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Janvic Mateo - The Philippine Star
February 22, 2026 | 12:00am
Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo on February 21, 2026.
STAR / Noel Pabalate
MANILA, Philippines — Politics took a backseat as Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo welcomed President Marcos to the city yesterday.
From the get-go, Robredo made it clear that the visit was all about work and serving the people of Naga City.
“I do not consider talking about politics this early because I have so much work to do, we have so much work to do,” she told reporters in Filipino.
When asked about Vice President Sara Duterte’s announcement of her intention to run for president in 2028, the former vice president said she respects it.
“Everyone has that right,” she said.
“I was just elected as mayor. It is not even one year. To talk about 2028, I think that is a disservice to the people,” Robredo added.
She said there was “zero chance” that she and Marcos will talk about politics during the visit, saying it was agreed already even before Duterte’s announcement.
Marcos and Robredo were rivals in the 2016 vice presidential and 2022 presidential race.
Some groups are pushing for Robredo to again run for president, with some even raising the possibility of Marcos endorsing her after his political split with erstwhile ally Duterte.
Marcos has also declined to answer questions about politics.
Both officials maintained that the visit is purely about work, with Robredo noting that Naga is not the only city visited by Marcos as part of the national administration’s Oplan Kontra Baha program.
Among those visited by Marcos was the Jesse M. Robredo Coliseum, the city’s primary evacuation center, which has received funding for repairs from the national government.
“The local media in Naga know this has been set since Jan. 26, this is about service,” Robredo said in a statement ahead of Marcos’ arrival.
“If we can prove here in Naga that local and national cooperation can solve these problems, that is our contribution to the nation,” she added.
