Vice President Leni Robredo reminisced about her 2013 congressional win in her hometown Camarines Sur as she told a crowd of supporters in Bago, Negros Occidental, that the 2022 election was as tough as her victory nine years ago.
However, contrary to her 2013 and 2016 wins, she now has a deluge of volunteers nationwide who campaign for her.
The Vice President, who surprisingly won in 2016 against former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., remembered how she won against her province’s most powerful political clan, the Villafuertes.
Robredo, then a practicing lawyer, won by a landslide against the Villafuerte matriarch Nelly Villafuerte despite having no money, no resources, and no machinery.
“Lahat nagsasabi, wala akong pag-asang manalo. Pero pagkatapos ng eleksyon, landslide ‘yung panalo ko (All were saying I have no chance to win. But after the election, I won by a landslide),” she told a crowd on Tuesday, May 3, during the “Pitstop: Send-Off for Team Leni-Kiko” at the Bantayan Park in Bago City, Negros Occidental.
The same thing happened in 2016 since she was a virtual unknown beside running mate, former Interior secretary Mar Roxas.
But the good thing back then is she has the machinery of the administration.
When she visited Negros Occidental and asked for help, no one knew her yet, but the province delivered for her.
In Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, she got more than 570,000 lead against Marcos.
Leaders from various sectors in Negros Occidental endorse VP Leni Robredo’s presidential bid in Bacolod City. (VPLR Media Bureau)
“‘Yung kabutihan lang, talaga pong likas akong masipag (The good thing is I am naturally hardworking),” Robredo said.
Now, six years after, the story runs the same.
“Alam niyo naman kung sino ‘yung aking kalaban. Wala ako ng pera. Wala ako ng makinarya na meron sila. Ang kwento parang ganoon pa rin noong 2013. Kakaunti lang ‘yung local officials na malakas ‘yung loob na tulungan ako (You know who I am up against. I don’t have money. I don’t have the machinery they have. The story is the same as 2013. Only a few local officials have the courage to help me),” she added.
But Robredo hasn’t lost hope yet, despite getting only 23 percent in a pre-election presidential survey compared to Marcos’ 56 percent because of her supporters.
The aspiring president asked her supporters not only to campaign for her but to ensure a clean and honest election.
“Marami akong naririnig meron ng mga attempt para gumamit ng pera (I hear many stories that others are attempting to use money),” Robredo shared.
“Siguruhin po natin na hindi ito ‘yung magiging dahilan para magdesisyon ‘yung mga kababayan natin dahil sa mga pinapangako sa kanila (Let us make sure that this will not be the reason why our fellowmen will decide because of the promises to them),” she added.