Vice President Leni Robredo during the BISErbisyong LENI program on DZX
MANILA, Philippines — Before formalizing her 2022 presidential bid, Vice President Leni Robredo revealed on Sunday that she initially planned to either step back from politics or to run for a local post.
“Yung balak ko talaga, dalawa na lang — either magpapahinga ako o magkakandidato ako ng lokal,” Robredo bared during her radio program BISErbisyong LENI on DZXL.
(My plan was either to rest or to run for office locally.)
“In the past months, mula siguro nung August, sumusubok na tayo na kausapin ‘yung ibang mga kandidato, ‘yung ibang mga grupo. Naghahanap sana ng paraan para magkaisa. ‘Yun ‘yung daan na tinatahak natin,”
(In the past months, since August, we tried to talk to candidates and groups. We’re looking for ways to unite. That’s the path we’re taking.)
Robredo has declared that she will join the presidential race and lodged her certificate of candidacy on Thursday, a day before the last filing day.
The vice president said that she has exhausted efforts to unite and only have one opposition candidate for president, to no avail.
“Nag-exert tayo ng maraming effort na magkaroon sana ng unification para tutulong na lang ako sa mga national candidates and uuwi ako sa amin para d’on naman magbuhos ng serbisyo,” Robredo shared.
(We worked at unification where I would just help national candidates and I will return home and serve there.)
“Pero hindi naging maganda. ‘Yung pinagdadasal natin na magiging katapusan ng lahat ng usapan, hindi nangyari,” she noted.
(But it did not end well. What we were praying for did not happen.)’
“Doon ko na-realize na mahirap talaga. Mahirap mag-unite ‘pag mayroong hindi alignment sa mga paniniwala, mayroong hindi pareho sa gustong daan na tahakin,” the vice president went on.
(I realized that it is really difficult. It’s hard to unite if there is no alignment in beliefs and paths to take.)
Robredo also bated that she seriously contemplated running for the highest post when the opposition coalition 1Sambayan nominated her as their presidential bet.