It is common knowledge, at least to Vice President Leni Robredo’s legion of supporters, that the Robredo sisters—Aika, Tricia, and Jillian—were against their mother running for president, but seeing the people fighting for her and the country now has made all the difference to them.
Robredo’s three daughters introduced the lone female presidential bet to some 780,000 kakampinks who gathered along the stretch of Ayala Avenue on Saturday, May 7, for her miting de avance with running mate Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan after Jillian performed “Tuloy Ang Laban”, the same song she sang during their mother’s 2013 and 2016 winning campaigns for congresswoman and vice-president, respectively..
They were initially against her running since she already promised that the 2016 election campaign was the last one she would join.
Jillian, the youngest, was particularly against it because she wanted to be with her mother and go to places she and the late Interior secretary Jesse Robredo planned on seeing. But fate had another plan for the Vice President and now a presidential candidate poised to put a stop to the Marcos’ return to power.
She had commanded mammoth rallies that drew hundreds of thousands of people and empowered volunteers to go on a house-to-house campaign for her, and that gave Aika, Tricia, and Jillian the answer they were seeking.
“Isang malaking karangalan po ang lumaban kasama kayo — salamat sa pagtindig at pag-asang ibinigay niyo (It is a great honor to fight alongside you—thank you for standing and for the hope you gave),” Jillian wrote on a Twitter post.
“Buong puso po naming ibinabahagi ang aming nanay sainyo at ang magiging nanay ng bansa (We are wholeheartedly sharing our mother to you and to be the mother of our country),” she added.
Citing Robredo’s “sense of mission”, the eldest Aika said they already knew she would take on a bigger role.
READ: Robredo’s miting de avance tops PH Twitter trend; 5.8M Pinoys stream on Facebook
“Parating nangingibaw ang sense of mission kaysa sa kung ano ang madali, tahimik, at kumportable para sa aming pamilya (The sense of mission always prevails instead of what’s easy, quiet, and comfortable for our family),” she added.
With a heavy heart, Tricia said they decided to support their mother because “ang nagmamahal, ipinaglalaban ang minamahal (one who loves should fight for whom one loves).”
They initially thought it would only be them helping her in the elections, but Robredo’s supporters surprised them.
“Sa tagal at sa dami ng nasabi tungkol sa kaniya nung VP siya, akala namin kami lang ang dedepensa. Pero talaga namang ginulat ninyo kami (In all that was said to her when she was the VP, we thought we’ll be the only ones defending her. But you really surprised us),” Tricia, a doctor, said.
“Lumabas kayo para makiisa sa rallies; kinatok ang pintuan ng mga kapitbahay; gumastos ng sariling pera, nagbuhos ng oras, pagod at talento. Kayo pong mga volunteers ang naging frontliners – ang puso at diwa ng kampanya (You went out to join the rallies; knocked on neighbors’ doors; spent your own money, poured in time, hardwork, and talent. You, volunteers, became the frontliners—the heart and soul of this campaign),” she added.
Aika shared that if their father was still alive, he would’ve been the first one to tease their mother about politics.
But she also knew that her dad would be Robredo’s most ardent supporter and will call her their family’s “secret weapon”.
Aika said this was evident in the many signs they’ve seen in the campaign—rainbows upon Robredo’s arrival in airport tarmacs and rains stopping when she was about to deliver her speech.
Tricia added that at a young age, they were taught of a kind of love that strengthens and endures.
“Habambuhay naming dadalhin ang aral at pagmamahal na iyon. At alam namin na masusuklian lang namin ang ganung klaseng pagmamahal sa pagpapatuloy ng kanilang mga pangarap (We will forever bring the lesson of that love. And we know that we can only return that kind of love if we will continue their dreams),” she said.