CSIS-Pertamina Banyan Tree Leadership Forum with Vice President Leni Robredo
The CSIS Southeast Asia Program and the U.S.-Philippines Strategic Initiative are pleased to present the CSIS-Pertamina Banyan Tree Leadership Forum featuring Maria Leonor Gerona Robredo, 14th Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines. Vice President Leni Robredo will discuss the importance of upholding accountability and the rule of law in the quest for democracy and community development in the 21st century. Framing the discussion within the context of US-Philippine relations, she will discuss how various modes of engagements between the public and private sector foster good governance, encourages citizen participation, and contributes to effective nation building.
Maria Leonor Gerona Robredo, an alternative lawyer and public servant, is the 14th Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines. After years of working with the poor and the marginalized, teaching the less fortunate about their rights under the law, Leni, as she is popularly known, emerged into national consciousness following the loss of her husband, long-time Naga City Mayor and Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo. Called upon to carry on his legacy of good governance, she stepped into the political arena in 2013, when she won as Representative of the Third District of Camarines Sur. Amid a productive term in Congress, she was called upon to run for the Vice Presidency, and rose above many odds to assume the second-highest elected post in the country. Determined to bring the Office of the Vice President closer to the people, she led the crafting of its flagship anti-poverty program, Angat Buhay—an endeavor inspired by the work she had done alongside those in need. The program focuses on six key advocacy areas, including food security and nutrition, women empowerment, education, healthcare, rural development, and housing. It has reached 176 communities around the country, through the generosity of partner-organizations and individuals, most of whom are from the private sector. She also launched Istorya ng Pag-asa, a program that aims to spread hope and positivity by featuring extraordinary stories of ordinary Filipinos through words and portraits shown at events, exhibits, and social media. Believing in the power of collaboration, and a faith in the people, VP Leni vows to keep working to help her fellow Filipinos, especially those in the fringes of society.
This event was made possible with support from Pertamina.
