What Alma learned from Karen interview

Instead of being discouraged or backing out of the race, Alma Moreno has opted to look at the positive side of what the public must have perceived as “negative.” I’m referring to Alma’s, well, “disastrous” performance on Karen Davila’s Headstart program on ANC earlier this year.

Alma was admittedly not sufficiently prepared for that  “head to head” encounter with Karen who “grilled” Alma on such issues as women’s rights, re-imposition of death penalty, population control and same-sex marriage.

No hard feelings against Karen, according to Alma.

“In fact,” Alma told Funfare in all humility, “I thanked Karen for challenging me to improve myself. Inspirasyon ko sina Batangas Gov. Vilma ‘Ate Vi’ Santos at Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno na minaliit din noong una silang sumabak sa pulitika.”

I guess we know how the negative criticisms pushed Vilma and Isko as well as other actor-politicians who have survived a similar predicament. Now running for congresswoman, Vilma served three terms as Lipa City Mayor and is now on her last term as governor; while Isko rose from being a councilor to being vice mayor and is now running for senator.

“Bilib ako sa kanila,” added Alma who is running for senator under Vice Pres./Presidentiable Jojo Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance (UNA). “As far as I know, Ate Vi took up a course in Public Administration sa UP at si Isko ay nag-aral pa sa Harvard.”

Perhaps although not enough, Alma is aiming for a higher position banking on her background as former first lady of Parañaque for 12 years when her ex-husband Joey Marquez served the city as mayor, and as the city’s incumbent councilor who has served as national chairperson of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL).

Turning 57, Alma is taking up (or must have finished) AB Political Science at the University of Makati through the program of the PCL Legislative Academy (PCL-LA). She finished high school at the Southwestern University in Cebu City in 1976.

In the March 29 to April 3 survey, Alma (registered as Alma Moreno Lacsamana, No. 24) was ranked No. 21-22 (with 9.3 percent) among the 51 senatorial aspirants mentioned in the survey.

“Sana tumaas pa,” said Alma.

Meanwhile, here’s a partial list of other actors and showbiz-related/identified candidates in the May 9 elections:

• For President: Sen. Grace Poe and former DILG Sec. Mar Roxas;

• For Vice President: Sen. Chiz Escudero;

• For Senator: Manny Pacquiao; Isko Moreno; Edu Manzano; re-electionists Tito Sotto, Ralph Recto and Kiko Pangilinan; former TV hosts Migz Zubiri, Joel Villanueva and Risa Hontiveros; Mark Lapid; Roman Romulo; Sherwin Gatchalian; Lorna Kapunan; Rey Langit; and Martin Romualdez;

• For Congressman:  Re-electionist Lucy Torres-Gomez (Ormoc City); Christopher de Venecia (Pangasinan); Grace Ibuna (San Juan City); Alfred Vargas (Quezon City, unopposed); and Mons Romulo (Rizal); and Incumbent Bacoor Mayor Strike Revilla (Cavite);

• For Governor: E.R. Ejercito (Laguna)

• For Vice Governor: Incumbent Jolo Revilla (Cavite): Incumbent Daniel Fernando; and Phillip Salvador;

• For Board Member: Angelica Jones (Laguna);

• For Mayor: Re-electionist Joseph “Erap” Estrada (Manila); Maita Sanchez (Pagsanjan, Laguna); Herbert Bautista (Quezon City); Dan Fernandez (Sta. Rosa, Laguna); Rep. Lani Mercado (Bacoor, Cavite); Cristina “Kring-Kring” Gonzalez-Romualdez (Tacloban City); Incumbent Guia Gomez (San Juan City); Incumbent Councilor Daisy Reyes (Pateros); Incumbent Fe Abunda (Borongan, Western Samar); Lito Camo (Bongabon, Mindoro); and Richard Gomez (Ormoc City);

• For Vice Mayor: Incumbent Joy Belmonte (Quezon City); and

• For Councilor: Anthony Castelo, Hero Bautista, Gian Sotto and Kate Coseteng (Quezon City); Janella Estrada, Inday Garutay and Lance Raymundo (San Juan City); Robert Ortega, Yul Servo and Lou Veloso (Manila); Vico Sotto (Pasig City); Jason Abalos (Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija); Vandolph Quizon (Parañaque); and Monsour del Rosario (Makati City).

Robin and friends to the farmers’ rescue

Champions of farmers (from left): Robin Padilla, Vice Ganda and Aiza Seguerra.

So far, I haven’t heard any of candidates (presidential, senatorial or otherwise) giving concrete help to several (around 76) farmers arrested because of that unfortunate Kidapawan tragedy. Oh yes, some candidates did pay lip service, making promises, when what the farmers immediately need is financial support and rice to feed themselves and their families.

“That’s all they wanted,” according to Robin in interviews. “Nagpunta sila sa protest kasi kailangan nila ng bigas pero ano ang sumalubong sa kanila? Mga bala! The sad thing is that if the farmers who plant rice have no rice to eat, baka dumating ang panahon na wala na tayong makain dahil wala ng maitanim ng bigas ang mga farmers.”

Robin, as well as some of his showbiz colleagues, are not just talking and talking. They are doing something.

Initially, Robin donated 200 sacks of rice. Others who pitched in included Anne Curtis (200 sacks), Angel Locsin (120), direk Perci Intalan and direk Jun Lana (100), Luis Manzano (100), Karla Estrada and son Daniel Padilla (100), Mariel Rodriguez-Padilla (60), Jasmine Curtis-Smith (20), Bianca Gonzalez (20), Erika Padilla (10), Mikael Daez (10), Megan Young (10) and NUR Factory (50).

It was also Robin, together with Aiza Seguerra and Vice Ganda, who raised around P540,000 for the bail of the farmers who should be free by now.

To these actors with a heart, may your tribe increase.

Albert Vincent’s 1st B-day party

Albert Vincent Tajan celebrated his birthday with his friends Sunday (April 10) last week at the Gloria Maris restaurant in the PICC area. He is shown with his little sister Sophia Victoria and their parents, Gilbert and Cathy Tajan, who are readers of Philippine STAR ‘since time immemorial.’

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