MANILA, Philippines – Liberal Party vice presidential aspirant Rep. Leni Robredo of Camarines Sur expressed elation yesterday over the results of the latest survey on voters’ choice for the second highest position in the country.
“It’s encouraging. That I started at the bottom with three percent is understandable, because of the candidates for vice president, I am the only who has not gone through a national campaign,” Robredo said in a radio interview.
“My opponents are all senators who are veterans in politics. I am the only member of the House of Representatives and neophyte lawmaker,” she said.
She is referring to Francis Escudero, Alan Peter Cayetano, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Gregorio Honasan and Antonio Trillanes IV.
One month after declaring her candidacy, Robredo said she is happy that her survey numbers jumped by 10 percentage points.
“At the same time, I think the message for me is to double our efforts. We have to work harder because we are facing an uphill climb. We started from scratch,” she said
The recent survey conducted by a radio station placed her in third spot, behind Marcos and Escudero.
Asked if she thought Bicol would vote for her considering that four of her opponents all come from or have ties to the region, Robredo expressed confidence that she would win the votes of her fellow Bicolanos.
“I am the only genuine Bicolano. I was born there, educated there and lived there for most of my life,” she said.
Escudero and Honasan are from Sorsogon while Trillanes traces his roots to Albay. Cayetano’s wife Lani, who is mayor of Taguig City, is from Tiwi, Albay.
The Gerona relatives of Robredo are from Sorsogon.