Angat Buhay, the foundation founded by former Vice President and now Naga City Mayor Atty. Leni Robredo, recently marked its ninth anniversary of empowering communities and promoting collaboration through its programs and initiatives, especially during times of disasters and calamities.
In a Facebook post, Angat Buhay Executive Director Raffy Magno recalled the foundation’s humble beginnings, which started under Robredo’s leadership as an anti-poverty program during her term as Vice President.
“From the very beginning, Angat Buhay has been more than just a source of aid—it is a movement shaped by the lessons we’ve learned directly from the communities we serve,” Magno said.
“Each program has challenged us to rethink how we design solutions, champion the power of collaboration, and redefine governance. We have remained steadfast in our commitment to transparency and accountability, always keeping our partners and communities at the heart of everything we do,” he added.
Magno commended Robredo for making Angat Buhay possible through her courage, clarity of vision, and unwavering resolve, which inspire the team “to do better, push harder, and keep fighting for a better Philippines.”
He also extended his gratitude to Angat Buhay’s collaborators, partners, and most especially the community development and government workers who had the courage to carry our mission forward, even in the most difficult times and amid challenges.
“There is still much work to be done—many more lives to touch and communities to uplift. Together, we will keep moving forward. Magpapatuloy sa paglilingkod sa ating mahal na bayan,” he ended.
Robredo’s term as Vice President was widely recognized for its transparency, receiving the highest audit rating from the Commission on Audit for four consecutive years, from 2018 to 2022.
On her first day as Mayor, Robredo signed Executive Order No. 001, instituting the Zero Tolerance Policy Against Corruption of 2025 in the local government of Naga.
The EO mandates that all public officials must remain accountable to the people and serve with integrity, loyalty, efficiency, and responsibility at all times. It also grants expanded authority to the city’s Internal Audit Service (IAS), establishing it as an independent unit responsible for monitoring, evaluation, and assurance.
During her tenure as lawmaker (2013-2016), Robredo pushed for the passage of the Full Disclosure Policy Bill (HB 19), which would have mandated all government agencies and their sub-units and projects to publicly disclose their budget and financial transactions even without formal requests from the public.
According to Senator Bam Aquino, he intends to integrate Robredo’s proposed measure into his Senate Bill No. 1330, or the Blockchain the Budget Bill, to strengthen transparency in the crafting and implementation of the national budget.
Robredo joined the Harvard community as one of the Kennedy School’s Hauser Leaders for the Fall 2022 Semester and, in 2024, was selected as one of the prestigious Rockefeller Foundation’s fellows for its Bellagio Center Residency Program.
