The nail-biting and nerve-wracking wait is finally over for Liberal Party vice presidential bet, Congresswoman Leni Robredo, after she was announced as the official winner in an intense and tight battle for the vice presidential race, finishing with a slight margin against her closest opponent, Senator Bongbong Marcos Jr., based on official tallies spearheaded by the joint session of Congress sitting as the National Board of Canvassers.
According to the report, the canvassing of votes for presidential and vice presidential candidates took only three days which is considered as the fastest in Philippine history after 1986.
Various celebrities sent their messages congratulating the vice president elect, Representative Leni Robredo, including TV host-actress Kris Aquino who’s really happy with the outcome of Robredo’s win in the vice presidential race.
The declaration of Leni Robredo’s win was coincidental with the birthday of her late husband, former Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo which is an event worth remembering.
Kris Aquino shared some photos showing her with Leni which she posted with her caption: “A friend told me, ‘Kris, wag mo naman itaya ang lahat. Paano kung matalo si Leni?’ I smiled in reply and said marami kaming kakampi sa langit. Happy Birthday Sec. Jesse!”
Kris is the youngest daughter of the late Senator Benigno Aquino and former Philippine president Corazon Aquino, who was elected after the People’s Power Revolution in 1986. She dethroned the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos from power who governed the country under martial law rule.
However, Corazon Aquino restored democracy to the Philippines when she took the power from the father of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Kris recounted how she first met Leni Robredo. “[Leni] said in her speeches that Sec. Jesse was my friend. We [I and Leni] only met later. I asked her for a pic for Instagram during PNoy’s birthday. I called my cousin [Bam Aquino] and volunteered to shoot an endorsement for Leni. We shot March 15 at their home.”
“How heartwarming to have gotten to know Aika, Tricia and Jillian. Apart from my mom, [Leni] is my IDOL when it comes to being the BEST MOM. In her I saw calm intelligence with sincere humility, a sense of humor, and a life’s purpose of true public service.
“May 3 was my last sortie with her in Quezon City. She was [number one] that day in surveys and I asked, ‘Did she feel like a winner?’ She said the surveys were the sign she prayed for. Thank you to 14,418,817 Filipinos who voted LENI!
Kris with her final statement: “Yes, for me this fight was personal. IT WAS FOR MY MOM’s MEMORY. Kaya binigay ko ang lahat for VP Leni. Ganoon ako pinalaki, nakikipaglaban ng buo ang puso! Thank you God for answered prayers! CONGRATULATIONS to my VP, my inspiration!”
Leni Robredo propelled to popularity nationwide when her late husband, Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, died in a plane crash in August 2012.
She was wooed and eventually persuaded by presidential candidate Mar Roxas to run as his vice presidential bet under the banner of the Liberal Party.
This will be the first time that an elected vice president hails from the Bicol region.
During the April 17 vice-presidential debate, Robredo said that the last man standing in the vice-presidential race will be a woman. The obvious results of winning the vice presidential race only confirmed her prophetic like statement.
She garnered 14,418,817 votes based on the 167 certificates of canvass (COCs), winning a small margin of 263,473 against her closest rival Bongbong Marcos, Jr., who landed in second place with 14,155,344.
Leni’s triumphant win was seemed to be a paradoxical achievement for her.
She said: “Napakaimposible nang nangyari na naging posible, lalo na ang vice president [position].”
Robredo’s daughters, Aika and Tricia were ecstatic with the breathtaking and remarkable win of their mother.
