Leni: I can beat Bongbong, Chiz

BATANGAS CITY, Philippines – Liberal Party (LP) vice presidential candidate and Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo is optimistic that she can beat survey frontrunners Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Sen. Francis Escudero in the elections in light of improving numbers in pre-election polls.

Robredo said she is happy with the recent survey results showing that she is preferred by about 20 percent of respondents, a jump from the single digits she got after she announced her bid for the vice presidency.

“When I started, I was at three percent while the frontrunner, I think, got 40 percent plus… This is now more attainable and we are hopeful and more inspired to work harder,” she told reporters at a campaign sortie here.

When asked if she thinks she can beat Marcos and Escudero, Robredo said: “I hope. That is the main target, right? Of course. If not, I wouldn’t join the race, right?”
She added that she cannot settle for second place. “Of course, our main target is to reach the top spot.”

A nationwide survey conducted by pollster Junie Laylo showed Escudero leading the vice presidential race with 30 percent. Marcos ranked second with 24 percent followed by Robredo with 20 percent.

Sen. Alan Cayetano was picked by 11 percent of the respondents while Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Sen. Gregorio Honasan got seven percent and four percent, respectively. The Laylo survey was conducted from Feb. 24 to March 1 and had 3,000 respondents.

Robredo, meanwhile, ranked second in the nationwide Pulse Asia survey conducted from Feb. 16 to 27. She was selected by 18 percent of the 5,200 respondents, behind Escudero and Marcos who were tied with 26 percent each.  

Robredo was followed by Cayetano with 13 percent while Honasan got six percent. Trillanes was the least preferred vice presidential bet with five percent.

“I am comfortable where I am right now. But, of course, the target is (to be) at the top spot. That’s all there is to this. I should win,” Robredo said. 

Robredo attributed the improvement in her numbers to the campaign sorties of the LP-led administration coalition.

“I was given the opportunity to introduce myself. There are still a lot of places that I haven’t visited,” the vice presidential candidate said.

“My problem really is time. Even if I work hard, I only have 24 hours a day and one body. I was able to multiply myself because my daughters are active in the sorties,” she added.

The same Pulse Asia survey also showed Sen. Grace Poe as the frontrunner among presidential candidates with 26 percent, followed by Vice President Jejomar Binay with 24 percent and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte with 22 percent.

Robredo’s running mate, Liberal Party standard-bearer Manuel Roxas II, ranked fourth with 19 percent while Sen. Miriam Santiago got three percent.

Roxas remains upbeat about his chances despite his stagnant survey numbers.

“What is important is we are rising steadily,” he said.