A role that fits Sharon with a capital ‘C’

MANILA, Philippines - Amidst the raging pork barrel scandal, Sharon Cuneta said she’s glad that her husband, former senator Kiko Pangilinan, is out of politics.

Sharon recently landed on the front page of major dailies when she came to her husband’s defense when his name was dragged to the pork barrel mess. In a series of tweets, she said that if anyone can prove to her that “my husband has stolen any amount from his PDAF in his 12 years as senator, I will give you P10 million in cash and I will leave my husband. That is how confident I am... Hindi kami magnanakaw (we’re not thieves).”

“I don’t know if I’ll feel flattered or what,” Sharon told The STAR when asked for her reaction when her tweets made headlines. “It’s just funny. I think a lot of people in my situation, even if their husband is not in politics, when (people are) saying he’s something that he’s not, you would raise a howl. In my case, let’s just wait na lang kasi yung nangyayari, yung attention napupunta sa akin. I was really shocked. After that, enough already, I said what I had to say. But I’m also waiting for the truth to come out.”

 Were her sentiments posted partly in jest? “I stand by (what I said),” she maintained. “I’m not bragging I have P10M. The way I said it — I said that’s how confident I am.”

This is not the first time Sharon courted some controversy because of her Twitter â€œoutbursts.” She has activated, deactivated and activated again her Twitter account, but she said the culture shock has tapered off and that she’d rather focus on her fans and the people who matter rather than the negativity and the bashers. 

Asked if she takes offense at being called “patolera” (one who faces issues head-on), she said, â€œIn the beginning, I was culture-shocked. I was raised that if there’s an issue with me, you confront me, hindi ako sanay na binabastos. But now I’m used to it, I just ignore (the bashers) now…  At saka ano ba ang patol? If you make patol because you feel a loved one is being trashed, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. Perhaps, my only mistake was that I tried to speak some people’s language, but I don’t do that anymore.”

For the latest issue, nevertheless, Sharon related that Kiko only laughed when she said her piece but requested her to refrain from commenting any further. â€œSabi nga ni Kiko, â€˜Sweetheart, â€˜wag mo na patulan ang mga issue, or wag ka nang sumagot kasi ang hirap, di naman tayo sikat ngayon, hayaan mo na sila.’”

“We are so happy to be out of (politics),” Sharon stressed.

They may be out of politics now, but Sharon is still negotiating the territory — at least in the barangay level — in her first-ever TV series, TV5’s Madam Chairman.

The lively, fiesta-style launch of the show at the Meralco Theater’s Multi-Purpose Hall, where this interview took place, was attended by Kapatid top brass led by president and CEO Noel Lorenzana.

Directed by Joel Lamangan and written by Jose Javier Reyes, Madam Chairman is dubbed “tawa-serye” for its comedy but with drama elements thrown in the mix, airing weeknights at 7 starting on Oct. 14. Despite the theme and the timing, Sharon and direk Joel claimed that it is not a political commentary, but it’s socially-relevant, highly-entertaining and relatable because it features everyday characters.

 In Madam Chairman, Sharon is Bebeth de Guzman, a simple and loving wife and mother suddenly entrusted with the responsibility to run, not just her household, but an entire community, the fictional Barangay Sta. Clara.

Bebeth’s problems run the gamut. Her OFW husband Dodong (Jay Manalo) abandons her and their three kids — played by Akihiro Blanco, Shaira Mae dela Cruz and Byron Ortile — for his other woman Beverly (Regine Angeles) who lives in the neighboring barangay. Bayani Agbayani is Jojo Campomanes, the deceased barangay chairman’s ambitious son-in-law, who schemes and all to oust Madam Chairman with the egging of her other political foes.

At the same time, Bebeth is surrounded by friends, her BFF (Ciara Sotto), her auntie (Nanette Inventor) who spoils her kids and her barangay kagawads — from religious Cita (Malou de Guzman), tactless Hermes (Manny Castaneda) who is obsessed with beautification and sports fests, to Mercy (Glenda Kennedy), the unsolicited adviser to Madam Chairman’s seemingly never-ending problems. Also in the cast are Tony Mabesa, Fanny Serrano, Bearwin Meily, Chris Cuneta, Adrian Sebastian, Patani, Jim Pebanco and Gilleth Sandico. 

Apart from being Sharon’s debut teleserye in her more than three successful decades in showbiz — largely earmarked by singing shows and melodramas — Madam Chairman will display Sharon’s natural comedic side for a change.

Sharon said, “In this show, I’m just me. I’m a normal person. I may not be as crazy as Bebeth in real life, though here I have the license to be the ‘me’ I would want to be if given her situations in life.

“I’m so happy that this is my first teleserye. It’s really a happy show. I hope our happiness and our love for the show really translate into audience ratings, so that our happiness will also go to them what with all the dramatic things going on in the country right now,” she added.

Aside from Madam Chairman, Sharon co-hosts with Ogie Alcasid the Sunday evening musical-variety show The Mega & The Songwriter which will have as future guests, Joey Albert and rappers Gloc-9 and Quest for a Francis M. tribute. Without going into specifics, the Megastar also revealed that she has three film projects lined up, at the same time, they’re still sifting through the entries to her ongoing scriptwriting contest to be winnowed down to the winning entry (or entries) that she will star in and produce herself.