'Papa had a big heart,' says Jesse's daughter

MANILA, Philippines -  Despite showering his wife and daughters with so much love, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo still had enough left for the people he served.

“Papa loved us so much but I know that he still has a space in his heart for all of you,” said Janine Patricia Robredo, the DILG chief’s middle daughter, speaking in public for the first time.

The Piper Seneca plane carrying Robredo, his aide-de-camp Senior Inspector June Paulo Abrasado, pilot Jessup Bahinting and co-pilot Kshitiz Chand crashed last Aug. 18 in Masbate Bay. Abrasado survived the accident. Robredo’s remains were recovered on Aug. 21 and the bodies of the pilots were found days later.

During the necrological service in Naga City last Sunday, Tricia confessed that before she delivered her eulogy, she asked her dad to tickle her if he sees that she was about to cry because she doesn’t want to be seen crying in public.

True enough, Tricia managed to hold back her tears during her eulogy and even made her mom, sisters and the crowd at the Naga City Hall laugh with some of her revelations.

“He really loved Mama. I remember one time, during his birthday celebration at the City Hall, they urged him to sing and he dedicated the song ‘Please Release Me’ to Mama just to make her laugh and smile,” Tricia shared.

“Jillian, my youngest sister, always wanted to be a star and a few hours after we learned that Papa passed away, she asked Mama, ‘Ma, how old was Kris when Ninoy died?’ she thought maybe she could also be like Kris Aquino when she grows up,” Tricia revealed, which elicited laughter from the crowd. 

Jillian was seen giggling and tried to hide her face behind the shoulder of her sister Aika.

If her father were alive, Tricia said that they would have teased him, “Grabe ka Papa, yung mukha mo nasa T-shirt na ng mga tao…Siguro kinikilig na si Pogi (You’re too much, Pa, your face is already on people’s t-shirts. Pogi must be thrilled). He is watching us from heaven.” Pogi was one of Robredo’s nicknames.

Tricia also made a promise before her dad’s flag-draped casket that she, her Ate Aika and Jillian will make sure that they will choose a guy as handsome and as good as their father was.

She vowed along with her sisters to take care of their mother and the legacy their dad left behind.

“Sec, Mayor, Pogi, Boss, Bright Boy, Papa, our promise to continue what you started will not just end on Facebook, Twitter or TV. Ako na po ang bahala kay (I’ll take care of) Mama – Senator Len. Joke!”

As thousands of people expressed their love and admiration for their father, Tricia noted so much had been said about how good her father was as a mayor, DILG secretary, friend, brother, son and father.

“Have you ever wondered why he was so good? If you ask me, my answer is he was good because he knows how to love. He loved his job and he loved the people.”

However, despite being calm and composed, Tricia still couldn’t hide the pain she was feeling. “Papa, maybe you were ready to die but we are not ready to lose you.”

“Although I don’t understand why you had to leave so soon, I’m still grateful to have been loved and raised by you,” she added.

After the necrological service at the Naga City Hall, Robredo’s remains were brought to the Basilica Minore de Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia in Naga City, for the last day of the wake. Robredo had been a devotee of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, locally known as “Ina,” since he was 16 years old.

A funeral Mass will be held today at 10 a.m. before the state funeral at 11 a.m.