The brave new world of Susan Roces

She arrived for the pictorial on the dot (very punctual!), her face ligthing up as she surveyed the (presidential?) suite specially reserved by the management of EDSA Shangri-La for the occasion.

"What a beautiful room!" Susan Roces said and excused herself to give her make-up a final touch.

After a few minutes, she emerged from the bathroom, dressed in cheongsam in a deliberate effort to promote her 2003 Metro Filmfest starrer, Regal Films’ Mano Po 2 (My Home), her first movie role in many years, (mis?)interpreted by some people as her indirect way of helping boost the political chances of her husband, FPJ, in the 2004 presidential elections (even if Susan accepted the role long before FPJ was rumored to be throwing his hat into the political ring).

Susan said she was ready to talk only about the movie, so no politics, please? On second thought, she added, it’s inevitable that she was asked about politics now that she and FPJ have decided to enter a brave and entirely new world more cruel and more relentless than showbiz.

Three days before the pictorial, Susan was shown on national television shedding tears at the Manila Hotel where FPJ declared his intention to run for President and even in tears, she projected "The Face That Refreshes" which was how the late star-maker Dr. Jose R. "Doc" Perez of Sampaguita Pictures described her.

The first part of our Conversation was devoted to Mano Po 2 and the second, about the "inevitable topic" of politics.

"I don’t really want to talk about politics just yet," said Susan who is embarrassed at being referred to, even if jokingly, as "The future First Lady." "I don’t want to appear eager-beaver." You know, feeling as if...

Is Mano Po 2 (My Home) your first filmfest movie?

"No. The first, also by Regal, was One Plus One Equals 12, with Eddie (Gutierrez) as my leading man."

You will be at the Parade of Stars (on Dec. 24, which ushers in the 10-day Metro Filmfest), of course.

"I might be."

You’ll be the center of attraction, especially after FPJ’s announcement of his candidacy. I’m sure the fans will be chanting, "FPJ, FPJ, FPJ!"

"But there’ll be other stars in the parade, especially this year ang gaganda ng floats...Ang gaganda ng mga entry! Talagang pinaghandaan."

You look slim. Did you lose weight for the movie?

"It’s very convenient. For the longest time before I started work on this movie, nagda-diet ako. But it didn’t work. I exercised at home and at the gym but it didn’t work. Ang sikreto lang pala, dapat ang mga kasama mo walang ganang kumain. All the other stars in the movie – Kris Aquino, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Lorna Tolentino, Alessandra de Rossi, Carmina Villarroel, etc. – are figure-conscious. Most of them are vegetarian. So, wala rin akong ganang kumain; wala akong kabarkada sa kain. I had no choice but to eat the way they did. But I can’t be a vegetarian; hindi ko kaya. We were also shooting continuously. We’d wake up very early in the morning to get ready for the day’s shoot and the pressure helped me lose weight."

Of all the offers, why did you accept Mano Po 2?

"Well, there were really not so many offers. But Mano Po 2 is something else; naiiba. When I saw Mano Po 1, I told myself, ‘I wish I were in it. The movie is good, ang ganda-ganda ng pelikula, and the stars look so happy; ang saya-saya nila.’ It’s like answered prayer, wish fulfilled. When I saw Mother Lily during a birthday dinner last April, she said, ‘Let’s do a movie!’ I said, ‘Why not?’ I didn’t have any second thought."

So you were the original choice for the role of the first wife (of Christopher de Leon as the patriarch of a wealthy Filipino-Chinese clan)?

"Yes. I read the sequence guide and I found all the roles interesting and challenging. I play the Filipina wife, a pure Filipina. I don’t think I can pass for the second wife, a pure Chinese."

But you have Chinese blood, don’t you?

Yes, on my father’s side. He belonged to the Locsin clan in Bacolod. Locsin was actually Sin Loc. Binaliktad lang. The Sin Locs came from Mainland China and they entered Iloilo through Jaro town. All the Locsins are related."

In the movie, the first wife is the friend of the second wife (Lorna Tolentino) and the third wife (Zsa Zsa Padilla taking the place of Dina Bonnevie who was dropped from the movie when she bumped heads with Lorna over the second-wife role). The second and third wives are at odds.

"That’s the interesting part of the movie. In the end, they become good friends. Actually, Kris and I play the first wife...Kris when the wife was younger."

It’s your first time to work with most of your co-stars...

"...With all of them. My only regret is that, except during the workshop, Kris and I didn’t have any scene together. Sayang. But we were able to bond during the workshop. Since we were playing the same character, the director (Erik Matti) wanted to see how we would interpret the character. Direk Matti and Butchie (Boots Plata) made Kris and me do the ‘mirror’ exercise. You know, ‘yung ginagawa ng isa, gagawin din n’ung isa. Kris and I had the same interpretation of the role."

How nice!

"I told them, ‘This is something new to me. During my time, we didn’t have any workshop.’ This is a big help to the actors. I found out that they are hesitant to make me do the workshop. Sabi daw ni Mother, ‘Kaya pa kaya niya umarte? Ang tagal-tagal niyang hindi gumawa ng pelikula.’ When I learned about it, I volunteered to join the workshop."

What was your last movie?

"Isinakdal Ko ang Aking Ina (based upon a DZRH radio serial). I was with Eddie (Gutierrez), Angelu (de Leon) and Wowie (de Guzman)."

It’s your first time to work with Zsa Zsa. How was the experience?

"Very pleasant! Same with Boyet (Christopher)."

But you’ve worked with Lorna when she was a child actress.

"But we never had any scenes together. Lorna always played the young Susan, just like in Divina Gracia. We did quite a few."

You carry your Sampaguita "upbringing" – you know, punctual... ready with your lines and make-up – when you get to the set. How was it working with the new breed of actors?

"I learned a lot from them (Judy Ann Santos, Richard Gutierrez, Chynna Ortaleza, etc.) I have several scenes with Cogie (Domingo) who plays my son. And also, with Judy Ann who plays my daughter. And Carmina, also my daughter. Between takes, we exchanged stories and views and that’s where I learned a lot from them, and maybe they also learned things from me."

So Mano Po 2 is your last movie for the meantime because you’ll be hitting the campaign trail with FPJ.

"Well, I don’t know for sure; I don’t like to think about it. It makes me feel sad because I really love doing movies."

I heard that the Champagne Room of the Manila Hotel where FPJ announced his candidacy is memorable to both of you...

"...Yes, you’re right. You know, when the announcement was being discussed, Ronnie and I planned to go to Pangasinan where Ronnie’s father came from...San Carlos. We wanted to pray at the Our Lady of Manaoag Church (in Dagupan City) before proceeding to San Carlos. Initially, Ronnie wanted to make the announcement in San Carlos. Gusto niya tahimik lang ‘yung announcement. But his friends who knew (the ins and outs of) politics told him, ‘People have been waiting for your announcement for so long, so you better do it with the media around.’ (Besides the local press, 41 members of various international media organizations covered the event. - RFL) So there were last-minute changes."

It turned out to be a good decision.

"The announcement was agreed upon only the night before. When we arrived at the Manila Hotel the next day, I kept asking, ‘Saan ba gagawin?’ They told me, ‘At the Champagne Room.’ Bigla akong nag-flashback. It was at the Champagne Room where I first met Ronnie sometime in 1964."

During a date?

"No. It was the birthday of Bobby (Vasquez). At that time, Bobby had gone freelancing (After a bitter parting with Sampaguita Pictures which filed a breach-of-contract case against Bobby. – RFL) and he had befriended actors from other studios, like Joseph (Estrada), Jess (Lapid) and Ronnie. Sila ang mga bisita ni Bobby. He asked my Mom to bring me along as his date, para naman daw maipagmalaki niyang taga-Sampaguita ang ka-date niya. That was where Ronnie and I were introduced, so the Champagne Room is memorable to us."

During past interviews, you said that you were not privy to Ronnie’s decision-making (especially concerning his political plans). When did he tell you that he was running?

"You know, Ronnie thought long and hard before making that decision. He consulted many people, including his relatives in the States when he visited his aunt Ruby, 80-plus, the only living sister of Ronnie’s mother (Bessie Kelley Poe). He also consulted his brothers who are now living there; he sought their opinions because kahit papano, all members of the family would be affected by his decision. Of course, the main concern of the family and those who love him is his well-being. Nagdadalawang-isip sila baka kung ano ang gawin sa kanya."

What do you think made him finally decide to run?

"I think what was foremost in his mind was, you know, oo nga naman, all these past years he dedicated himself to being an actor, sa hanapbuhay niya, sa pamilya niya – sa amin – so ngayon, iba naman ang nasa isip niya. He wants to do something for our country."

What was your reaction when FPJ told you that he’s running?

"Well, I wasn’t surprised. Hindi ako nabigla. I was kind of ‘conditioned’ already. Magkasama kami araw-araw so nakikita ko ang mga ginagawa niya. I knew that sooner or later, he would make that announcement."

You cried during that Manila Hotel event. Were those tears of joy, of relief, or were you hurting? What was the most hurting thing written or said about and/or against FPJ?

"First, we hardly slept the night before. We were tired. Ronnie and I appreciated the media effort to cover the event, despite the long wait. We were touched that they were all there despite the last-minute notice."

You were mum all along about FPJ’s plans. You even said that you didn’t like politics.

"I must say that up to now, I don’t want the kind of politics we’ve been used to. But when it comes to serving the country, dati pa at magpahanggang ngayon siguro hindi lang ako pero lahat tayong Filipino ‘yon ang ating goal – ang makapagsilbi sa bayan, in our own little way."

So why did you cry?

"Somehow, at that moment, nagkahalo-halo na. I thought of the bad things some people were saying about Ronnie, I thought of other things na nakakaiyak...Like the kid I read about in the papers that morning who was hit by a stray bullet while sleeping at home...the kid who was kidnapped...nagkahalo-halo na. I thought, ‘Oo nga, bakit papasukin namin itong magulo?’ But then, we just can’t say, ‘I don’t care!’ Besides that, I got hurt by the cruel things people have been saying against Ronnie. I’m his wife and I get hurt. Hindi naman ako bato. Even if Ronnie is taking it well, I know that he’s also affected maski papano."

Such as the criticism that he doesn’t have any experience in government and politics?

"Regarding that criticism...Hindi ‘yon dinaramdam ni Ronnie at hindi ko rin naman dinaramdam. Because it’s true. Ronnie doesn’t have any experience in government. Tungkol sa pag-aaral, kapus talaga. I cried because I had a flashback. Yes, I told myself, Ronnie didn’t finish school but what was he doing? His father died early and Ronnie became father to his brothers and sisters, the breadwinner of the family. He was only 11 when his father died. In fairness and due respect to my mother-in-law, she did well in bringing up the family. May naiwan namang kabuhayan ang father-in-law ko. She could send the children to school. But Ronnie took the initiative of helping his mom, he being the eldest boy. Ronnie told me that when his father died, he visited Ronnie in his sleep. Sabi ng father niya, ‘Bahala ka na sa mga kapatid mo.’ When I look at the picture of Ronnie and his siblings around their father’s coffin, they looked so innocent, especially his younger brothers and sisters, as if while watching their father they couldn’t figure out what was really happening."

So he took over where his father had left off. (Poe, Sr. died of rabies after he let a puppy lick the wounds in his legs he sustained during a shooting on the beach, thinking it would make the wounds heal fast. He developed hydrophobia before he died at age 35.)

"It was his mom who gave Ronnie his (movie) break, in Anak ni Palaris, which she herself produced. Later, not being experienced in movie production, she shifted to another kind of business. Meanwhile, Ronnie became restless; he couldn’t focus on his studies (at San Sebastian High School). So he devoted his time to the movies. You know, actors today are lucky. They can have time for their studies (Through the DECS home-study plan. – RFL). During Ronnie’s time, ang nasusunod ang schedule ng shooting, so they hardly had time to go to school."

There are a lot of misconceptions about FPJ who is somewhat mysterious even if he is Da King (of Philippine Movies). Like, not many people know that FPJ is artistic, something he inherited not only from his father but also from his mom (who painted).

"She took up Fine Arts at UP, along with Pitoy (Moreno) and Celia (Diaz-Laurel). Ronnie was very young then. But everytime she got pregnant, she would quit school. When she finally graduated from college, kasabay na niya ‘yung bunso niya, si Evangeline, the sixth child."

How is FPJ at home?

"He’s a homebody. When there’s no shooting, he stays home in San Juan (Greenhills) or in our house in Antipolo. We are simple people; mababaw ang kaligayahan namin. Our friends know that."

How do you spend time at home?

"Oh, we watch TV. He watches sports show...all of them! He’s not a golfer but he knows all about golf."

What about food? Isn’t he choosy?

"Not really. Partikular lang siya. Kung seafoods, kailangan fresh. Ayaw niya ‘yung matagal sa ref. He’s partial to vegetables and fish."

His workout?

"Walking. That’s why he loves to stay in Antipolo where he does his walking in the pathways inside the subdivision which is located on the hills."

What about your recreation?

"Being together is already a treat for us kasi nga busy siya in the movies. We talk about many things."

Don’t you run out of things to talk about?

"Sometimes, we communicated even in silence. When you’ve been together for a long time, you just look or nod at each other at nagkakaintindihan na kayo."

What about books?

"We read the same books. We don’t want to mislead the public by saying that we are voracious readers. We read anything interesting."

Some trivia about FPJ...

"...Did you know that Ronnie almost became a priest? Had his father lived, he would have let Ronnie become a priest or enroll him in a military school."

Do you pray together?

"We are very personal with religion. Sometimes we go to church together, sometimes we don’t. Maganda sana kung buong pamilya sabay-sabay nagsisimba. On the other hand, we talked about it. What if Ronnie came home late from the shooting or other members of the family attended a party the night before? So there are Sundays na magkakasama kami and Sundays when we hear Mass separately. But the rule of the house is...On Sundays, first thing to do upon waking up is go to church. Otherwise, if there are commitments on Sunday, Saturday night dapat magsimba na."

Who’s FPJ’s favorite saint?

"Ronnie is a Marian devotee."

And yours?

"St. Jude Thaddeus."

Oh, Patron of the Hopeless.

"My mother prayed a lot to St. Jude before I became a movie star. I’m also a devotee of the Black Nazarene."

FPJ is a quiet person. How would we know when he’s angry?

"You can sense it. But he’s very patient; he’s not easy to get mad, not easily provoked."

Now that you’re in politics, are you ready for the radical changes in your life?

"You know, nobody is ever ready for those changes. Right now, I don’t want to think about it."

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