Who was overall winner of VP debate? Netizens choose Robredo

MANILA, Philippines – Administration candidate Leni Robredo broke Senator Alan Peter Cayetano’s winning streak in the Rappler online polls, as netizens voted her the overall winner of the vice presidential debate on Sunday, April 10.

The Camarines Sur Representative got 41.58% of the total votes in the online poll, ahead of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, who obtained 36.25%.

Cayetano had earlier topped the previous rounds of the Rappler poll.

Rappler editors pointed to the candidates’ closing statements as the possible reason for the difference between the overall winner and the per-round winner of the debate. In each of the rounds, Robredo consistently placed second to Cayetano who dominated the debate.

They surmised that for the last question, “Who do you think won the PiliPinas 2016 Vice Presidential Debate?” netizens may have been swayed by Robredo’s closing statement:

“Sa aking pag-iikot sa buong bansa, nagiging maliwanag na sa akin ang dahilan kung bakit ako nandito ngayon. Pakiramdam ko, buong buhay ko ay paghahanda. Iyong simpleng pamumuhay, iyong unos at kahirapan na pinagdaanan naming pamilya. Iyong aking matagal na panunungkulan sa mga nasa laylayan ng lipunan. Kapag binabalikan ko ang kuwento at mukha ng aking mga nakakasalamuha, sinasabi ko po sa sarili ko, ‘Excited na akong manalo!” Hindi para sa sarili ko, pero para sa ating mga kababayan na umaasa na mayroong mamumuno sa kanila na hinding-hindi sila papabayaan. 

Noong una po akong tumatakbo, halos wala po sa aking nakakakilala. Sa lahat po yata sa amin, pang-huli ako. Ngayon, hindi na ganoon ang kuwento. Malapit na, abot-kamay na ang tagumpay. Isa po akong ina, at hindi ko po papabayaan ang aking mga anak, hindi ko po papabayaan ang bayan. Naniniwala po ako sa dulo ng lahat, ang tama ang parating nananaig. Sa amin pong anim, may the best woman win!”

(In my travels around the country, the reason for my being here today has become clearer to me. I feel that my whole life has been a preparation. The simple life, the challenges and difficulties that my family went through. My long years of service to those at the fringes of society. Whenever I review the story and faces of those who I’ve met, I tell myself, “I’m excited to win!” Not for myself but for our countrymen who hope for a leader who will not abandon them.

When I first ran, almost no one knew me. Among all of us, I was last. Now, the story is different. It is close, success is at hand. I am a mother and I will never abandon my children, I will not abandon the country. I believe that in the end, what is right will always prevail. Among the 6 of us, may the best woman win!)

Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr came in at 3rd place with 18.21%, followed by Senator Francis Escudero with 3.26%, and Senators Gringo Honasan and Antonio Trillanes IV who got 0.34% each.

Cayetano swept the previous 7 rounds of the Rappler online polls, nearly mirroring the performance of his presidential candidate, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. In the last two presidential debates, Duterte was also the consistent winner among netizens. 

Check out real-time updates on Rappler’s live blog for the PiliPinas 2016 Vice Presidential Debate. – Rappler.com