Pia Regalado, ABS-CBN News

<figure class="op-social"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="350" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/13uVaqRCi8c?rel=0&amp;showinfo=0" width="510"></iframe></figure><p>MANILA (UPDATE) - For Congresswoman Leni Robredo, her win was almost impossible.</p><p>Robredo defeated 5 male senators, including Ferdinand &quot;Bongbong&quot; Marcos Jr., son and namesake of the late dictator, in the 2016 vice-presidential election.</p><p>Her victory confirmed her statement in the April 17 vice-presidential debate that the last man standing in the vice-presidential race will be a woman.</p><div><strong><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/halalan2016/video/nation/04/17/16/leni-robredo-last-man-standing-is-a-woman">WATCH: Leni Robredo: Last man standing is a woman</a></strong></div><p>Robredo, the administration Liberal Party&#x27;s (LP) vice-presidential bet, <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/halalan2016/nation/05/27/16/duterte-robredo-win-2016-polls">finished first</a> in the final tally of votes by Congress, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), on the 58th birthday of her late husband.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">[A] Sama-sama nating ipagdiwang ang araw na ito! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TagumpayNiLeni?src=hash">#TagumpayNiLeni</a> sa <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KaarawanNiJesse?src=hash">#KaarawanNiJesse</a>! ?? <a href="https://t.co/RFTobJF5ZM">pic.twitter.com/RFTobJF5ZM</a></p>— Leni Robredo (@lenirobredo) <a href="https://twitter.com/lenirobredo/status/736095168240050177">May 27, 2016</a></blockquote><script async="" src="~//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Robredo got 14,418,817 votes based on the 167 certificates of canvass (COCs). She won by a slim margin of 263,473 over Marcos, Jr., who placed second with 14,155,344.</p><p>In a live interview on TV Patrol Friday night, Leni said she received the news as her family was commemorating her late husband Jesse Robredo&#x27;s 58th birthday in Camarines Sur.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">[A] EARLIER: Unveiling of the Jesse Robredo Bust at Cararayan National Highschool w/ Leni Robredo <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KaarawanNiJesse?src=hash">#KaarawanNiJesse</a> <a href="https://t.co/tvGvvqnSdi">pic.twitter.com/tvGvvqnSdi</a></p>— Leni Robredo (@lenirobredo) <a href="https://twitter.com/lenirobredo/status/736046561717719044">May 27, 2016</a></blockquote><script async="" src="~//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Jesse, who was interior and local government secretary, died in a plane crash in August 2012.</p><p>&quot;Grabe pa ang coincidence kasi nagkaroon kami ng misa, at pagkatapos na pagkatapos ng misa ay saka namin nabalitaan na tapos na pala ang canvassing,&quot; she said.</p><p>She said she had expected the canvassing to finish on the first or second week of June.</p><div><strong>&#x27;IMPOSSIBLE FEAT&#x27;</strong></div><p>For Robredo, her win was an impossible feat.</p><p>Robredo said in the interview that if her husband were alive, he would not have let her venture into politics as long as he was still serving in government.</p><p>&quot;Never ko inisip na one day, papasok din ako sa pulitika. Naiba lang lahat nang mamatay asawa ko noong 2012.&quot;</p><p>After Jesse&#x27;s death, Robredo entered politics and won as the representative of the third district of Camarines Sur.</p><p>&quot;Napakaimposible nang nangyari na naging posible, lalo na ang vice president [position].&quot;</p><p>Her daughters Aika and Tricia were ecstatic over their mother&#x27;s stunning win.</p><p>&quot;On his 58th birthday, Papa Jesse shares his most precious gift — our one and only Mama Leni. Ang panalo ni Leni ay panalo ng bawat Pilipino. Maraming salamat at congratulations po sa ating lahat!&quot; Aika said on Facebook.</p><p>The odds were stacked against Robredo during the 90-day campaign. She wasn&#x27;t prepared for a vice-presidential run since she was only the second choice of President Aquino and the Liberal Party; their first choice was Senator Grace Poe, who opted to run as an independent.</p><p>Robredo suffered from low awareness among voters and was behind in surveys during most of the campaign. She caught up and tied with Marcos in pre-election surveys only in the homestretch.</p><p>READ: <strong><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/halalan2016/nation/05/03/16/leni-bongbong-share-lead-in-new-abs-cbn-survey">Leni, Bongbong share lead in new ABS-CBN survey</a></strong></p><p>Most of all, 4 out of the 6 vice-presidential candidates were all from Bicol, which meant a split regional vote for Robredo, who is from Naga City, Camarines Sur. Senators Chiz Escudero (Sorsogon), Antonio Trillanes (Albay), Gregorio Honasan (Sorsogon) all have roots in Bicol.</p><p>On the other hand, Marcos Jr. had the so-called Solid North or the Ilocano vote behind him.</p><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameBorder="0" height="627" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FLeniRobredoPH%2Fposts%2F958259030958432&amp;width=500" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="500"></iframe><div><strong>CABINET POST?</strong></div><p>In the TV Patrol interview, Robredo clarified that she will not ask presumptive president Rodrigo Duterte for any position in the Cabinet.</p><p>Duterte&#x27;s camp earlier said the winning vice presidential candidate may choose any <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/halalan2016/nation/05/13/16/vp-can-get-choice-cabinet-position-duterte-spokesman">Cabinet post</a> he or she wants.</p><p>Robredo said it is still Duterte&#x27;s choice whether to give her a Cabinet portfolio.</p><p>But if she were to be given a choice, Robredo said she will choose the one that handles the anti-poverty programs of the government.</p><p>She noted that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) oversees the biggest anti-poverty program of the government.</p><p>&quot;Ito naman kasi ang expertise ko mula noon, mula pa noong abogado ako [simula] 1999, ito na ang trabaho ko, nakikipagtulungan ako sa marginalized.&quot;</p><p>Robredo is a human rights lawyer, whose advocacies include zero hunger, inclusive growth, and gender equality.</p>

Leni on VP win: Napakaimposible pero nangyari

Leni on VP win: Napakaimposible pero nangyari

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Leni on VP win: Napakaimposible pero nangyari

Pia Regalado,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 27, 2016 11:41 PM PHT

|

Updated May 28, 2016 12:58 PM PHT

Read More:

leni robredo

congress

halalan2016

vice president

elections

bongbong marcos

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