Vice President Sara Duterte said she hopes to meet with local officials in the Bicol Region, including former vice president and Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo, during this year’s Peñafrancia Festival in Naga City.
In an interview on Monday, September 1, in The Hague, Netherlands, Duterte said her schedule has yet to be finalized but confirmed her intent to connect with leaders 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.
She emphasized that her main purpose is to join Bicolanos in their grandest religious celebration. “Nandoon kami to celebrate with the Bicolanos. To pray with the Bicolanos sa pinakamalaking festival nila, ang Peñafrancia Festival,” she said.
Duterte was also asked if she would meet with Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, convenor of the Mayors for Good Governance group, which Robredo recently joined. She replied: “Wala pa kaming… hindi napag-usapan at wala pa kaming schedule.”
[Translation: We have not talked about it and we don’t have a schedule yet.]Her immediate agenda upon returning to the Philippines will be focused on sectoral gatherings in Bicol, where she said residents are also affected by alleged corruption in government projects.
This will not be the first time Duterte and Robredo cross paths at the Peñafrancia Festival. In 2024, Duterte made an unannounced visit to Robredo’s home in Naga, where the two spoke privately for about an hour. Robredo’s camp described it as a “personal and not political” meeting.
The Peñafrancia Festival, held every September in Naga City, honors Our Lady of Peñafrancia, the patroness of Bicol. It is among the country’s oldest and most celebrated festivals, drawing thousands of devotees each year.
