Alfred running unopposed

Curtain-raisers:

•  Has success gone to the head of an arrogant talent manager, but not to his alaga? During a recent premiere, the manager walked out and dragged his actor-alaga with him. Reason: Part of the actor’s dialogue was dubbed. Not the fault of the producer who had to do it because the actor was pressed for time and the movie’s playdate was fast approaching. Besides, the actor’s voice didn’t sound good and the producer was actually doing him a favor. If the manager continues being arrogant (ignoring the producer’s phone calls, etc.), he just might push his alaga down the drain.
•  If a senior actress doesn’t change her attitude, her character in a soap might soon be “killed” for being impossible to work with, for following reasons (according to Funfare’s insider-DPA): 1) She suddenly disappears from the set to get a massage; 2) She insists that only her stylist and nobody else should ride with her in the van provided for her and the staff during out-of-town shoots; 3) Once, a fan waited for hours for a selfie with the actress and when the fan finally got a chance, the actress snapped at her, “Ayoko!”; and 4) She offers the staff food with a reminder for them to eat it at once “kasi mapapanis na ‘yan, kahapon pa binigay ‘yan sa akin.”  

* * *

While some candidates may be running scared (due to lack of logistics, etc?), Rep. Alfred Vargas is blithely running for reelection unopposed in the newly-created fifth district of Quezon City.

“I thought that many people were willing to serve the people in our district or interested in running,” Alfred, 36, told Funfare. “It was only on the last day of filing the COCs (Certificates Of Candidacy) that I learned that I was the only one who did.”

After serving for one term as councilor in Quezon City, Alfred easily won when he ran for congressman in 2013. During that campaign, Alfred covered the whole district (including Lagro, Novaliches and Fairview with a voting population of 220,000). Even if he’s a sure winner, he said he would continue going around, checking the needs of his constituents like what he has been doing since the start of his term.

“Walang magbabago sa mga projects ko,” assured Alfred. “Those in need can still see me. Madali akong lapitan. I’m very visible in the area.”

Since it’s national elections, Alfred said that he will also help campaign for the party’s (Liberal) standard bearer, Mar Roxas, and his running mate Leni Robredo. “I will have to go with them around the country.”

Conceding that his clean actor image helps (opponents tried in vain to tarnish it by circulating his “bold” photos from his movies), Alfred said that the most effective campaign pitch is performance.

Asked what of his achievements is he proud of, Alfred mentioned his housing program.

“We have pending 23 socialized housing projects for informal settlers,” disclosed Alfred. “We call them Vargas Villages?”

Isn’t it encouraging parasitism, spoiling what he calls “informal settlers” (squatters)?

“Not at all. It’s not dole out. They will have to pay only P600 to P800 a month for 25 years. Very cheap. Imagine, from living in the slums they can avail of decent housing.”

Alfred is among the actors-turned-politicians who have belied the misconception that showbiz denizens score zero when it comes to politics.

“It hurts me when people say that actors have no business going into politics. I’m happy that some of my colleagues have proven (the cynics) wrong, like Vilma Santos (who has successfully served three terms as Lipa City Mayor and three terms as Batangas governor, now running for the province’s representative) and Herbert Bautista (now running for his third and last term as Quezon City Mayor.” (There are also Manila Mayor Erap Estrada, Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno who is running for senator under the Grace-Chiz banner, Ormoc reelectionist Rep. Lucy Torres and Sen. Tito Sotto, among  others.)

“So I really try my best to correct that impression,” he added. “Someday, I also want the showbiz industry to be proud of me as a public servant.”

Any piece of advice for actors jumping into the political arena?

“They have to be 100 percent, not just 98 or 99 percent sure. The one/two-percent makes a lot of difference. Public office is public trust. Di puede half-hearted. Dapat desidido ka. Once you cross the Rubicon, wala nang balikan. And they should be aware of the issues kasi hihingan ka talaga kung ano ang stand mo sa mga issues like the just-concluded APEC, tanim/laglag bala, same-sex marriage and other issues. In showbiz, they ask you, ‘Kayo ba ni______?’ Puede ka umamin o hindi. In politics, there’s no grey area. It’s either black or white.”

Case in point: Senatoriable Alma Mareno (running under the Binay-Honasan banner) who got (unfairly?) bashed after her interview with Karen Davila’s Headstart program on ANC. (Alma’s supporters said that Karen should have been, like Jessica Soho and Boy Abunda, more sympathetic with guests like Alma.)

“When I watched it, it wasn’t as bad as the way it came out on social media,” said Alfred, a college graduate. “Alma has a point, she was just not eloquent enough to explain it.”

Payback time. Besides giving back to residents of his district, Alfred is doing the same to the industry that made him what he is today.

“I’m studying a piece of legislation about holding a film festival exclusively for independent films,” said Alfred who played Andres Bonifacio in his last film (an indie), Supremo (2012). “It will be national in scope to be held for two weeks in summer. It’s one of my big dreams.”

In the meantime, Alfred is putting showbiz on hold.

“But I’m back to it,” he said, sa tamang panahon. “In due time. My priority now is public service. Kapag pinagsabay ko, I will be a master of neither.”

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