Gilbert Remulla: Out of media and into politics

As a broadcast journalist who has covered the political beat for years, Gilbert Remulla has been around enough to sniff the stink of government a mile away. He knows how to sift the chaff from the grain in politics, singling out the corrupt politicians from the decent ones. Yes, he’s been around, and his two years covering Congress has been a crash course on Philippine politics, making him wiser in the ways of government than any student of political science can be.

The irony of it all is that after the 30-year-old descendant of the Remulla Cavite clan has been government watchdog through media, he is joining the very institution he has cast a critical eye on for years. Yes, Gilbert is joining his Dad Juanito, former Cavite governor, and older brother Jonvic, Cavite vice-governor in politics.

The ABS-CBN broadcast journalist has quit all his media posts, and turned his back on the Star Network’s plan to promote him to higher management level, because of politics. Come May, he will run as the youngest representative of the second district of Cavite (covering seven municipalities) in Congress. He is joining the ruling Partido Magdalo party.

Although he finished Broadcast Communication from the University of the Philippines, Gilbert always had politics as an option. First, it’s in the blood. Although he and his older siblings (Gilbert is the youngest of seven children) grew up, not in Cavite, but in Makati (the better to shield them from the ugly side of politics), Gilbert kept himself abreast with political news.

He can’t help it. Aside from Congress, Gilbert covered Malacañang, the Senate, and the Defense beats. He took up a masters degree in International Affairs at Columbia University, New York, with emphasis on International Media and Communication/East Asian Political Affairs.

He loved covering stories for The World Tonight and was part of Balitang K for two years. He was one of the privileged few who has undergone training in CNN Atlanta’s International Professional Program. Gilbert’s present work on the early morning daily program Ala Singko y Medya has also sharpened his nose for current events. And yes, politics.

He is also used to danger, having covered the Ozone Disco tragedy and the devastating earthquake that shook the country years back.

Gilbert knows danger is part of the new field he is entering, and shrugs off the possibility of walking around in bodyguards when elected into office. That though, is just one of the adjustments he has to make if he does make the transition from journalist to politician. But he comes prepared to do battle with such societal pests like drug pushers (still a big problem in Cavite), and push for economic programs that will keep the young away from vices like drugs.

"I will bat for entrepreneurship and information technology," this ABS-CBNNews.com manager promises. Fired with the idealism and energy of youth, Gilbert realizes he will make mistakes, like all of us do, but learn from them with the zeal of an eager beaver ready to do his job.

There will be his media friends, and the electric energy of the newsroom to miss, but there’s a totally different, novel challenging awaiting Gilbert in politics.

"From being the middle man in public service, I will now be its direct source," Gilbert describes the new job he is getting into. He is joining it with eyes wide open, armed with tips from Dad (Gilbert’s campaign manager) and Kuya, his work as journalist covering the political beat, a huge dose of idealism and energy.

From being a mere transient in Cavite, Gilbert now goes there everyday (he has to check on his six-month pregnant wife in Makati) to get the feel and the pulse of the place and its people. The young Remulla is a wide-eyed student all over again, eager to learn new lessons, ogling around his new world, confident he can grasp and understand its every nook and cranny fast enough for Caviteños to benefit from.