Vice President Leni Robredo is set to launch her flagship Angat Buhay program as a non-government organization starting on July 1, 2022.
Robredo announced this during a thanksgiving gathering with Sen. Kiko Pangilinan called “Tayo Ang Liwanag: Isang Pasasalamat” at the Ateneo de Manila University grounds in Quezon City on May 13.
“Sa unang araw ng Hulyo, ilulunsad natin ang Angat Buhay NGO,” Robredo said this in front of a large crowd of supporters.
Participants at the event were immediately hyped up for it.
Before Robredo could continue her speech, they repeatedly chanted excitedly: “Kasama kami!”
The vice president then went on to state that they already had a “template” to achieve this new goal.
“Mayroon na tayong template nito. Nagawa natin ito kahit maliit lang ang pondo at makinarya sa taggapan ng pangalawang pangulo,” Robredo said.
The Angat Buhay program was launched by the Office of the Vice President.
Robredo also cited the people’s councils and volunteer groups that were mobilized during the campaign season as proof that such a massive “bayanihan” movement is possible.
She then invited her supporters to help her with a new goal, that is, to create the largest volunteer network in the country’s history.
“Bubuuin natin ang pinakamalaking volunteer network sa kasaysayan ng buong bansa. Tuloy tayo sa pagtungo sa mga nasa laylayan at sa pag-ambagan para umangat sila,” she said.
Following this announcement, the keywords “Angat Buhay NGO” and “count me in” immediately reached the trending topics on Twitter Philippines.
As of writing, the “Angat Buhay NGO” garnered 38,200 tweets.
Supporters immediately poured in their willingness to join Angat Buhay once it is launched.
Bianca Gonzales, Dr. Gia Sison (mental health advocate) and other social media personalities also joined in solidarity for this initiative.
“Angat Buhay NGO July 1, 2022 count me in @lenirobredo Lalaban pa din kami! Tutulong pa din! @kikopangilinan,” Sison said.
“Angat Buhay NGO (white heart emojis). Count me in,” Gonzales tweeted.
Lawyer Kenneth Manual (2019 bar topnotcher) and other Filipinos were impressed by how Robredo’s decided on the next step with Angat Buhay.
“With the Angat Buhay NGO, I can really say that it is no longer an election campaign. This has transcended to a movement, an advocacy that is bigger than any political candidate. Happy to have witnessed this in my lifetime,” he tweeted.
“I really admire Leni announcing the formation of Angat Buhay NGO. It is solid proof that she’s here not to just win the presidential position, she’s here to HELP THE FILIPINOS,” another user tweeted.
Facebook user Bryce Santos, on the other hand, shared a video clip of Robredo telling her supporters this plan with Taylor Swift’s “Only the Young” playing in the background.
Neither Robredo nor Pangilinan formally stated that they are conceding from their presidential and vice presidential bids.
However, Robredo told her supporters, collectively called “kakampinks,” to accept the decision of the voting majority.
“Habang lumilinaw ang litrato, kailangan nating tanggapin na di ayon sa mga pangarap natin ang resulta ng eleksyong ito. Sa ganitong paraan masisimulan na rin natin na itutok ang sarili sa hinahanarap,” she said.
The partial and unofficial count from the Commission on Elections transparency server showed that Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is the presumptive president-elect.
His running-mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio is the presumptive vice president-elect.
