Robredo takes oath as Duterte's housing czar

Vice President Leni Robredo took her oath as the new chief of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) on Tuesday. 

The oath was administered by President Rodrigo Duterte at Malacañang Palace. 

It was witnessed by Robredo's three daughters, Aika, Tricia, and Jillian. 

LOOK: VP @lenirobredo takes her oath as chair of the Housing and Urban Dev't Coordinating Council. {????: Robredo camp} pic.twitter.com/3A4DD863k6

— R-A. Dioquino (@AicaDioquino) July 12, 2016

The ceremony took place prior to a Cabinet meeting scheduled after the release of the Permanent Court of Arbitration's ruling on the case the Philippines filed against China. 

Per vice presidential spokesperson Georgina Hernandez, Robredo would also join the said meeting. 

Hernandez said the vice president is due to meet with her team on the agency's matters this week. 

Robredo had said she is eyeing to clear the HUDCC's backlog of 1.4 houses needed, including those for disaster survivors and illegal settlers. 

Six years to the day

Robredo's oath-taking took place six years to the day that her late husband, Jesse, was sworn in as Interior secretary to President Benigno Aquino III, according to a post from her youngest daughter, Jillian. 

July 12, 2010 & July 12, 2016 ???? pic.twitter.com/UN2TRbUqvq

— Jillian Robredo (@jillrobredo) July 12, 2016

Duterte offered the HUDCC post to Robredo last July 7, via a phone call in the middle of a pre-recorded press briefing. 

The vice president had noted that her husband was offered the DILG post that same date six years ago. 

She also said it was easy to accept the appointment because housing was Jesse's advocacy as a long-time government official, and hers as well, dating back to her days as a public service lawyer. —JST, GMA News