Describing Philippine politics in the past years as “chaotic” may even be an understatement. While some may say that politics in this Southeast country of more than 110 million people just reflects global trends, it cannot be denied that headline-grabbing issues such as the bloody war on drugs, the crackdown on the country’s biggest media outlet, and the bungled pandemic response show that Philippine politics took a turn for the worse. Amidst the chaos, those who still value decent leadership and effective governance pin their hopes on Vice President Leni Robredo. Her quick, focused, resource-efficient and innovative response to the pandemic provided a glimpse of what could have been if she were at the helm. Her commendable performance, however, still remains largely unappreciated by a significant segment of the population.

But her recent  ...