Still grateful after all these years

My friend, Jessica Soho, visited me in my place for a short interview about my supporting the candidacy of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Long after she’d gone back to the studio to do her story, I was left thinking about a myriad possibilities and wild imaginings. Jessica had asked me if I would be ostracized in the entertainment industry because of my GMA endorsement. I said no. My friends in the industry are mature, intelligent people who understand our political differences stop where our friendships begin. After the elections, whoever wins or loses, our lives continue.

We continue to do TV shows and movies, continue to go to Baclaran on Wednesdays; continue hopefully to be active, responsible citizens who will not patronize pirated CDs and VCDs no matter how tempting; continue to try to be better actors, hosts, parents, children who will actively participate in making our neighborhoods and communities cleaner, safer, more peaceful. It’s about time celebrities use the power of fame to effect a better life for everyone– by taking the first step which is to become responsible, not distant, detached citizens. It’s about time we do something for this country. After all it is the only country we have, whether you are an extra, a superstar or a fan.

I don’t think politics should divide the industry. It should make it more vibrant and progressive. It should make the industry an active participant in electoral contests that produce legislators who need to pay attention to the needs of the industry, whose power to influence is inarguably enormous; legislators who should stop condescending and making light of an industry that has the masses on its side.

I must admit it was not an easy decision to give my support to GMA. I was never a rabid fan. But I fiercely admire her work ethics.

In Feb. 2001, Private Conversations with Boy Abunda (PCBA) invited the then VP Arroyo to the show. Edsa II happened and she became President of the Republic of the Philippines. PCBA is a small show on the ABS-CBN News Channel and I would have understood if the new President cancelled the interview considering she had other more important matters of state to attend to. President Arroyo went to the show as promised and that meant so much to a small host like me and a small show like PCBA.

It was her first studio interview as President. Since then, I have done four to five interviews with the President. She never made it difficult for me and my staff to schedule interviews with her. The protocol office of the Office of the President has never given us the run-arounds. And I’m grateful.

Once in a while, some people from the Palace would ask for advance questions which I never do, because I may do extensive research and may plot a flexible direction of a conversation, but my interviews are spontaneous, unpredictable. I will never forget a Christmas episode I did with the President at the Palace. The sound system bogged down so that during commercial gaps, the technical people would try to fix the decrepit sound facility. During these gaps, the President sat patiently as we talked about Tita Conching Sunico, her wedding ninang and the best friend of her mother, Dona Eva.

Tita Conching Sunico was the lady who believed in my potentials when everyone thought I was going to be a second-rate geisha. My last interview with the President was again at the Palace, a couple of months ago. I worked hard on that one. There were hard questions I had to ask. Again, the President didn’t require me to edit questions. She faced me head-on and answered not-so-pleasant questions.

This was a live interview done in the open-air garden of the Palace. During the second gap, it started to drizzle. I was actually worried about the President, but not for a single second was she affected or bothered by the rain. She continued to talk, unperturbed, while remaining focused on the conversation.

When we broke to a commercial gap, the drizzle had stopped but I heard no complaint from her. When we started the third segment, again, it started to rain. If the President was not bothered, I too became oblivious to the rain. Then I started to truly admire the lady. And I was grateful. I still am.

(Just for the record, other entertainment personalities who are supporting GMA are Kris Aquino, Boss Vic del Rosario, Edu Manzano, Laurice Guillen, Ai Ai delas Alas, Bayani Agbayani, Nora Aunor, Sarah Geronimo, The Viva Hot Babes, April Boy Regino, Renz Verano, Lani Mercado, Mandy Ochoa, Dawn Zulueta, John Lesaca, Raymund Bagatsing and Jobert Sucaldito. Of course there’s my beloved Manay Gina de Venecia and celebrity-candidates Noli de Castro who’s running for Vice President, senatorial bets Bong Revilla and Lito Lapid, Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos who’s running for reelection, Rey Malonzo who’s running for Congressman and Herbert Bautista who’s running for Quezon City Vice Mayor.