ROBREDO alights from the bus that took her back home to Naga, in this photograb from the Facebook page of CNN Philippines. FILE
LENI Robredo took the bus home to Naga City on Monday night, an old habit she said she would not break even if elected vice president and in spite of security concerns.
“Even when we’ve been proclaimed, I won’t change my ways. This is a reminder of who we really are,” the outgoing Camarines Sur congresswoman told reporters at the Quezon City bus terminal.
Robredo is still in a tight race for the vice presidency with Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
She currently leads Marcos, the son and namesake of the late dictator, by more than 200,000 votes based on the partial and unofficial tally of the Commission on Elections’ mirror server.
But Robredo, who claims victory in the race, said she was prepared to make certain concessions, such as having security and staff with her on the 10-hour bus trip, and making the trip less frequently. As a lawmaker, she was used to taking public transportation from Naga to the legislative building in Quezon City, every week, often by herself.
The 51-year-old widow of former Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo cited two considerations: “[First] I will probably pick the cheapest means, and second, will cause the least disturbance to the public.”
“I know of course there are security concerns now compared to before. We have a bigger responsibility and I understand that… I am open to change,” she said. DJ Yap