017 – June 30, 2022
President	Francis Pangilinan
Preceded by	Benigno Aquino III
Succeeded by	Francis Pangilinan
Personal details
Born	Maria Leonor Santo Tomas Gerona (1965-04-23) April 23, 1965 (age 59) Naga, Camarines Sur, Philippines
Political party	Liberal
Spouse	Jesse Robredo ​ ​ (m. 1987; died 2012)​
Children	3
Residence	Naga, Camarines Sur
Alma mater	University of the Philippines Diliman (BA) University of Nueva Caceres (LL.B)
Occupation	Lawyer Social activist Economist Founder and chairperson of Angat Buhay (2022–)
Signature

Leni Robredo (born Maria Leonor Santo Tomas Gerona; April 23, 1965) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 14th vice president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. She previously served as the representative of the 3rd district of Camarines Sur from 2013 to 2016. She is the second woman to serve as vice president of the Philippines, after Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and the first vice president from the Bicol Region.

Early life and education

Maria Leonor Santo Tomas Gerona was born on April 23, 1965, in Naga, Camarines Sur, Philippines. She was the first of three children born to Naga City Regional Trial Court Judge Antonio Gerona (c. 1933–2013) and Salvacion Santo Tomas (1936–2020).

Robredo attended the basic education department of Universidad de Sta. Isabel in Naga, graduating from elementary school in 1978, and from high school in 1982. She earned her degree in Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of the Philippines School of Economics at UP Diliman in 1986, and proceeded to study law at the University of Nueva Caceres, graduating in 1992. She passed the bar exams in 1997.

Gerona chose to temporarily forego law studies and instead decided to work as a researcher for the Bicol River Basin Development Program (BRBDP), a government agency tasked with integrated area development planning in the three provinces of the Bicol Region. Here she met then-program director Jesse Robredo, who would eventually become her husband.

Having passed the bar on her second attempt in 1996 and admitted in May 1997, Robredo served in the Public Attorney's Office, a role in which she often took up the defense for cases pursued by her husband, who by then had become Mayor of Naga.

From 1998 to 2008, Robredo became the coordinator of Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Panligan (SALIGAN), a Naga-based alternative legal support group. SALIGAN's work aimed to encourage young legal professionals to take on leadership roles, and involved visiting distant rural communities to provide legal services to residents who would otherwise have little or no access to such services, as well as conducting legal advocacy by proposing amendments and new laws based on the needs of these marginalized communities. Later, the group's focus shifted to include helping rural women to acquire capital in order to participate in competitive markets.

In addition, Robredo founded the Lakas ng Kababaihan ng Naga Federation, an organization that provides training and livelihood opportunities for women, in 1989.

In 2012, Robredo was named the chairperson of the Liberal Party in Camarines Sur.

Political career

Leni Robredo unveiling the Jesse Robredo Monument at the Cararayan National High School in Naga, May 27, 2016

Robredo delivering a speech during an LP campaign rally in Quezon City, February 17, 2016

Robredo ran in Camarines Sur's 3rd congressional district during the Philippine general elections of 2013. On May 16, 2013, she was proclaimed winner, beating Nelly Favis-Villafuerte (of Nationalist People's Coalition/United Nationalist Alliance), wife of former Congressman Luis Villafuerte and member of the politically powerful Villafuerte dynasty.

During her term in congress, Robredo was the vice chairman of the House committees on good governance, public accountability, and revision of laws, and a member of 11 other house panels. She was known for being a strong advocate of the Freedom of Information Act, and a strong supporter of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.

Participatory governance and transparency were the major objectives and thrusts of Robredo's legislative agenda. The first law Robredo authored in congress was the Full Disclosure Policy Bill (HB 19), which would have mandated all government agencies and their sub-units and projects to disclose their budget and financial transactions in a conspicuous manner "without any requests from the public." Concerned that the marginalized sector should not be denied access to government frontline services and public meetings based on their attire, she sponsored the Open Door Policy Act (House Bill No. 6286), which prohibits government offices and agencies from implementing strict dress codes.

Robredo also authored the People Empowerment Bill (HB 4911), which sought to allow more participation from Filipinos in decision and policy-making, and the Participatory Budget Process Bill (HB 3905), which sought to increase participation in budget-related decisions in government projects by locals. She also wrote the Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Bill (HB 3432) to prohibit discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, race, religion or belief, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expressions, language, disability, HIV status, etc.

To promote transparency in the taxation process, she sponsored the house version (House Bill 05831) of what would eventually become Republic Act RA10708, the Tax Incentives Management and Transparency Act of 2009 (TIMTA).

Other major legislation co-authored by Robredo includes the Anti-Dynasty Bill and the Healthy Beverage Options Act (House Bill 4021).

Vice Presidency (2016–2022)

Presidential styles of Leni Robredo
Reference style	Her Excellency
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Alternative style	Madame Vice President

Robredo was sworn in as vice president of the Philippines on June 30, 2016, at the Quezon City Reception House, which she had since used as her office.

Robredo paying a courtesy call to President Rodrigo Duterte on July 4, 2016

Robredo is sworn in by Duterte as HUDCC Secretary at the Malacañang Palace on July 12, 2016.

Robredo attends the Malasakit at Pagbabago Social Development Agenda Summit in Davao City on August 17, 2016.

Robredo and President Duterte at the Philippine Military Academy Graduation Rites at Fort General Gregorio Del Pilar, Baguio on May 26, 2019

Robredo has spearheaded multiple programs in the Office of the Vice President (OVP); her flagship anti-poverty program, Angat Buhay (lit. Uplifting Lives), has helped address key areas including education, rural development, and healthcare, in partnership with more than 300 organizations. During the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, the OVP under Robredo responded by providing free shuttle services for frontline workers, swab tests, telehealth services, and raised funds for relief operations across the country. Robredo was awarded by the government of Thailand in 2016 for her work and advocacy in women's empowerment and gender equality. Under her leadership, the OVP also received the ISO 9001: 2015 certification for the office's quality management systems.

During her vice presidency, she served as the chair of the Liberal Party and de facto leader of the opposition to President Rodrigo Duterte's administration, where she was appointed by Duterte and briefly served as the chair of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and the co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs. She has received backlash from government supporters for her being staunchly critical to Duterte's policies such as the war on drugs, counter-insurgency initiatives, COVID-19 pandemic response, and soft stance toward China. She has been a constant target of disinformation, with many articles making false claims about her personal life to discredit her.

Fake news

Robredo has been a constant victim of memes and "fake news" articles since taking office in 2016, some of which she claims emanate from a Senate source. Dealing with these, she said, was a "test of character". Numerous fake news stories have been manufactured on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other blog sites against Robredo after she won the vice presidency in 2016, a portion of which were fabricated by pro-Duterte bloggers. Robredo has demonstrated the falsehood of these statements against her.

During the 2022 Philippine presidential election campaign period, Robredo was the "biggest victim" and target of misinformation reportedly perpetrated by social media supporters of fellow presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos.

2022 presidential campaign

Robredo files her certificate of candidacy for president, October 7, 2021

Robredo during her campaign rally in Antipolo on April 5, 2022

Robredo (right) with fellow presidential aspirants Isko Moreno (center) and Manny Pacquiao (left) during the closing moments of the 2nd PiliPinas Debates 2022

Robredo announced her presidential campaign in the 2022 presidential elections with Liberal Party leader and Senator Francis Pangilinan as her running mate. However, she widely lost the election to Bongbong Marcos.

Post–vice presidency (2022–present)

After her term ended, Robredo established a non-governmental organization called Angat Buhay, taking the name and template of the anti-poverty program that she established during her tenure as vice president.

Personal life

Robredo with her daughters.

Robredo and her family at the funeral of her mother, Salvación Gerona, at Peñafrancia Basilica in 2020.

Leni was married to Jesse Robredo, whom she met while working at the Bicol River Basin Development Program, from 1987 until his death from a plane crash in 2012. The couple has three daughters: Jessica Marie "Aika" Robredo, Janine Patricia "Tricia" Robredo, and Jillian Therese Robredo. Their eldest daughter, Aika, was an executive assistant at the Office of Civil Defense and holds a Master of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School (which Jesse also received from the same school), while their second eldest, Tricia, is a licensed physician and was a UAAP basketball sideline reporter for National University. Their youngest, Jillian, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in economics and mathematics on a scholarship at New York University.

From May 14, 2017, Robredo has hosted her own public service radio program entitled BISErbisyong LENI, aired on DZXL, until June 26, 2022, after her term end as vice president.

Robredo is fluent in Filipino, English, and her native Central Bikol.

Honors and Recognition

Throughout her career, Leni Robredo has received several notable honors and recognitions for her contributions to various fields. These honors underscore her commitment to issues such as women's empowerment, gender equality, public service, and international relations:

Honorary Outstanding Woman Award of the Year 2016 August 1, 2016
On August 1, 2016, Leni Robredo was awarded the Honorary Outstanding Woman Award of the Year 2016 by the Thai government, coinciding with Thailand's Women's Day. She was recognized for her significant work and advocacy in the areas of women's empowerment and gender equality. This award was a testament to her dedication to these important causes.

Most Influential Filipina Woman of the World Award August 23, 2016
In recognition of her outstanding contributions, Robredo received the Most Influential Filipina Woman of the World award from the Filipina Women's Network (FWN) on August 23, 2016. This honor highlighted her impact and influence as a public figure and advocate.

Golden Peacock Award of Excellence June 17, 2022
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce Philippines Inc. (FICCI) presented Leni Robredo with the Golden Peacock Award of Excellence on June 17, 2022. This award recognized her dedication and efforts in fostering closer ties between the Philippines and India. It also acknowledged her significant role in the Angat Buhay program, which aimed to provide assistance to Filipinos in need and improve their quality of life.

Outstanding Bicolano Award June 21, 2022
Leni Robredo was bestowed with the Outstanding Bicolano Award at the 74th Recognition Ceremonies of the University of Nueva Caceres (UNC) on June 21, 2022. This award acknowledged her remarkable contributions to society, particularly in advocating for marginalized communities and addressing their needs. Robredo's education at UNC played a pivotal role in shaping her career as a lawyer and public servant, making this recognition particularly significant.

Harvard University's Hauser Leaders Program (Fall 2022)
In September 2022, Leni Robredo was named one of Harvard University's Hauser Leaders for Fall 2022.This prestigious program recognized her leadership and potential as a public figure and advocate for change.

Leadership and Governance Award March 4, 2023
St. Theresa's College Quezon City conferred the Leadership and Governance Award upon Atty. Leni Robredo on March 4, 2023, in honor of its Diamond Year. This award celebrated her exemplary leadership and unwavering dedication to public service, further emphasizing her significant contributions.

2023 UP's Most Distinguished Alumna - August 19, 2023
Leni Robredo was honored as the "2023 Most Distinguished Alumna" by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA). The UPAA commended her for her continuous work in uplifting fellow Filipinos, recognizing her contributions as a lawyer, development worker, and government official.

Leni Robredo's receipt of these honors and recognitions reflects her enduring commitment to making positive changes in society and her dedication to various causes, including women's rights, public service, and international relations.

Robredo has been conferred honorary doctorates from the following universities:

Remembrance

Pathologist Dr. Raymundo Lo named a pink orchid hybrid after Robredo. Rhyncholaeliocattleya Leni Robredo, which was only named upon Robredo's announcement of her candidacy for president in October 2021, was said took seven years to bloom since its pollination from two orchid species. The flower is not yet in commercial production.

In July 2022, the Ateneo de Manila University announced the discovery of two new species of water scavenger beetles. One of them, Anacaena angatbuhay, named after Robredo's Angat Buhay program, had been discovered in Ifugao.

Electoral history

See also

In Spanish: Leni Robredo para niños

• List of Leni Robredo 2022 presidential campaign endorsements
• Wiktionary:kakampink