NAGA CITY—In her first day in office as the first woman to hold the mayor’s seat in her home city, Leni Robredo vowed to “purge corruption” at City Hall and promote transparency and good governance.

“We will make Naga once more a center of good governance, development, and innovation, enhancing and sustaining the good governance mechanisms that our city pioneered,” Robredo said in her inaugural speech after taking her oath of office on Monday, June 30.

The former vice president and presidential candidate is following in the footsteps of her late husband, Jesse Robredo, who exemplified good governance as Naga mayor for six terms starting in 1988. He was serving as interior and local government secretary in the administration of then President Benigno Aquino III when he died in a plane crash in August 2012.

Leni Robredo was a representative of the third district of Camarines Sur before she was elected vice president. She decided to return to local politics after losing to Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the 2022 presidential election. (See “Leni Robredo’s political life goes full circle” in CoverStory.)

Now, as mayor, she announced that her first executive orders would be to enforce a “zero tolerance” policy on corruption and to ensure transparent procurement processes at City Hall.

“I sought to live by what it means to be a Nagueño, inspiring hope to encourage others to act, giving spaces to a wider community to take part in governance, leading with the highest standards of honesty and integrity,” she said in her speech.

Robredo was sworn into office by Associate Justice Ramon Cruz of the Court of Appeals. Her daughters, Aika and Jillian, and her late husband’s brother and sister were present at the ceremony.

Vice Mayor Gabriel Bordado Jr., formerly representative of Camarines Sur’s third district, and the 10 members of the City Council were earlier sworn in by Justice Cruz.

Robredo said her forthcoming executive orders would involve procurement processes and public access to contract information, as well as a mass regularization program for 107 casual employees who have been working in the local government for at least 10 years.

In an interview with CoverStory, Robredo said she had explained her plans during the transition talks with the outgoing administration of Nelson Legacion, who has been elected third-district representative. She emphasized that local government processes must be changed or monitored to ensure the transparency of contracts and their implementation.

She said that although she did not aspire to enter politics when she was younger, she is reminded of the principle she has lived as a city constituent every time she is called to serve.

“We want to make Naga more sustainable and liveable. Truly a maogmang lugar (happy place) once again, where our people can take pride in being collaborators in development,” she said in her speech.

Robredo outlined a comprehensive development plan for the city, focusing on sustainability, economic growth, and good governance. She envisioned a thriving economic hub that increases household incomes and supports local industries.

She said her administration would also give priority to preserving the city’s history, language, and cultural heritage, “alongside our efforts to make Naga a more conducive and welcoming space for creative workers and artists.”

She described her key initiatives as supportive of families, farmers, and the local workforce, and prepared to implement measures to make the city cleaner and stronger in the face of climate-related challenges.

“We will create a cleaner, greener, and flood-resilient city, where our people can count on an efficient waste management system, and our communities are equipped to withstand flooding and other effects of worsening climate conditions,” Robredo declared.

Seeking a national office in the 2028 elections is not among the new mayor’s plans. Her focus is on Naga, she said, because of the many areas that need attention and that require more than three years to address.

Robredo, however, said she would consider running for a national post once the issues and problems in the city are resolved.