EDITORIAL - Duterte needs to bring Robredo in

There is much speculation about what "real" position Rodrigo Duterte might give Leni Robredo once both assume office on June 30 as president and vice president, respectively. And the speculation probably arises not just from the fact that Robredo is not a partymate of Duterte, which otherwise would have assured her of an important posting in his administration, but because of her relative inexperience in governance, having been previously just a congresswoman for one term.

Nevertheless, whatever the threshold of her qualifications might be, and however outside the pale she is, it is important for Duterte to bring Robredo in and not just leave her out in the cold as how most people would regard a spare tire to be. And that is because, in case something happens, a real spare tire needs to be properly inflated for it to function according to its purpose.

At no time in recent memory is an incoming Philippine president faced with greater challenges than Duterte is. Not only are his problems domestic in nature but, to an increasingly greater extent, global. Duterte is facing tricky geopolitical and security concerns right in our own neighborhood, a situation that requires him to be on his toes all the time but his vice president as well, just in case.

Duterte does not even have to give Robredo a Cabinet position, which is what most people are actually speculating about, but he needs to bring her in on the finer points of governance. He needs to include her, for example, in all his daily security briefings. In the interest of the nation, Duterte needs to set aside any barrier that may exist between him and her.

Why everybody keeps referring to the vice president as a spare tire and then completely forgets what that actually means is a continuing wonder that eludes a clear answer. Maybe Filipinos are simply too politicized that they need to reduce everything to its smallest political part and as a result completely miss the whole point of why there is such an animal as a vice president.

Yes the vice president is a spare tire. But what, for God's sake, is a spare tire? What the heck is a spare tire supposed to do. The answer, of course, is pretty obvious. It is to allow anyone on a journey to complete the journey in case a blowout occurs along the way. But how can the Philippines continue on its journey if its spare tire in not inflated?

Again, Duterte has to bring Robredo in. He needs to share with her, as far as it is practical, whatever it is that needs to be known and shared between the two of them. This is not to wish ill on anyone, but a sudden vacancy at the presidency, for whatever reason, is always a crisis situation. Should that situation happen, God forbid, it would do well for this country if its vice president who needs to take over immediately, is able to take over without missing a step.