Maria Leonor "Leni"Gerona Robredo (Tagalog:[ˈlɛnɪɾɔˈbrɛdɔ];néeGerona; born April 23, 1965) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 14thvice president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022 under PresidentRodrigo Duterte. She is currently serving as the 18th mayor ofNaga since 2025. Robredo is the second female vice president of the Philippines, afterGloria Macapagal Arroyo, and the first from theBicol Region.
Leni Robredo was born as Maria Leonor Santo Tomas Gerona on April 23, 1965, inNaga, Camarines Sur, Philippines.[12][13] She was the first of three children born to Naga City Regional Trial Court JudgeAntonio Gerona (c. 1933–2013) and Salvacion Santo Tomas (1936–2020).[14]
Robredo attended the basic education department ofUniversidad 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 inEconomics from theUniversity of the Philippines School of Economics atUP Diliman in 1986, and proceeded to study law at theUniversity of Nueva Caceres, graduating in 1992.[13][15] Gerona chose to temporarily forego law studies and instead decided to work as a researcher for the Bicol River Basin Development Program (BRBDP),[16] a government agency tasked with integrated area development planning in the three provinces of theBicol Region.[17] Here she met then-program directorJesse Robredo, who would eventually become her husband.[17] She passed thebar exams on her second attempt in 1996 and was admitted to theIntegrated Bar of the Philippines in May 1997.[18][19]
Following her admission, Robredo served in thePublic Attorney's Office,[20] a role in which she often took up the defense for cases pursued by her husband, who by then had become Mayor of Naga.[16]
From 1998 to 2008, Robredo became the coordinator ofSentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Panligan (SALIGAN), a Naga-based alternative legal support group.[16] SALIGAN's work[16] aimed to encourage young legal professionals to take on leadership roles,[21] and involved visiting distant rural communities to provide legal services to residents who would otherwise have little or no access to such services,[22] 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.[22]
In addition, Robredo founded the Lakas ng Kababaihan ng Naga Federation (Women Power of Naga Federation), an organization that provides training and livelihood opportunities for women, in 1989.[23]
In 2012, Robredo was named the chairperson of the Liberal Party in Camarines Sur.[24][25][26][27][28]
Portrait of Leni Robredo during her term as Camarines Sur representative in the16th CongressLeni Robredo unveiling the Jesse Robredo Monument at the Cararayan National High School in Naga, May 27, 2016
Robredo ran for representative inCamarines Sur's third district in 2013. On May 16, 2013, she was proclaimed the winner of the seat, defeating Nelly Favis-Villafuerte, the wife of former RepresentativeLuis Villafuerte and member of the politically powerful Villafuerte dynasty.[29][30]
Tenure
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.[31] She was known for being a strong advocate of theFreedom of Information Act,[32] and a strong supporter of theBangsamoro Basic Law.[33][34]
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."[35] Concerned that the marginalized sector should not be denied access to government frontline services and public meetings based on their attire,[36] she sponsored the Open Door Policy Act (House Bill No. 6286),[37] which prohibits government offices and agencies from implementing strict dress codes.[37]
Robredo also authored the People Empowerment Bill (HB 4911[38]), which sought to allow more participation from Filipinos in decision and policy-making,[39] and the Participatory Budget Process Bill (HB 3905), which sought to increase participation in budget-related decisions in government projects by locals.[38][40][41] 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.[42]
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).[43][44][45]
Other major legislation co-authored by Robredo includes theAnti-Dynasty Bill[46][47] and the Healthy Beverage Options Act (House Bill 4021).[48]
Legislative portfolio
As a member of the 16th Congress, Robredo was one of the principal authors of the house version of "The Tax Incentives Management and Transparency Act (TIMTA)" (Republic Act RA10708, House Bill 05831), which was enacted on December 9, 2015.[49] She also co-authored the house version[50] of the following laws: the "National Children's Month Act," Republic Act RA10661 (HB01641) enacted on May 29, 2015, declaring the celebration of the national children's month on November of every year;[51] the "Charter of the Quezon City Development Authority," Republic Act RA10646 (HB03899), lapsed into law on November 8, 2014; the "Open High School System Act," Republic Act RA10665 (HB04085) enacted on July 9, 2015, establishing and appropriating funds for the openhigh school system; Republic Act RA10638 (HB04089), extending the corporate life of thePhilippine National Railways for another 50 years, enacted on June 16, 2014; Republic Act RA10707 (HB04147), amending the "Probation Law of 1976" enacted on November 26, 2015, rationalizing and strengthening theprobation system; the "Graphic Health Warnings Law," Republic Act RA10643 (HB04590), enacted on November 15, 2014, prescribing the printing of graphic health warnings on tobacco products; Republic Act RA10655 (HB05280), decriminalizingpremature remarriages, enacted on March 13, 2015; and the "Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Act.of 2015," Republic Act RA10742 (HB06043), enacted on January 15, 2016.[52][53][54]
In addition, Robredo was one of many co-authors of the National Budgets for the years 2014 (RA10633, HB02630, enacted on December 20, 2013), 2015 (RA10651, HB04968, enacted on December 23, 2014), and 2016 (RA10717, HB06132, enacted on December 22, 2015).[50]
Robredo was also a key supporter of: HB 4911: People Empowerment Bill to create a partnership between local governments and civil society through the establishment of a people's council in every local government unit. This act also prescribes the powers and functions of said council;[42] HB 3432: Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination to prohibit discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, race, religion or belief, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expressions, language, disability, HIV status, and other status, and provide penalties for these;[42] HB 4021: Healthy Beverage Options to regulate the availability of beverages to children in schools and for other purposes;[55] HB 19: Full Disclosure Policy to require the full disclosure of all information on fiscal management from all national government departments, bureaus, agencies, and other instrumentalities, including government-owned or controlled corporations and their subsidiaries and local governments. This act will also provide penalties for violations of said requirements;[56] HB 3905: Participatory Budget Process to institutionalize citizens’ participation in the budget process and for other processes;[40] and HB 3237: Freedom of Information to strengthen the right of citizens to information held by the government.[56]
On October 5, 2015, after her three daughters set aside their initial objections, Robredo announced that she would run forvice president under theLiberal Party in the2016 election, as the running mate of presidential candidateMar Roxas.[69] Robredo won the election with 14,418,817 votes, or 35.11 percent of cast ballots, narrowly defeating her closest rival, SenatorBongbong Marcos, by 263,473 votes or by 0.64 percent.[70] Marcos, filed an electoral protest on June 29, a day before inauguration. On February 16, 2021, the PET unanimously dismissed Marcos' electoral protest against Robredo.[71][72][73][74]
Robredo was sworn in as vice president of the Philippines on June 30, 2016, at theQuezon City Reception House, which she had since used as her office.[75]
Robredo paying a courtesy call to President Rodrigo Duterte on July 4, 2016.Robredo is sworn in by Duterte asHUDCC Secretary at the Malacañang Palace on July 12, 2016.
Robredo first met PresidentRodrigo Duterte personally at theArmed Forces of the Philippines change-of-command ceremonies atCamp Aguinaldo on July 1, 2016, a day after their inauguration.[76] She later paid acourtesy call on him atMalacañang Palace on July 4, their first formal meeting.[77] On July 7, Duterte called Robredo during a press conference to offer her the cabinet position of head of theHousing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, which Robredo accepted.[78] Robredo is the third vice president to head the government agency focused on housing programs, following her immediate predecessorsNoli de Castro andJejomar Binay. Duterte earlier said that he did not want to appoint a cabinet position to Robredo due to his unfamiliarity with her and his friendship with Marcos.[79]
On December 4, 2016, Robredo was informed by Cabinet SecretaryLeoncio Evasco Jr. "to desist from attending all Cabinet meetings starting December 5", which prompted her to release a statement tendering her resignation as the chairwoman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, effective the following day.[80]
In March 2017, Robredo sent a video appeal to the United Nations in which she claimed that the Philippine National Police had unwritten policies in its operations in the drug war, where family members of drug peddlers were allegedly being held hostage and relatives of drug users and pushers wanted by the police were being killed.[81] Robredo's message to a side meeting of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs annual meeting in Vienna last March 16 stirred a political firestorm as it coincided with the filing byMagdalo Rep. Gary Alejano of thefirst impeachment case against President Duterte. Robredo also claimed of a "palit ulo" (head swapping) scheme, where police allegedly rounded up families of accused drug personalities to demand for their relatives to be taken in exchange for the accused drug personalities if they could not be found. Citing a lack of evidence to the claims, a group of lawyers and academics filed an impeachment attempt against Robredo for allegedly "betraying her oath to defend the country."[82] The impeachment campaign against her was rejected by Duterte himself,[83] and never gained traction due to a lack of endorsement from theHouse of Representatives.[84]
On November 4, 2019, Duterte assigned Robredo to be co-chairperson of theInter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) until the end of his term in 2022, said presidential spokesmanSalvador Panelo.[85] After 19 days, however, Duterte fired Robredo from her post after stiff opposition from the Duterte administration following her meetings with foreign entities and request for classified drug war information during her tenure as ICAD co-chair.[86]
TheOffice of the Vice President under Robredo was identified by theCommission on Audit in 2017 for delays in liquidating travel expenses. But for the next four consecutive years (2018–2022), the office received the highest audit rating from the commission.[87][88]
Policies
Robredo has spearheaded programs under theOffice of the Vice President (OVP). As of January 2022, her flagship anti-poverty program Angat Buhay has benefitted 622,000 families in 223 cities and municipalities across the country since she assumed office in 2016. P520 million worth of aid has been mobilized for the program, mostly from donations by the private sector. The OVP under Robredo has partnered with 372 organizations in the implementation of Angat Buhay. The Angat Buhay program focuses on six key advocacy areas, namely: public education, rural development, food security and nutrition, women empowerment, universal healthcare, and housing and resettlement.[89]
In October 2017, the Senate increased the 2018 budget of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) by ₱20 million, which was allotted for the vice president's Angat Buhay program.[90] In the same month, Robredo called on fellow Filipinos to remember the 165 soldiers and police who gave their lives for the liberation of Marawi City. Robredo said her office was already preparing to help in the rehabilitation of Marawi City, primarily through its flagship anti-poverty program.[91]
COVID-19 pandemic response
Robredo visits COVID-19 frontliners in the OVP Swab Cab inAntipolo, Rizal on January 17, 2022.
On October 24, 2018, Robredo officially launched the opposition senatorial slate for the 2019 senatorial elections,[98] declaring that 'the opposition is alive.'[99] The opposition candidates ran under the "Otso Diretso" slate, which included former senatorMar Roxas, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, Mindanao peace advocateSamira Gutoc-Tomawis, human rights lawyerJose Manuel Diokno, former congressmanErin Tañada, former solicitor generalFlorin Hilbay, senatorBam Aquino, andMagdalo Party-List Rep.Gary Alejano.[99][100] All Otso Diretso candidates lost the election,[101][102] the second time that a Liberal Party-led coalition suffered a great loss since1955.
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".[103][104][105][106] Numerousfake 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.[107][108] Robredo has demonstrated the falsehood of these statements against her.[8]
During the2022 Philippine presidential election campaign period, Robredo was the "biggest victim" and target of misinformation reportedly perpetrated by social media supporters of fellow presidential candidateBongbong Marcos.[109]
Robredo officially announced her campaign forpresident of the Philippines on October 7, 2021,[110] the day she filed her certificate of candidacy before theCommission on Elections as anindependent candidate despite her being the party leader of the Liberal Party of the Philippines.[111][112] Hours after the announcement, a source from Robredo's camp revealed that she had selected senator and Liberal Party presidentFrancis Pangilinan as her running mate.[113] However, she lost to Bongbong Marcos, placing second in the official tally with 15,035,773 votes.[114][10]
Post–vice presidency (2022–2025)
Robredo shaking hands with PresidentBongbong Marcos on October 17, 2024, inSorsogon City, their first meeting since the 2022 election.
After her term ended, Robredo established a non-governmental organization calledAngat Buhay, taking the name and template of the anti-poverty program that she established during her tenure as vice president.[115][116][117][118]
On June 21, 2024, Robredo expressed her intention to run for mayor inNaga in the2025 elections—a position her husband held from 1988 to 1998 and again from 2001 to 2010.[119][120] She confirmed her mayoral run on September 20.[121] She filed her candidacy for mayor under theLiberal Party banner before theCommission on Elections (COMELEC) office in Naga.[122] She slated RepresentativeGabriel Bordado as her running mate.[123][124]
She went on to win the mayoral election in a landslide against three independent candidates.[125] Bordado was also elected vice mayor, albeit with a narrower victory.[126]
Tenure
Robredo began her term as the eighteenth mayor of Naga on June 30, 2025. She became the first woman to hold the office.[126] In her inaugural address, she pledged to end the practice of allocating confidential funds in the city budget.[127]
Local policies
Zero tolerance against corruption
On her first day as mayor of Naga City in 2025, Robredo signed Executive Order No. 001, establishing a zero-tolerance policy againstcorruption in local governance.[128][129] The order prohibitsbribery, inflated pricing, kickbacks, and gift exchanges for favors, while also banning irregularities such as falsified time records and unauthorized overtime claims. It enforces strict procurement procedures, bars appointments based onpolitical patronage, and disallows personal use of government resources. This move reflects Robredo’s continued commitment to transparency and ethical leadership, reinforcing her legacy ofreform-oriented governance.[130]
Robredo has repeatedly expressed her dissent for the government's war on drugs, particularly the policy of Oplan Tokhang. After her short tenure as the co-chairperson of the government's ICAD, she made recommendations to improve the government's campaign against drugs.[131] During her presidential campaign, she vowed to continue intensified efforts against drugs, but would focus on rehabilitation and prevention.[132]
Martial law
During theMarawi siege, Robredo called for unity as government troops engaged in a firefight against theMaute group inMarawi, and she organized donations and directed relief operations for the victims.[133][134][135] She then visited wounded soldiers inIligan to give support and contributions.[136] Robredo respects President Duterte'simplementation ofmartial law in the whole of Mindanao as a way to combatterrorism, but has requested measures to ensure that the implementation would not resemble the "abuses and violations" duringFerdinand Marcos' implementation ofProclamation No. 1081. She also questioned the coverage and prolongation of the implementation and called on members of the Congress to review and validate the implementation as a "constitutional duty".[137] Robredo said that themartial law inMindanao has failed to address threats in the region.[138] On November 26, 2019, Robredo called on the government to assure that troop deployments inSamar,Negros, andBicol would not lead to martial law.[139]
Political dynasties
Robredo voiced her support for the proposed anti-turncoat law in the House.[140] During her congressional career, she co-authored the Anti-Dynasty Bill.[46]
Foreign policy
Robredo criticized China for establishingmissiles in the South China Sea.[141]According to Robredo, any relationship with China or other countries would be based on mutual trust, respect and recognition of international laws. Therefore, she says that China must first recognize thePhilippines v. China arbitral ruling before forging any agreement with the Philippines on joint exploration, a position that contrasts with that of Duterte's more diplomatic approach.[142] Robredo called for transparency in government-sponsored deals with China.[143]
From May 14, 2017, Robredo has hosted her own public service radio program entitledBISErbisyong LENI, aired onDZXL, until June 26, 2022, after her term end as vice president.[153]
Throughout her career, Leni Robredo has received several honors recognizing her contributions to women's empowerment, gender equality, public service, andinternational relations. These include the Honorary Outstanding Woman Award of the Year 2016 from theThai government;[155] the Most Influential Filipina Woman of the World Award from the Filipina Women's Network in 2016;[156] the Golden Peacock Award of Excellence from theFederation of Indian Chambers of Commerce Philippines in 2022 for her efforts in advancingIndia–Philippines relations;[157] and the Outstanding Bicolano Award from theUniversity of Nueva Caceres in Camarines Sur, her alma mater, in 2022.[158]
Pathologist 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 to have taken seven years to bloom since its pollination from two orchid species. The flower is not yet in commercial production.[163]
^"Robredo to run for President as an independent".BusinessWorld. October 7, 2021.Archived from the original on May 28, 2022. RetrievedMay 28, 2022.The opposition leader, who heads the Liberal Party, will run as an independent candidate, the Commission on Elections tweeted.
^"Republic Act RA10655"(PDF).Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines.Archived(PDF) from the original on September 22, 2021. RetrievedMay 22, 2020.
^Esguerra, Christian (July 29, 2025).Goodbye, Sara Duterte impeachment trial?.YouTube (in Filipino and English).Google LLC. Event occurs at 24:37.Archived from the original on August 15, 2025. RetrievedJuly 30, 2025.And believe me[...] ayaw nga nila yungICC eh. BothBam [Aquino] and Leni [Robredo], ayaw nila nung ICC. Sinabi nila sa akin 'yon.[...] Kung mananalo daw si Leni nung 2022, eh hindi raw nila ibibigay siDigong sa ICC. [And believe me[...] they don't want the ICC. Both Bam [Aquino] and Leni [Robredo], they don't want the ICC. They told me that.[...] If Leni wins in 2022, they won't hand over Digong to the ICC.]
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