Senator Grace Poe with mother Susan Roces and daughter Nika. PHOTO FROM SEN. GRACE POE’S FACEBOOK ACCOUNT
After accepting defeat to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Grace Poe is now looking forward to get longer sleep and more time with her family.
“Siguro hahabaan ko nang konti ang tulog ko, hindi na tatlong oras ngayon sa isang gabi, mga apat o lima pwede na,” Poe said in jest when asked during a hastily called press conference Monday midnight about her immediate plans after the elections.
(Perhaps, I’ll have more time for sleep now, not just three hours a night, maybe four or five hours would be enough.)
The senator was the first presidential bet to concede to Duterte. The mayor is now leading the partial and unofficial tally of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Transparency Server.
READ: It’s official: Poe concedes to Duterte
Aside from longer sleep, Poe said she is looking forward to spend time with her family.
“Yung aking bunso na 11 years old, sabi niya, kinumusta niya ako: ‘Are you okay, mom? I’m proud of you.’ Sabi niya na malungkot siya na ako’y hindi nanalo pero sabi niya masaya din daw siya kasi mas may oras na ako sa kanya ngayon,” she said, referring to her youngest daughter, Nika.
“So sa tingin ko naman bilang isang nanay ay maiintindihan din naman ninyo ‘yan, lalo na ‘yung mga kababaihan na naririto. Pero hindi po ‘yan nangangahulugan na ako’y bibitaw sa aking kasalukuyang mandato rin na ipagpatuloy rin ang ating trabaho sa Senado,” she said.
(My 11-year-old daughter, she said, she was asking how I was, “Are you okay, mom? I’m proud of you.” She said she was sad that I didn’t win, but she said she was also happy because I’ll have more time for her now.
So, I think as a mother, you’ll also understand that, espcially the women here. But that doesn’t mean that I will let go of my current mandate in my work in the Senate which will go on.)
The senator has three children —Nika, 17-year-old Hanna, and and her only son, 24-year-old Brian.
Her husband, Neil Llamanzares, and Brian accompanied her when she faced the media at her campaign team’s headquarters in Quezon City.
“Okay naman ang aking pamilya. Nandito ang aking anak at ang aking asawa at wala nga kaming pagsisisi kasi ginawa naman namin ang lahat ng aming makakaya para magkaroon kami ng isang disente at maayos na kampanya,” said Poe.
(My family’s okay. My children are here as well as my husband and we have no regrets, we did all we could and we had a decent and orderly campaign.)
She also thanked her campaign team and friends who stood by her throughout the three-month campaign period.
“At nais ko ring pasalamatan ang ating mga kasama ngayon dito na talagang nagpuyat… Sa kakulangan namin ng makinarya, sa kakulangan namin ng salapi, kami pa rin ay nagpatuloy at para sa akin isang karanasan talaga na makaikot, makalibot sa ating buong bansa at makadaupang-palad ang ating mga kababayan,” the senator added.
(And I also wish to thank my companions here who stayed up all night… In our lack of machinery, in our lack of funds, we still continued and for me it was really quite an experience to go all over the country and to be with our fellowmen.)
Poe, who was first elected senator in 2013, will continue to serve in the Senate until 2019. CDG
READ: Duterte keeps wide lead; Robredo, Marcos neck and neck