Kuh Ledesma to join Manila’s ‘star-studded’ City Council?

Star-struck Manileños may have more reason to await and cheer the coming May 14 elections as another celebrity is expected to vie for a seat in an already star-studded Manila City Council.

With six incumbent stars - three of them comedians - occupying seats in the 36-member council, singer Kuh Ledesma might soon be a new addition to the list of television and movie personalities in the local legislative body.

"There is a rumor that she (Ledesma) may run for councilor," lawyer Lea Alarkon, election officer of Manila’s fifth district, told The STAR.

Ledesma was one of the two personalities spotted last Dec. 28, the final day of registration, squeezing through the mob that stormed the office of the Commission on Elections in Manila.

The other one was presidential friend and US fugitive Mark Jimenez, who is reported to have plans to run for Congress to represent Manila’s sixth district.

If Ledesma, said to be the owner of the popular bar Republic of Malate along Mabini street, runs, then she will have to woo voters in Ermita, Malate, Paco, Intramuros and a portion of Sta. Mesa.

Already, District 5 has three of the six councilor-celebrities - among them matinee idol Robert Ortega, comedian Cita Astals and Kim Atienza, son of Mayor Lito Atienza, who made a name in Taekwondo.

With the exception of the younger Atienza, Ortega and Astals are first-term councilors.

The remaining three other celebrities are first district’s Isko Moreno (Tondo), who nearly lost for using his unknown real name Francisco Domagoso, and comedians Harry "Pipoy" Silva of District 3 (Sta. Cruz, Quiapo and Binondo) and Lou "Mang Truman" Veloso of District 6 (Sta. Mesa, Pandacan, Sta. Ana and San Miguel).

With the exception of one councilor, who is reportedly eyeing the vice mayoralty, all incumbent District 5 councilors are expected to seek reelection.

Alarkon said more celebrities may join local politics as the Dec. 28 registration is only for those who failed to register or have just turned 18. Registration is a must for those running for public positions.

Of the 36 council members, only four are on their third and last terms, three of them in District 3, while seven are on their second. The rest are first-timers, almost all of whom are members of Atienza’s Liberal Party.