Vice President Leni Robredo has replied to critics questioning her statement that she visited Marawi in 2016 even before the bloody siege took place.

Robredo said through her social media page that Marawi is among the areas covered by their Angat Buhay program.

"Lanao del Sur was the poorest province at that time. 2016 pa lang, we already decided to adopt Marawi as one of our Angat Buhay priority areas," said the vice president.

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"We decided to take it even further by launching Angat Buhay in Lanao del Sur to include 16 other towns. Yung leg work to make this happen started in 2016."

Robredo reacted to critics who made fun of her statement during the Presidential One-on-One interview with Boy Abunda wherein the vice president stated she has been working in Marawi since 2016.

Robredo said her team's work in Marawi continued even during and after the siege.

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"We formally launched it in Marawi on March 21, 2017. Yes po. Even before the siege broke out on May 23, 2017. A few days after that, we already sent a permanent team there to do relief operations. Partner namin Xavier University. Ilang beses ako pumunta while the siege was ongoing para asikasuhin mga nasa evacuation centers," she narrated.

"Pagkatapos ng siege, nagpagawa tayo ng Angat Buhay Village sa Bgy Sagongsongan, inasikaso livelihood nila, nagpatayo ng classrooms, nag roll out ng marami pang ibang projects."

Robredo said the quality of life in Lanao del Sur has now improved.

It has been removed from the list of poorest provinces and now belongs to the least poor province category of the 2021 Philippine statistics data.

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"Today, I am happy to note that a lot of good things are already happening in the province. Hindi na po siya poorest ngayon. Marami pa din kming ongoing partnerships doon until now," said the vice president.