MANILA - Vice President Leni Robredo said Wednesday she has no plans yet for the 2022 elections, amid calls for her to run for higher office.

In an interview on RMN DYHP 612 Cebu radio, Robredo said she was focused on doing her job as vice president.

"Kung iisipin ko iyong 2022, siguro hindi ko na magagampanan nang maayos iyong trabaho ko. Hindi ko na magagampanan nang maayos iyong trabaho ko, kasi ang iisipin ko na lang saan ba ako makakakuha ng maraming boto. Siguro araw-araw nasa media ako, nagpapa-interview—araw-araw sa TV—para mas grabe iyong media exposure. Salungat iyan sa ninanais natin na magtrabaho," she said.

(If I will think about 2022, maybe I won't be able to do my job well. I will not be able to work efficiently, since I will be thinking where I can get more votes. Maybe I'll be more visible in media, I'll be interviewed every day on TV, so I can get more media exposure. That is contrary to what I want to do.)

For Robredo, it is a disservice to the people to think about the next elections while still in office.

"Pero sa akin talaga, parang iyong lugi iyong taumbayan. Lugi iyong taumbayan kung nakaupo ka pa nga, ang iniisip mo iyong susunod na eleksyon, kasi lahat na desisyon mo affected na. Kaya sa akin, para sa akin, malaking disservice sa tao kapag ang namumuno sa kanila, lalo na ngayong pandemic, ang iniisip pa din pulitika," she said.

(For me, the public will suffer. The public will suffer if you are still in office yet you are already thinking about the next elections, since all your decisions will be affected by it. For me, it is a big disservice to people if their leaders, especially now that there is a pandemic, is still thinking about politics.)

She also said that she has never planned anything regarding her political career.

"Ang record ko sa politika, wala akong pinlano—iyong pag-congressman ko, pag-VP. Hindi ko pinlano, dumating na lang," said Robredo, widow of the late long-time Naga City mayor and former interior secretary Jesse Robredo, who first served as lawmaker before being elected Vice President.

(In my political record, I did not plan anything - my becoming member of congress, becoming a vice president. I did not plan it, it just happened.)

Robredo was reacting to Sharon Cuneta, who earlier said she hopes Robredo would succeed President Rodrigo Duterte in 2022, so that some semblance of "decency" will be restored in the country.

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