Australian Embassy salutes Robredo as a true public servant
Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddell has today written to President Benigno Aquino III expressing his condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families and colleagues of Secretary Jesse Robredo of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the two pilots involved in the accident, Captain Jessup Bahinting and Kshitz Chand.
Ambassador Tweddell said that “Secretary Robredo will be remembered as a great man who served the Filipino people with distinction. He will also be remembered for his dedication to the fundamental pillars of President Aquino’s administration: good governance, transparency and the eradication of poverty.”
Secretary Robredo had worked closely with the Australian Embassy on a range of issues, especially on development cooperation matters, where the DILG is one of Australia’s principal partners in the Philippines. The Embassy also worked productively with the DILG on mining issues, key consular cases, police cooperation, and peace and development efforts.
Ambassador Tweddell also noted Secretary Robredo’s impressive and well-recognized track record as a local public official in Naga City for two decades prior to his appointment as DILG chief.
In his tenure as DILG Secretary, Robredo had been instrumental in introducing performance-based reforms, such as the “seal of good housekeeping” that rewards local governments for improved transparency and accountability. This forms part of the Aquino Administration’s commendable broader governance and transparency agenda.
Ambassador Tweddell said, “In my short time as Ambassador, I grew to regard Jesse Robredo with great respect and affection. He will be missed by Australia.”
DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo is shown in discussion with Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Bill Tweddell during the launch last February of the Australian Government-supported Philippines Provincial Road Management Facility (PRMF) in three new partner provinces - Aklan, Davao del Norte and Lanao del Norte. The PRMF assists provincial governments in upgrading and maintaining their core road networks in provinces in Mindanao and the Visayas.