MANILA — Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday disclosed her family's rule that only one of them could be active in politics.

Robredo, a presidential contender in next year's elections, said in her hometown Naga City, "Number one, walang vote buying. Number two, walang political dynasty."

(First of all, there is no vote buying. Second, there is no political dynasty.)

The Vice President said when her late husband Jesse was still alive, some of his allies wanted her to succeed him as mayor.

"Para sa akin nakakahiya 'yon. Nakakahiya 'yon, hindi natin ‘yon gagawin," she said in a speech at the Saint Louis School in Baguio City.

(For me that is embarrassing. That is embarrassing, we will not do that.)

Robredo entered politics in 2013 as Congress representative of Camarines Sur's third district, less than a year after the death of her husband in a plane crash.

She said for years now, some allies have been urging her eldest daughter Aika to run for mayor or any other post.

"Ang policy namin, hanggang nakaupo pa ako sa gobyerno, walang [ibang] puwedeng kumandidato sa amin," Robredo said.

(Our policy is while I am still in government, no one else can be a candidate.)

The mother-of-three said she tells her daughters, "Hindi naman siguro imposible na mapasok kayo sa pulitika eventually, although I would vote na huwag... Pero sinasabi ko kung papasok ka, number 1, dapat wala na ako sa pulitika."

"Number 2, hindi mo mamanahin, kailangan umuwi ka doon at pagtrabahuhan mo," she added.

(Perhaps it is not impossible for you to eventually enter politics, although I would vote that you don't. But I tell them, if you will join, I should no longer be in politics. Number 2, you will not inherit it, you should go home and work for it.)

Aika has a Master's degree from the Harvard University. Her sister Tricia is a doctor and COVID-19 frontliner, while Robredo's youngest daughter Jillian is pursuing her college degree at New York University with a full scholarship.

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"Sa iba[ng pamilya], parang napakaordinaryo lang, napakaordinaryo lang na pagtapos nito, ito na," said Robredo.

(For other families, it seems so ordinary, that when one member completes his term, another replaces them.)

"Kaya ko siya kinukuwento, not to judge other people, pero sinasabi ko lang ito in the context na ‘pag mas involved ang mga tao, kahit iyong mga nakaupo...mas maingat, parang walang entitlement sa posisyon," she continued.

(I brought this up, not to judge other people, but I am only saying it in the context that when people are more involved, those who are sitting are more careful, they do not feel any entitlement to the position.)

Robredo in the same speech courted support for a push to form People's Councils, which she said could serve as a "parallel" to city councils and a "voice of the ordinary" citizens.

Robredo's rivals for the presidency include former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. He and his running-mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio hail from two of the country's most influential political clans.

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