Leni Robredo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Leni Robredo
Official portrait, 2016
18th Mayor of Naga
Incumbent
Assumed office June 30, 2025
Vice Mayor	Gabriel Bordado
Preceded by	Nelson Legacion
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
Member of the Philippine 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
Appointive positions Co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs In office November 6, 2019 – November 24, 2019 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.
Other roles and positions Chairperson of Angat Buhay Incumbent Assumed office July 1, 2022 Preceded by Office established Chairperson of the Liberal Party In office August 10, 2017 – June 30, 2022 Preceded by Benigno Aquino III Succeeded by Francis Pangilinan
Personal details
Born	Maria Leonor Santo Tomas Gerona (1965-04-23) April 23, 1965 (age 60) Naga, Camarines Sur, Philippines
Political party	Liberal
Spouse	Jesse Robredo ​ ​ (m. 1987; died 2012)​
Children	3, including Tricia
Residences	Naga, Camarines Sur
Alma mater	University of the Philippines Diliman (BA) University of Nueva Caceres (LL.B)
Occupation	Politician lawyer
Signature

Maria Leonor "Leni" Gerona Robredo (born April 23, 1965) is a Filipino lawyer and politician. She was the 14th vice president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. She is the current mayor of Naga City, a job she started in 2025.

Robredo was the second woman to become vice president of the Philippines, after Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. She was also the first vice president from the Bicol Region.

Before becoming vice president, Robredo was a member of the Philippine House of Representatives from 2013 to 2016. As vice president, she led a program called Angat Buhay (which means "Uplifting Lives"). This program worked with over 300 groups to help people with education, farming, and healthcare.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, her office helped frontline workers with free rides, testing, and medical advice over the phone. She also raised money to help people affected by the pandemic.

In 2021, Robredo ran for president but did not win. After her term as vice president, she started a non-profit organization also called Angat Buhay to continue helping communities. In 2025, she successfully ran for mayor of Naga City.

Early Life and Education

Maria Leonor Santo Tomas Gerona was born on April 23, 1965, in Naga, Camarines Sur. Her father, Antonio Gerona, was a judge, and her mother was Salvacion Santo Tomas. She was the oldest of three children.

Robredo went to school at Universidad de Sta. Isabel in Naga. In 1986, she graduated from the University of the Philippines Diliman with a degree in Economics. She then studied law at the University of Nueva Caceres and became a lawyer in 1997.

Before becoming a lawyer, she worked for a government agency where she met her future husband, Jesse Robredo. After passing the bar exam, she worked at the Public Attorney's Office, often defending people in cases related to her husband's work as mayor of Naga.

From 1998 to 2008, Robredo worked for a legal aid group called SALIGAN. She traveled to poor and distant villages to give free legal help to people who couldn't afford it.

A Start in Politics

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

In 2013, Robredo ran for a seat in the House of Representatives to represent her home district in Camarines Sur. She won the election and served from 2013 to 2016.

As a representative, she worked on laws to make the government more open and honest. One of her main goals was to pass a Freedom of Information Act, which would allow citizens to see government documents. She also wanted to give ordinary people more say in how the government makes decisions and spends money.

Some of the important bills she worked on include:

• Full Disclosure Policy Bill: This would have required all government offices to show the public how they spend their money.
• People Empowerment Bill: This aimed to give citizens a bigger role in making decisions in their local communities.
• Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Bill: This bill was created to protect people from being treated unfairly because of their background, gender, or beliefs.

Vice Presidency (2016–2022)

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

In 2015, Robredo decided to run for Vice President of the Philippines with presidential candidate Mar Roxas. She won the election by a small number of votes. She became the vice president on June 30, 2016.

Robredo meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte on July 4, 2016.

As vice president, she was the leader of the opposition party. This meant she often had different ideas from President Rodrigo Duterte about how to handle issues like the country's campaign against illegal drugs. Because of these disagreements, she was sometimes the target of false stories and online attacks meant to damage her reputation.

Angat Buhay Program

Robredo's main project as vice president was the Angat Buhay program. This program connected private companies and non-profit groups with communities that needed help.

The program focused on six main areas:

• Food security and nutrition
• Universal healthcare
• Public education
• Rural development
• Housing
• Women's empowerment

By 2022, Angat Buhay had helped over 622,000 families across the Philippines by raising P520 million in aid, mostly from private partners.

COVID-19 Pandemic Response

Robredo visits COVID-19 frontliners in the OVP Swab Cab in Antipolo, Rizal on January 17, 2022.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Robredo's office quickly organized projects to help. These included:

• Free shuttle services for healthcare workers.
• Free COVID-19 testing.
• A free medical advice service over the phone, called Bayanihan E-konsulta.
• Donations of personal protective equipment (PPE) to hospitals.

Her office raised millions of pesos to support these efforts and provide relief packs to families in need.

2022 Presidential Campaign

Robredo during a campaign rally in Antipolo on April 5, 2022.

Robredo (right) with fellow presidential candidates Isko Moreno (center) and Manny Pacquiao (left) during a debate.

On October 7, 2021, Robredo announced she would run for president of the Philippines in the 2022 election. She ran as an independent candidate, with Senator Francis Pangilinan as her running mate for vice president.

Her campaign drew large crowds and was known for its thousands of volunteers. However, she placed second in the election, losing to Bongbong Marcos.

After the Vice Presidency

Robredo with President Bongbong Marcos on October 17, 2024, in Sorsogon City.

After her term as vice president ended on June 30, 2022, Robredo launched the Angat Buhay organization. This non-governmental organization (NGO) continues the work of her anti-poverty program, helping communities across the Philippines.

Mayor of Naga (2025–present)

In 2024, Robredo announced she would run for mayor of her hometown, Naga City, in the 2025 elections. This was the same position her late husband, Jesse Robredo, held for many years. She won the election by a large margin and became the city's first female mayor on June 30, 2025.

On her first day in office, she signed an order to create a zero-tolerance policy against corruption in the city government. This policy aims to stop bribery, unfair pricing, and the personal use of government resources.

Personal Life

Robredo with her three daughters in 2016.

Leni was married to Jesse Robredo from 1987 until he died in a plane crash in 2012. They have three daughters: Jessica Marie ("Aika"), Janine Patricia ("Tricia"), and Jillian Therese.

Aika has a master's degree from Harvard Kennedy School. Tricia is a licensed doctor. Jillian graduated from New York University with a double major in mathematics and economics.

From 2017 to 2022, Robredo hosted a public service radio show called BISErbisyong LENI.

Honors and Recognition

Robredo has received many awards for her work in public service and for supporting women's rights. Some of these include:

• Honorary Outstanding Woman Award of the Year 2016 from the government of Thailand.
• Most Influential Filipina Woman of the World Award in 2016.
• Named a Hauser Leader at Harvard University in 2022.
• Received honorary doctorates from several universities, including the Ateneo de Manila University and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

A pink orchid hybrid, Rhyncholaeliocattleya Leni Robredo, was named after her. A species of water beetle, Anacaena angatbuhay, was also named after her Angat Buhay program.

Images for kids

• Social Weather Stations

  A chart showing public satisfaction ratings for Leni Robredo during her vice presidency.

See also

In Spanish: Leni Robredo para niños

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