Robredo says #NasaanAngBisePresidente acknowledges her post as VP

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo said Sunday the #NasaanAngBisePresidente, which made rounds on social media at the height of Tropical Depression Vicky, acknowledges her as the second-highest government official in the country.

During her weekly radio show BISErbisyong Leni, Robredo said the hashtag, which imitates the #NasaanAngPangulo that also previously trended online, acknowledges her as the Vice President of the country and not just a “Fake VP,” which her critics call her.

“Sabi ko nga, number one, ina-acknowledge na nila na ako iyong Pangalawang Pangulo kasi ‘di ba tawag nila Fake VP, so nasaan ang Bise Presidente? May picture pa ako. So talagang ako iyong Bise Presidenteng hinahanap nila. Kaya nakakatuwa,” Robredo said.

(I said, number one, they acknowledge that I am your Vice President because they keep calling Fake VP, so where is the Vice President? I still have a picture. So I really am the Vice President they are looking for. That’s why I’m glad.)

“Pangalawa, opportunity din, Ka Ely, kasi kami habang hindi pa nakakarating doon iyong team namin, hindi pa kami masyadong nagkukuwento kung anong coordination iyong ginagawa namin. So noong hinanap ko, Ka Ely, sumagot ako. Parang nagpaalam sa kanila na hindi tayo nawawala,” she added.

(Secondly, also it’s an opportunity, Ka Ely, because while our team has not been there yet, we have not talked much about what coordination you are doing. So when I searched, Ka Ely, I answered. It’s like letting them know we’re not lost.)

Despite this, Robredo said there are still “trolls” who are maligning the calamity response efforts of her office. The Vice President, however, said that she would rather not deal with her critics.

“Mayroon pang nag-threaten sa Facebook na kapag nakita raw ako doon sa Mindanao dito sa calamity ay hindi na raw ako makakauwing buhay. Parang para sa akin, ito ba iyong klase ng mga supporters na gusto natin? Kasi, ‘di ba, parang nakakahiya naman,” Robredo said.

(Some even threatened on Facebook that if they saw me in Mindanao, which has been hit by a calamity, I would not be able to return alive. It seems to me, is this the kind of supporters we want? Because isn’t it, it seems embarrassing?)

To recall, Robredo previously responded to the hashtag, saying that her office has been coordinating with local governments affected by Vicky.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier claimed that Robredo and the opposition started the hashtag #NasaanAngPangulo (Where is the President), which trended on social media during the onslaught of Typhoons Rolly and Ulysses. [ac]