The prime of Goma

Richard "Goma" Gomez has the eyes of a man in love. No, not the romantic kind, but the long and lasting variety. The one a happy man feels for his wife and child.

The girls still gravitate towards those soulful eyes and well-built body. But one look at Lucy, his wife of five years, and Richard shakes his head.

"She’s sexy, beautiful. She’s just as tops in the attitude department. She is God-fearing, a good conversationalist," Richard says, sounding like a man on his honeymoon.

Two-and-a-half-year-old Juliana, a cross between her parents, completes the picture-perfect setting.

But Richard admits he fears that the bubble may burst this early for his daughter, whom people recognize the minute she enters the mall. A commercial model herself, Juliana gets her fair share of celebrity when Richard and Lucy take her out to play.

"People call out her name, and Juliana herself must be wondering why strangers know her all at once," Richard observes. "That," the concerned father continues, "is tantamount to taking away a semblance of normalcy in her young life. She just can’t head straight to the carousel to play."

But he admits he can’t do anything if his daughter enters showbiz someday.

"I won’t stop her. Besides, I’m so grateful to this industry," he reasons out.

The industry continues to spring pleasant surprises for him, years after he first set foot on it as a lanky Douglas Quijano discovery.

Five movie team-ups with former girlfriend Sharon Cuneta later, Richard’s chemistry with her has not diminished one bit. Viva Films is even reviving it in Walang Kapalit, where the two are cast as a married couple on the verge of annulment.

"He’s like an old shoe you’re so comfortable in," Sharon explains the unmistakable magic between them, never mind if they’re both married to different people.

The rapport, she goes on, is something she doesn’t always have with any leading man. Maybe because, years after they parted amicably, Sharon and Richard have remained friends.

There may have been some awkwardness during their first few days on the set, but it soon vanished once they got used to each other’s presence.

After all, there’s no bad blood between them. And they are happy for each other.

Richard doesn’t hide the fact that he wants to have another baby with Lucy after Juliana. Sharon is resting after a few months to concentrate on her family with Sen. Francis Pangilinan, and hopefully, have a post-Frankie baby.

Five years into his marriage, Richard has grown, not just as an actor, but as a budding politician. A few years after his party list, Mamamayan Laban sa Droga (MAD) joined the political fray (it failed to win a congressional seat, protests notwithstanding), people have sent him feelers to try running for senator. But Richard has said he’ll do so only if a party will back him up.

"Politics gives you the mandate to say and do things. That is what I like about it," he points out, fueling speculations that yes, he will seek public office again.

But Richard is firmly noncommittal. "I’m taking things one day at a time. I don’t want to spend my own money for campaign purposes. It costs a lot."

Few people know that Richard’s estranged parents have long offered to petition for him in the US. But Richard simply said, "No, thanks. I want to remain a Filipino." When his concerned parents asked why, he answered, "I still have hope in the Philippines. I have not grown disillusioned about our country."

Richard could still change his mind, since his parents can still petition for him, but he stands firm on his decision. He is in the Philippines to stay, even as he says in the same breath that "corruption is widespread in government."

One of the causes he plans to pursue again, given the chance, is the anti-drug campaign he started under MAD, with "special focus on sports and education."

This, he considers his reason for being as a public servant, if ever he re-enters politics.

The disappointing turnout of the MAD campaign notwithstanding, Richard still has every reason to stay. His new-found career as TV host (S-Files) has given his outspoken side another means of expression.

Richard knows his being vocal has drawn a lot of flak. But he’d like to look at it as a way of getting ahead.

"The network (GMA 7) would not have given me the hosting job if I were not known for being vocal about my opinion and up front about what I think. Chances are, they would have given the job to someone else instead," he explains.

He loves drawing out opinions from his guests, forming impressions about them, and expressing them outright. Richard insists every word he says as TV host is spontaneous. He doesn’t for one minute censor himself.

"Everything I say is predetermined. We know all the issues involved. I myself research on the topic or person I will interview before the show. The researchers also give me information I need. I base my opinion on these," he says.

Richard dreams of branching out to investigative broadcast journalism by hosting public service shows ala Emergency or Magandang Gabi, Bayan.

This, he says, will bring his hosting to "a more mature level." He is abuzz with topics to discuss.

"We can talk about so many things, like SARS and the bottled water phenomenon," he ticks off two topics he is raring talk about.

Yes, Richard Gomez has every reason to nix his parent’s offer to embrace US citizenship. He still has so many things to do, and so much time to do it.