VP Sara eyes meeting with Robredo, Bicol officials during Peñafrancia

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte said she hopes to meet former vice president and Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo and other officials in the Bicol Region when she attends this year’s Peñafrancia Festival in Naga City.

Asked if she had plans to meet Robredo in her hometown, Duterte said in an interview on Monday, September 1, that her office has not finalized her schedule, but confirmed she wanted to connect with officials in the region.

“Hindi pa namin nagawa ‘yung schedule namin. Pero yes, gusto sana namin na mameet yung mga local government officials ng — hindi lang ng Naga, ng entire Bicol Region, kung kakayanin ng schedule,” Duterte said in an interview at The Hague, Netherlands.

(We haven't done our schedule. But yes, we are hoping to meet the local officials, not just from Naga, but the entire Bicol Region, if our schedule permits.)

She stressed that her main purpose is to join Bicolanos in their biggest religious celebration. “(Mainly), nandoon kami (we are there) to celebrate with the Bicolanos. To pray with the Bicolanos sa pinakamalaking festival nila, ang Peñafrancia Festival,” Duterte said.

The vice president was also asked whether she had any plans to meet Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, the lead convenor of Mayors for Good Governance, a group of local executives advocating for government transparency, which Robredo recently joined. 

"Wala pa kaming... hindi napag-usapan at wala pa kaming schedule," Duterte said.

(We have not... we have not talked about it and we don't have a schedule yet.)

"Ang immediate ko na schedule pagbalik sa Pilipinas ay sa Bicol Region. Dahil celebration nila ng Peñafrancia at merong mga small gatherings kami doon, sectoral gatherings para sa mga issues naman sa Bicol na I'm sure, biktima din ng corruption ng projects sa gobyerno," she added.

(My immediate schedule upon my return to the Philippines is in Bicol Region. Due to the celebration of Peñafrancia and we have small gatherings there, sectoral gatherings for issues in Bicol which I'm sure are also victims of government project corruption.)

This would not be the first time Duterte and her predecessor crossed paths at the festival. In September 2024, Duterte made an unannounced visit to Robredo’s home in Naga during Peñafrancia. 

The two spoke privately for about an hour, and Robredo’s spokesperson Barry Gutierrez later confirmed the meeting was “personal and not political.”

Duterte's office had said that the visit was arranged by a Bicolano friend and that the vice president was in the city mainly to take part in the festivities.

The Peñafrancia Festival, held every September in Naga City, honors Our Lady of Peñafrancia, the patroness of Bicol. It is one of the oldest and most famous festivals in the country and draws thousands of devotees annually.