No politics for daughters for now —Robredo

Vice President Leni Robredo does not want her three daughters to run for public office, at least for now.

Robredo, in an interview with lawyer Mel Sta. Maria, said that while she has embraced the risks of being an elected official, she does not want her daughters to experience the same for the moment.

The Vice President has three daughters with her late husband, former Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo: Aika, Tricia and Jillian.

Aika has earned her Management Engineering degree at Ateneo de Manila University in 2008 and completed her mid-career Master’s studies in Public Administration as an Edward S. Mason Fellow at the Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Governance last May.

Tricia is in medical school at  Ateneo, where she also earned her undergraduate degree. The youngest Jillian is in New York, studying Biomolecular Science course in New York University.

“Gaya noong panganay ko, …maraming nagyaya na kumandidato this [2019] elections, talagang ayaw. Talagang ayaw niya, na mabuti naman. Kasi iyong sa akin...may kumausap kasi sa akin na seryoso na gustong i-draft iyong anak ko. Sabi ko, kapag ako pala, handa akong mag-take ng risk. Pero kapag anak mo na pala, parang gusto mo i-protect,” Robredo said.

Robredo said that Aika is doing consultancy work for organizations involved in anti-poverty, disaster relief and rehabilitation initiatives.  She said she does not want to restrict the career options of Aika as well as her two other daughters.

“Ako, noong kinakausap ako, sinasabi sa akin kung bakit dapat iyong anak ko iyong kumandidato, iniisip ko na, sabihin na natin na kumandidato siya ngayon, sabihin pa nating manalo siya, sabihin pa nating manalo siya ng three terms. Thirty [years old] siya ngayon, matatapos siya 39 [years old], anong gagawin niya after… after mag-39 siya? Matagal na siyang nagwo-work, climbing up her own ladder of success, tapos papupuntahin mo sa pulitika? Sumasagi sa isip ko na hindi rin mabuti na masyadong maaga na pinapapasok sa pulitika kasi parang kino-close mo na iyong lahat na options sa anak mo,” Robredo said.

“Saka ayaw ko iyong kaya ka tumatagal sa pulitika kasi wala ka nang mapupuntahan. Para sa akin, unfair iyon para sa bata. Hindi ko naman siya haharangan na pumasok na pulitika, pero kapag kaya na niya. Kapag hindi na niya ako kailangan [para manalo],” Robredo added. —Llanesca Panti/ LDF, GMA News