Former Vice President and Angat Buhay Chairperson Leni Robredo officially took her oath yesterday as the new mayor of Naga City—marking history as the first woman to hold the position.
Robredo was sworn in by Court of Appeals Associate Judge Ramon Cruz. In her inaugural speech, she unveiled several key initiatives aimed at modernizing governance and promoting transparency.
Among her flagship projects is the MyNaga App, a one-stop digital platform for citizens and tourists alike. The app will offer access to city services and financial transparency through public viewing of the Naga LGU’s financial reports.
She also announced free daily shuttle services to and from Naga City Hall and the Naga City General Hospital, and a mass regularization mechanism for long-time casual employees of the local government.
But what caught the attention of many—especially netizens—was Executive Order No. 1: Zero Tolerance Policy Against Corruption. Robredo emphasized that her administration will not allocate any confidential funds, aiming to eliminate avenues for misuse of public resources.
“We will institutionalize a fair and merit-based Human Resource System. The budget will be spent on essential programs. (And) given our limited resources, we need to make sacrifices. Primarily, we will remove confidentially funds from our budget,” Robredo said.
The declaration draws contrast to Vice President Sara Duterte, whose use of confidential funds has sparked public scrutiny and an ongoing impeachment complaint.
When asked during an ambush interview if she would consider running for president in 2028, Robredo responded:
“Iko-konsidera ko lang ang national (politics) pag naayos ko na ang Naga City.”
Despite keeping a low profile, Robredo placed second behind VP Duterte in a recent Tangere survey, garnering 19% support.