And what you didn’t know will stun you.
She made Philippine election history by garnering the highest number of votes of more than 20 million in the May 2013 elections. In 2019, she secured a fresh mandate to serve a second term in the Senate.
But few know that the only daughter of National Artist Fernando Poe Jr. and movie queen Susan Roces can cook a mean kare-kare from scratch, has a green thumb, and loves to sing Beer by Itchyworms during karaoke gatherings.
Sen. Grace Poe recently celebrated her birthday at the Cork rooftop bar in BGC that was a gathering of friends from her grade school days to her college days in Boston. The Senate seemed to be in session that night for, after all, the senators are Grace’s officemates.
Show business was aptly represented by Grace’s “Dabarkads.”
I would say it was an “ordinary” celebration because that’s how women as young as Grace (in their splendid early golden years) usually party — by unwinding with some drinks, music, a bit of dancing and endless catching up. Chill.
Instead of asking those closest to her for their birthday wishes, I asked them to share something about Grace that people don’t know about…yet. I asked her husband of 33 years Neil Llamanzares, their son Brian, Grace’s high school classmates Malu Gamboa Lindo and Valerie Mayor Sotto, friend Rajo Laurel and her close-in staff member Myrnalyn “Minnie” Sto. Tomas to spill the beans on the Grace we don’t know. Yet.
Neil Llamanzares: Grace is a great cook. Her specialties are kare-kare, baked salmon and her dad’s recipe of gambas.
She has a green thumb, any plant that she plants thrives in our garden. To relieve stress, she clears clutter in the house, she moves around furniture and the few paintings that we have. She always says she’s a frustrated decorator!
Brian Poe Llamanzares: People probably don’t know this, but my mom is a fantastic cook! Her kare-kare is the best! I keep telling her she should start a cooking vlog, but of course, I’m biased.
Malu Gamboa Lindo: Grace is a really good homemaker. She cooks quite well, too. She can easily whip up a kare-kare from scratch. Love her youngest daughter Nika’s birthday Instagram message thanking her mom for teaching her how to use an oven.
Rajo Laurel: Her favorite karaoke song is called “Beer” by the band called Itchyworms. She sings this each time we get together for karaoke. I find it so endearing. The song is forever youthful and actually so funny but truthful.
Valerie Mayor Sotto: She was always late for class when we were in high school, that after reaching the maximum allowance for absences, the nuns required her to stay and sleep at the Assumption Convent dorm for one week. Then one afternoon, FPJ visited her with a bouquet of roses. Kilig to the bones kaming lahat, especially the teachers.
Myrnalyn “Minnie” Sto. Tomas, one of Sen. Grace Poe’s longest serving staff members: Sen. Grace is an antique enthusiast, and it shows in her Senate office, which is full of carefully curated bric-à-brac. She’s particularly fascinated with old jars and cabinets, which I often have to haggle on her behalf.
She loves OPM! Beer by the Itchyworms is usually her go-to song in gatherings with friends and staff. Lately, she’s been LSS-ing on Kisapmata by Rivermaya, maybe because she’s getting sentimental as her second Senate term winds down.
Flowers are part of her love language, which the senators, and her staff fully maximize. But no one beats her husband, Sir Neil, who sometimes leaves a long-stemmed rose on her desk in the Session Hall.
She’s a bonafide foodie, and enjoys quality Japanese and Chinese cuisine. She loves Tsukiji and China Blue. She will personally recommend restaurants if she knows you’re travelling to Hong Kong for a vacation.
But above all, she’s very much a mom to everyone in the office. She fusses over our love lives and careers, just as much as she pores over her briefing documents.
You may e-mail me at joanneraeramirez@yahoo.com. Follow me on Instagram @joanneraeramirez.