Vice President Leni Robredo rallied women on Monday to "blaze new trails" and respond to the call of leadership as the world marked International Women's Day.
Robredo, who has been the subject of much vitriol online since becoming vice president, said women need to come together and sustain the gains towards gender equality.
"Today is a reminder of the imperative: We need to band together to continue the work. We need as many women and allies as possible banging against the glass ceiling and creating spaces where all genders can flourish and contribute to society," Robredo said in her statement for International Women's Day.
"As we honor the victories of those who came before, let us blaze new trails for others to follow," she said.
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Robredo also reminded the public that while much progress has been made towards gender equality, the road is still a long one as she called attention to problems worsened by the pandemic such as domestic violence, and limited access to reproductive health services.
"Let us answer the calls to leadership, face the trials of our time with resolve, and strive towards a fairer, kinder, more humane world, where no one is left behind," she said.
Robredo is no stranger to vicious criticism and attacks, including from President Rodrigo Duterte. A widow of late Interior Sec. Jesse Robredo, she has served as the face of the opposition since her 2016 vice-presidential win.
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