Richard: Pssst! Quiet lang po!

MANILA, Philippines - Richard Gomez ran for public office in the past. But the 48-year-old actor and TV host said he is settling aside political plans to support his wife Leyte Fourth District Representative Lucy Torres and to resume his work in show business.

“Ako, wala na. I’m here to support Lucy as a congresswoman,” he said when asked if he’s going to run for public office in the upcoming 2016 national elections during a media gathering at the set of his upcoming TV5 game show Quiet Please! Bawal ang Maingay.

Richard ran as Mayor of Ormoc City in the 2013 elections but lost. He also lost his senatorial bid in the 2010 national elections.

He also shrugged off recent calls by certain sectors to the public not to vote for celebrities in the upcoming elections, following the alleged involvement of Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Bong Revilla in the pork barrel scam.

“Siguro ngayon, more than kung sino ang tumakbo, ang dapat turuan ay ’yung electorate, kung sino yung bumoboto. Don’t blame those who are in the position. We should blame those who voted for these politicians,” Richard explained. “Anybody can run (for public office). We have a choice who we want to vote. If our choice is wrong, then we deserve the leaders that we have elected. Mag-titiis tayo ng tatlo hanggang anim na taon,” he added.

Life goes on for Richard, who acknowledged that he wouldn’t be active in showbiz now had he been elected for public office. Since 2010, he appeared in a number of TV shows such as the hit 2012 ABS-CBN drama Walang Hanggan, the 2011 TV5 drama Mga Nagbabagang Bulaklak and the 2013 TV5 comedy Madam Chairman.

He was also part of the 2014 movies She’s Dating The Gangster (which stars Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo) and The Janitor (an entry in this year’s Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival).

Richard added that he does not feel “complete” despite being in the business for almost 30 years. “Perhaps I still have many things that I want to achieve,” he said. “Improve pa sa craft as an actor. When was the last time that I received an award as an actor? It’s been a long time! I love my work. I enjoy doing movies, I enjoy doing TV shows. I love hosting. I love game shows.”

Richard finds a special kind of satisfaction in doing game shows. In Quiet Please! Bawal ang Maingay, contestants must accomplish a series of tasks as silently as possible through all the rounds.

“You’re free to do what you want in hosting. There are certain limitations, but you’re being yourself. There’s a role to play in acting. But in hosting, you have to be yourself,” he said.

Quiet Please! Bawal ang Maingay premieres Aug. 10 at 8 p.m. on TV5.