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Robredo on US trip during 'Nina': Unfortunate, bad timing

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Kat Domingo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://scontent-hkg3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15780806_10211626111072618_3174191070936523997_n.jpg?oh=06414c2b45d6e96559f056378165ad2b&amp;oe=591DA289"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Vice President Leni Robredo meets the residents of typhoon-hit area Brgy. May-Ogob Ocampo in Camarines Sur.<em> Photo by Jessa Mylce Mella, ABS-CBN News</em></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - Vice President Leni Robredo admitted Tuesday that she felt bad and found it &quot;unfortunate&quot; that she was in the United States when Typhoon Nina (international name: Nock-Ten) ravaged several parts of the country, including her hometown Naga, on Christmas day.</p><p>&quot;Andun ako (sa US) na ang sama sa loob na may nangyayari dito na wala ako...masama yung timing ngayon. Masama yung loob ko na nangyari yun na wala ako,&quot; she said, as she met with victims of the typhoon in Naga City.</p><p>(I felt really bad while I was there and something was happening here. The timing was bad. I feel bad that I was not there (in Bicol) when it (Typhoon Nina) happened.)</p><p>Robredo earlier drew flak from several supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte for &quot;vacationing&quot; during a calamity.</p><p>But Robredo said their family decided to cut short their trip and return to Manila, but found it hard to book return tickets as December was peak season.</p><p>&quot;Dapat sa (January) 4 pa yung pabalik namin. Yung earliest (flight) na nakuha namin New Year&#x27;s Eve kaya New Years&#x27;s eve kami nagbiyahe,&quot; Robredo said.</p><p>(We were supposed to return on January 4. The earliest return flight we got was on New Year&#x27;s Eve so we only flew back home on that date.)</p><p>&quot;Napakahirap maghanap ng limang tickets kasi kasama ko yung tatlo kong anak at nanay ko na 80 years old,&quot; she added.</p><p>(It was hard to look for and book five tickets. I was with my three daughters and my 80-year-old grandmother.)</p><div><strong>BAD TIMING</strong></div><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/nation/01/3/010317_leni2.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">Vice President Leni Robredo meets the residents of typhoon-hit area Brgy. May-Ogob Ocampo in Camarines Sur. <em>Photo by Jessa Mylce Mella, ABS-CBN News</em></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>The vice president said her physical absence from relief operations during the height of the Christmas typhoon was just a case of &quot;bad timing.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Na timing lang talaga. Masama yung timing ngayon,&quot; Robredo said.</p><p>(It was just a case of bad timing.)</p><p>&quot;Siguro naman kahit sinong constituents ko dito matatanong lahat na bagyo wala ako ditong absent except now,&quot; she said.</p><p>(If you ask any of my constituents in Bicol, they&#x27;ll tell you that I was never absent during typhoons, except now.)</p><p>Though the Office of the Vice President <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/26/16/robredo-helps-in-nina-relief-from-us"><strong>announced</strong></a> that Robredo helped in &quot;coordinating relief from the US,&quot; the Filipina leader admitted that it was not enough.</p><p>&quot;Paglapag ko lang sa US nung pumunta ako, inareglo ko na kaagad yung relief operations... Pero iba din kasi kung ako mismo yung andito,&quot; Robredo said.</p><p>(I arranged relief operations as soon as I landed in the US... But it&#x27;s still different if I was actually in Bicol then.)</p><div><strong>-- With reports from Jessa Mylce Mella, ABS-CBN News</strong></div>

<p>Vice President Leni Robredo admitted Tuesday that she felt bad and found it "unfortunate" that she was in the United States when Typhoon Nina (international name: Nock-Ten) ravaged several parts of the country, including her hometown Naga, on Christmas day.</p>

Vice President Leni Robredo admitted Tuesday that she felt bad and found it "unfortunate" that she was in the United States when Typhoon Nina (international name: Nock-Ten) ravaged several parts of the country, including her hometown Naga, on Christmas day.

Robredo on US trip during 'Nina': Unfortunate, bad timing

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Robredo on US trip during 'Nina': Unfortunate, bad timing

Kat Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 03, 2017 12:44 PM PHT

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Updated January 03, 2017 02:18 PM PHT

Read More:

Leni Robredo

Typhoon Nina

Rodrigo Duterte

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