Vice President Leni Robredo penned a heartfelt message for her youngest daughter's 21st birthday on Friday, February 26.
In a Facebook post in her personal Facebook account, Robredo described her daughter Jillian as the one who looks the most like her late husband the late former Interior Jesse, and someone who can live in a skewed world.
"Masipag, desidido, disiplinado, maparaan. Mabubuhay sa tagilid na mundo. Napakapalad namin sa aming mga anak (Hardworking, decisive, disciplined, and resourceful. She will able to live in a skewed world. We are blessed when it comes to our children)," she said.
According to Robredo, Jillian, even though the youngest of the three girls, has always been fiercely independent and different from her older sisters.
"She didn’t want to take up classical piano like her sisters. Instead, she learned how to play the guitar almost all her own. Laging vocal solo contestant noon (She was always a vocal solo contestant)," the Vice President wrote in a Facebook post.
"She didn’t like toys growing up. Ang hinihingi niyang regalo lagi, nail polish (She has always asked for nail polish as a gift). In fact, she was already painting her own nails since she was three," she added.
Robredo also poked fun at her daughter, saying Jillian was also the least studious among the siblings. Despite this, she has always managed to excel.
"Laging nakakatulog pag nag aaral. Pero laging math contestant (Jillian always fell asleep when studying but she was always chosen to compete in math contests)," she said.
"Mula bata, hindi na ako nagbabayad ng tuition maliban nalang sa ilang taon nung elementary siya. Hanggang ngayon, scholar pa din. Pero sobrang sipag na niya ngayon. She has been working since Freshman year. Ayaw niya na daw humingi ng allowance sa akin (I never had to pay for her tuition except for a few years during her elementary days. But until now, she's a scholar. She's also very studious now. She has been working since Freshman year. She didn't like asking for allowance)," she added.
Robredo also pointed out that Jillian was full of courage as she remembered the time when her youngest went by herself to a country where no one in the family has been before.
"She (Jillian) scared us one time when she traveled alone to a country all of us have never been to and stayed in a hostel, sharing a room with strangers, because nagtitipid siya (she's trying to save up)," she said.
Robredo also described her daughter as someone who has always fought for what she thought was right.
"Marami na siyang binoboycott na mga (She is boycotting a lot of) products of companies - either dahil sa (because of their) unfair labor practices or enablers of corrupt regimes," the Vice President said.
"During the recent typhoons, she started a donation drive with friends and gave housing materials to those who lost their houses," she added.