Face to face with GMA

One Saturday, a few weeks ago, I had the rare privilege of interviewing the President of the Republic, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, on the ABS-CBN News Channel and hot young star Cogie Domingo.

Ces Drilon, people from various sectors and I discussed with the President concerns on the economy, Mindanao, OFWs, the SONA. The President even talked about the imbroglio that her husband was involved in.

It’s always a joy to talk to the President. She doesn’t hedge as much anymore. She’s a straight talker and I think she has become a lot better insofar as her TV interviews are concerned.

Right after talking to the President, Kris and I interviewed cool dude Cogie Domingo. Like the President, Cogie was in the eye of the storm. The night before, he got into trouble because he was suspected to be courting pretty little thing Anne Cutris – special girl of gorgeous young man, Oyo Boy Sotto.

But unlike the political opposition, Cogie was reconciliatory. He said that he was willing to talk things out with Oyo and his cousin Miko. He also said that he understood why his friends acted the way they did the night before.

The President and Cogie are charismatic personalities.

I like both of them. I don’t mean to trivialize one at the expense of the other.

Straight Beltran

Cito Beltran is a straight talker. His daily show on the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) is called just that – Straight Talk. I was his guest a couple of weeks ago and I enjoyed the straight, risqué talk.

Cito is a natural. He is fluid and fluent. He is straight and I had a ball. Mang Louie (Beltran) must be smiling at his son for a journey boldly traveled. Looking forward to talking to you again, Cito!

Kindred creatures

Politicians and movie stars are kindred creatures. They may not like each other but they are so much alike. Both are relentlessly maligned. Politicians have more money but movie stars are more beautiful. That’s why during elections, they meld because money attracts beauty and beauty attracts money.

Some movie stars get into politics for reasons only they know, while politicians make movies out of their life stories so that they become more famous. Bono of U2 puts it succinctly. He says that both movie stars and politicians have a sense of occasion and both know that they have temporary audiences.

And I say that both practice selective truth telling!

Thank you, Manay Ichu

I shall forever be ingratiated to Manay Ichu Maceda for giving Nanay and me a chance to listen to the President’s SONA at the Batasang Pambansa. It was not easy getting seats. Manay Ichu guarded our seats like a ferocious hawk at the hall that was filled to the rafters.

It was neither as easy to convince Nanay, an ERAP diehard. But there we were, Nanay, Manay and I listening intently to the President. I would look at Nanay surreptitiously once in a while.

In the beginning of the SONA, she was smirking at GMA. She probably thought that she was responsible for the misfortune of the beleaguered former President. And the address went on interrupted by 87 applauses, 40 of which Nanay was part of Nanay nodded in approval when the three boys were brought onstage and the Bangkang Papel story was told. Nanay liked it. At the end of the speech, she whispered to me, "I think we have to give the President a chance to lead the country." I smiled, happy that Nanay has softened on GMA.

As we were leaving the Batasan, Na-nay was seemingly bothered, as if she had left something behind in the Batasan Hall. By the time we were in front of the Veteran’s Memorial Hospital, she looked at me straight in the eye and said, "Boy, can we drop by Veteran’s to visit Erap?"

With all the love I could muster, I declared, "No, Nanay. We’re going home."

Superb movie

I loved Moulin Rouge. Nicole Kidman was superb. Ewan McGregor was deliciously brilliant. If you have the chance to catch the movie, watch it with someone you love. I assure you, your love will blossom.

Some unforgettable lines form the movie" "We are creatures of the underworld, we cannot afford to fall in love"; "the best thing you can learn in life is to love and be loved in return"’ "do not fall in love with a woman who sells her body."

In the darkness, I wept and laughed like a true blue geisha.