Outgoing Vice President Leni Robredo has passed the torch to reelected Senator Risa Hontiveros as the country's next opposition leader, three days before she stepped down as the second-highest elected official.
Robredo on Monday administered the Hontiveros' oath-taking ceremony held at the Quezon City Reception House in New Manila, Quezon City. The senator, who ranked 11th in the recent elections, was the lone opposition left in the upper chamber.
In the same event, Robredo gave Hontiveros a tight hug as she declared the latter the next leader of the opposition.
"Ikaw na iyong lider namin," she said. "Kaya please know na nasa likod mo lang kami. Nasa likod mo lang kami, tutulong kung kailan mo kami kailangan."
[You are now our leader. So please know that we are always behind you. We are behind you to help you whenever you need us.]
"Uulitin ko ‘yun ngayon, Sen. Risa, na you are now the highest elected official sa oposisyon, and lahat kami masaya na ikaw ‘yung natitirang humahawak ng ating bandila," she added.
[I repeat, Senator Risa, you are now the highest elected official in the opposition and we couldn’t be prouder that you are the one waving our flag.]
Robredo also expressed confidence on Hontiveros: "Kampante kami, kampante kami na patuloy mong ipapakipaglaban ‘yung lahat ng pinaniniwalaan natin, kung ano ‘yung mabuti at tama sa pamamahala. Na’ndito lang kami lagi, magsusuporta sa’yo. Kami ‘yung mga sundalo mo ngayon, Sen. Risa."
[We are confident that you will continue to fight for everything that we believe in, for what is good and right in governance. We will always be here to support you. We’re your soldiers now, Sen. Risa.]
In the past six years, Robredo served as the de facto opposition leader being the highest elected official coming from the ranks.
However, upon losing the presidential bid to President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and her running mate Sen. Kiko Pangilinan to Vice President-elect Sara Duterte, Hontiveros becomes the highest elected official from the opposition.
We will fight back harder
In her speech, Hontiveros echoed the statement of Robredo on fighting back against disinformation, one of the key factors in the massive victory of Marcos and Duterte in the recent elections.
"We will not tolerate people who bear false information. We will fight back harder, against rumors, lies, propaganda, and fake news," said Hontiveros. "Let me make this even clearer, this is a stern warning to all the dubious characters in the fake news universe: This time, we will not let your reckless disregard for truth slander our democracy – our country – ever again.
"Pararamihin natin ang mga Pilipinong nakikibahagi sa proseso ng demokrasya, upang maramdaman ng mas marami pa ang mga resulta nito," Hontiveros said.
[We will multiply the number of Filipinos sharing in the process of democracy so more would feel the results of this.]
