This Time, It's Leandro Who Has Something to Say About Their Mom Loren Legarda

If Lorenzo Legarda Leviste's open letter to his mother, senatorial candidate Loren Legarda, is full of pain and bitterness, a new article written by Leandro Legarda Leviste for their mother is full of appreciation and love.

On Wednesday, May 4, 2022 Rappler published Lorenzo’s open letter denouncing his own mother for her affiliation with the UniTeam by presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and vice presidential contender Sara Duterte-Carpio.

Two days later, on Friday (May 6), The Philippine STAR released Leandro's tribute to Loren ahead of Mother's Day on Sunday

Leandro is a young businessman who founded the company Solar Philippines, aa unit of which successfully listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange a few month in December 2021.

Instead of answering his brother’s open letter, Leandro chose to let everyone know about their mother’s loving qualities away from her public  life. 

“I am writing this because my mom deserves all the recognition in the world for being an exemplary public servant and a role model for the youth," Leandro wrote. "My mom grew up in a middle-class family in Malabon and went on to become an award-winning journalist before she turned 30."

Leandro went on to list some of her mother's accomplishments, including being elected senator with the highest number of votes at 38 and becoming the first female Senate Majority Leader at 41. The young Leviste also enumerated some of the bills his mother authored that have since been signed into law, including the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, the Philippine Tropical Fabrics Law of 2004, and the Climate Change Act of 2008.

"It can be overwhelming to think of how she achieved so much by such a young age, but it should serve as an example for what young people can do, in hopes that our country can have more people as committed as her to raising the bar for excellence in public service," Leandro says. 

He also praised his mother for being able to work well with others, calling her "a consensus builder among political parties."

"While politics can be contentious, I have seen from my mom the importance of having civil discussions, empathy and respect for people even with whom one disagrees to pass crucial legislation," he said.

Despite Legarda's many accomplishments as a legislator, Leandro emphasized that she put her duties as a mother above all else, citing an episode when he was a teenger when she dropped everything to be by her son's side as he was rushed to the hispital for chest pains that tuned out to be a punctured lung. 

"Despite my mom’s busy schedule, she still even micromanages caring for my 89-year-old grandfather and our 88-year-old Nanay Fely, who took care of us all from birth, and whom my mom treats like her own mother," he said. "It’s amazing how my mom can care for so many people so efficiently amid all her work."

Leandro did not mention his brother's scathing letter to their mother but instead chose to express his appreciation to her for all she's done for him. 

"The older I get, and the more I see of the realities of life, the more I have come to appreciate all that my mom has done and continues to do for her family and her country. I have never been more proud of my mom than I am now."

From: PEP