Robredo ratings heading for the ‘laylayan?’ 

Has Vice President Leni Robredo’s political goodwill and value started on its downward slide? 

This has been the subject of much discussion and speculation among political analysts, armchair and otherwise.

There are valid reasons for the spark of interest on the current state of the Vice President’s political life. Among them is the 12-percent decline in Robredo’s trust rating as reported last December by the Social Weather Stations.

Her rating spiraled downward from +45 to +37. What is significant here is that the survey, according to SWS, was done during that period when Robredo was making noises in the media regarding her leaving the Cabinet.

This should be a major headache and heartache both for Robredo and her political-strategy team. The latter had apparently hoped that Robredo’s much-ballyhooed resignation from the Cabinet would hurt President Duterte and signal the start of her ascent as the official face of the country’s political opposition.

By “breaking away” from Duterte, Robredo’s handlers had thought that the public would rally around her, thus making her the most powerful voice of the Yellow forces.

It appears the effect has been the reverse – instead of hurting Duterte, Robredo’s resignation has merely served to damage her political stock. Her political misfortune has been aggravated by the fact that, in the same survey, President Duterte’s trust rating has been reported to remain at “excellent.”

Worse, the explanation given by the President regarding her “resignation” made it appear that she was “fired.” The reason for her “firing” portrayed her as a non-team player and as a person with serious inability to exhibit reasonable loyalty.

According to the President, Robredo was asked to “desist” from attending Cabinet meetings because of trust issues. “She would be attending anti-Marcos and oust-Duterte rallies one day and then show up at the Cabinet meeting the following day,” the President complained before the media.

Making matters worse for the Vice President was her absence from the country when Typhoon Nina hit Bicolandia, supposedly her political bailiwick. The perception was that she had opted to enjoy her vacation in the United States rather than to suffer it out with the people of the Bicol region.

Her staff gave the lame excuse that Robredo was coordinating relief efforts and issuing instructions to her staff while she was in the US. Her efforts to “help out” from the snowy environs of her choice holiday destination could only be eclipsed by the visit of the President himself to Bicol in the aftermath of the devastating typhoon.

Recently, Robredo has been the object of another backlash.

Robredo has recently returned to the country from her US vacation. She had apparently dashed to Bicol to “inspect” the typhoon-damaged areas. Her first official statement was reportedly to lambast officials of the Duterte administration for the “slow” relief operations.

Robredo’s stinging criticism of the relief efforts drew an immediate apology from Social Welfare and Development Secretary Judy Taguiwalo.

Now, people wonder where Robredo got the gall to criticize the very government official who was there to help her fellow Bicolanos while she vacationed in Uncle Sam’s lair.

People also wonder whether or not Robredo’s criticism of government relief efforts was meant to erase from the public’s mind the memory of her sorry absence at a time when her constituents were in suffering.

We hope this view proves to be inaccurate. If it is, then the Vice President may now have donned the mantle of a traditional politician, using a traditional political method to conceal leadership shortcomings. That method, in layman’s terms, is called “heckling.” It consists mainly of throwing brickbats at officials quietly doing their tasks.

Are these recent decisions and moves by the Vice President based on the advice of her political cabal?

If they are, then Robredo should look for other people who can give her more reliable counsel. The way things are going, it looks like Robredo’s political goodwill is bound for further slide. She cannot afford this. With public affection waning, we doubt of she can muster enough popular support to back her up when the electoral protest against her prospers.

There was clearly no public howl when she was booted out of the Cabinet. There could be no public howl if she loses her seat.

Meanwhile, the Aquino forces will have to continue to look for other personalities whom they can transform into the face of their anti-Duterte efforts. As we have said in this column several times in the past, there seems to be no likely candidate for that role at the moment.

Political observers are still waiting for signs that Noynoy Aquino might want to assume that role himself – and if he would make for a symbol and rallying point for the anti-Duterte forces in the political arena.

Robredo may not be ready for that role, especially now that her ratings appear to be heading for the “laylayan.”