MANILA—Vice President Leni Robredo's daughters on Wednesday said they initially did not want their mother to run for president, but knew she was the best person for the job.

"Naintindihan din namin na Pilipino kami, tapos para sa amin 'yung objective choice [for the presidency] talaga is si mama," Tricia Robredo, the vice president's second daughter, told Boy Abunda for the latest episode of his interviews with families of presidential candidates.

(We are Filipinos, and for us the objective choice for the presidency is our mom.)

Tricia said that they were very protective and sentimental of their mother, but knew why she had to do it.

"Sa akin, logically, it made sense na tumakbo s'ya . . . Naintindihan namin in our head kung bakit kailangan n'ya gawin, but we're very sentimental and we're very protective of mama."

(It made sense for her to run. We understood why she had to do it. But we're very sentimental and protective of her.)

They revealed they were not directly consulted by their mother in deciding whether or not she will run for the country's top position, but knew from her updates the direction she was going.

"Without having to tell us, alam namin an doon na patungo (we knew that was where she was headed)," Aika, Robredo's eldest, said.

A MOTHER'S QUIET STRENGTH

To Aika, their mother embodies quiet strength, which she witnessed in the past 6 years of Robredo being thrown insults by critics.

"I think it takes a lot of strength to restrain yourself . . . To choose your battles and kailangan kalmado ka sa gitna ng storm (to stay calm amid a storm). And it's that quiet strength that helped our family go through all the things we did."

The sisters shared their concerns over their mother's health, seeing her put the interests of others ahead of her own, missing meals to do her duties.

Tricia and Aika said they frequently ask their mother to stop between campaign activities to eat, which Robredo refuses.

Aika said "matigas ang ulo n'ya (she's stubborn)," thinking of the welfare of supporters who wait for her instead.

"Natatakot kami, pero alam namin na hindi namin s'ya mapipigilan," added Tricia.

(We're concerned, but we also know we won't be able to stop her.

A REGULAR MOM

Robredo, like other moms, also uses the "silent treatment" on her daughters as a warning, Aika and Tricia said.

"'Pag tumahimik s'ya, alam mong may mali. Malulungkot ka at matatakot ka rin, 'Anong ginawa ko kaya?'" said Tricia.

(When she ebcomes quiet, you know something's wrong. We get sad or scared, thinking what we might have done wrong.)

Robredo was also very strict with her children, and made sure they finish their extra-curricular activities before they are allowed to play.

In the early months of the pandemic, Robredo also became a "plantita," asking her daughters to look after her plants when she was away.

She would even leave specific instructions on how to care for her plants, said Aika, "'Yung mga tanim ko, dapat pagbalik ko, OK pa sila."

(When I come back my plants should still be okay.)

But despite full schedules and the heavy burden of her duties, Robredo's daughters never felt like she was an absent mom.

"I never felt I had to compete for her attention. Kung may swimming competition ako andoon s'ya. Kung may math competition si ate at si Jillian andoon s'ya," Tricia said.

(She was always there in my swimming competitions, and in my sisters' math competitions.)

Robredo would let them cry when they had problems. She did not sleep and sat with Tricia until she fell asleep first after crying over her first heartbreak.

To de-stress, Aika said that their mother likes to watch vlogs on YouTube.

Previously, Robredo shared that her family life was "very ordinary," with everyone in their home doing chores of their own.

DAUGHTERS OF THEIR PARENTS

Robredo's daughters want to be known as more than the children of their parents.

Tricia introduces herself at work as "Dr. Tricia" instead of using her surname.

"So whatever they say about my work, it's because that's the kind of work I put out, not because of my name," she said.

"I am much more than the daughter of my parents. I'm thankful for the parents that I have, but on the side I'm still a doctor, on the side, nagsusulat ako about the people I interact with (I write about the people I interact with)," she added.

They are also conscious of the double standard that comes with their identity.

"Kung pumalpak ka sasabihin, 'Ano ba naman ’tong anak ni ganito, anak na nga sila, tapos pumalpak.' Pero ’pag nag-excel ka, sasabihin, 'Ah kaya magaling, kasi [anak]," Aika said.

(If you fail they will criticize you because you're the daughter of Jesse and Leni Robredo, but when you excel, they pass it off a given because we're their daughters.)

But they pay little mind to insults thrown at them by haters.

"Kung masyado kami magpapa-apekto, whether praise or criticism, kami din ’yung lugi. So 'yun ang paalala lagi sa amin ni mama na ang mapikon, lugi. Ang importante lang talaga yung totoo," said Tricia.

(If we let ourselves get affected, it's our loss. Mama always reminds us that. What's important is what's true about us.)

But it's their mother's message of 'radical love' that keeps them from getting affected.

"Tao din kami, may oras na napipikon din kami, lalo pag unfair na 'yung tinatapon sa kanya. At the end of the day, bigger goal lang in mind," Tricia said.

(We're humans and we also get upset, especially when the insults are below the belt. We just keep the bigger goal in mind.)

"Wala tayong mararating kung tatawagin natin 'yung hindi pareho ng pananaw sa atin na bobo, or meron tayong moral ascendancy or superiority over people, for me if you want to win them over that's not how you do it," she added.

(It's unproductive to call those who disagree with us "stupid", or hold some moral ascendancy or superiority over them. If we want to win them over, that's now how you do it.)

• READ: Robredo says sometimes 'bothered' by rude comments vs daughters

Growing up, Aika and Tricia remembered a household filled with love.

Their father, former DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo was very vocal about his affection to his daughters and his wife.

But they also learned from their parents that love should not be measured, and should be ruled by trust.

They witnessed how their mother understood the duty that their father needed and wanted to fulfill when he took the appointment in 2010.

This same love lost helps Aika put into perspective every hardship she encounters.

"Every time I go through something difficult [I ask myself]: Is this harder than nu’ng nawala si papa (when papa passed away)? And the answer is always no."

During this time, Tricia, then studying medicine, was ready to stop her education.

Their mother also set limits then for what they can afford for their youngest Jillian's education.

But they know that whatever distinction they enjoy now as the family of the second-in-command of the country is temporary.

Aika and Tricia haven't even thought about the possibility of moving into Malacañang, despite the elections around the corner.

"The positions my parents have held the past years, we see them as temporary. In our head, parating, pagkatapos ng term na 'to, tapos na, balik tayo sa kung ano man (it's always, after this term, we go back to our previous lives)," said Aika.

Robredo earlier said that it will be easy for her to go back to her job as a lawyer, and that it is their family's policy to only have one of them could be active in politics at a time.

• READ: Robredo says in her family, only one can be in politics at a time

Their mother never saw herself as a hero who will save everyone, said Aika, but it's what she inspires in people that sets her apart.

Robredo's rallies which have gathered thousands of supporters have been largely thrust by supporters.

• READ: From Cory to Leni: Can another people’s campaign trump Marcos revival?

When asked what hashtag they would give their mother: #LENIwanagsadilim.

"'Yung iniinspire n'ya kasi sa mga tao, 'yun ang collectively nagbibigay liwanag eh. 'Yun ang nagbibigay ng pag-asa na things can be better. Na you empower people to also act."

(What she inspires in people is the lights she shines that there's hope that things will get better. Because she empowers other people to act.)