My mom Inday Badiday’s legacy hard-earned, not Senate punchline material

Even if Sen. Miguel “Migz” Zubiri has already issued a public apology for dragging my mom’s (Inday Badiday) name into the Senate circus, as her daughter I have to take up the cudgels for my mom since she’s no longer around to defend herself.

I wonder if Sen. Zubiri would have apologized if my son, IC Mendoza, did not call him out on social media. Or could it be just damage control? Be that as it may, allow me to say my piece before we can finally put this issue to rest.

In his apology statement, Migz said that mentioning my mom’s name (“Inday Badiday na ba tayo dito sa Senado?”) was a slip of the tongue. Hmm… could it have been a Freudian slip? Oh, well, even if he claims it was unintentional, the harm has been done.

My mom worked so hard to build her name. That’s why it was appalling to hear Sen. Zubiri use mommy’s name as a punchline. To aggravate matters, he showed no respect for the dead. Ma passed away 23 years ago. Please let her rest in peace. Spare her from your political theatrics.

Even if my mom was called the “Queen of Intrigues” at the peak of her career, being cheap and trashy was not her style. She was not into character assassination nor fabricating stories. Countless celebs can vouch for that. Mom’s track record speaks for itself.

Zubiri’s comparing Ma to fake news peddlers in the Senate is not just a mockery of Mommy but of all serious, legit entertainment broadcast journalists. Mom’s credibility remained intact. Sad to say that these days, virality matters more than credibility. Ma blazed the trail and paved the way for many showbiz TV hosts.

So, how dare Zubiri defile Mom’s legacy by depicting her in such a preposterous way?

Ma went beyond showbiz. In her TV show, “Eye to Eye” on GMA 7, she forayed into public service and put up Mata ng Bayan Foundation. It was her way of paying it forward. Ma’s being “Queen of Intrigues” was overshadowed by her new moniker, “Queen of Public Service.” She always went the extra mile with her supersized heart.

Back in the day, Ma was asked by some parties to run for mayor of Quezon City, but she begged off. When I asked her why she refused, Ma said, “Makakatulong naman ako sa tao kahit wala akong posisyon sa gobyerno.”

Politics was not Ma’s thing. So, please keep her out of the Senate hullabaloo.

Aside from Zubiri’s public apology, he also posted a message on my FB account to say sorry, and he asked my dear amiga Allana Lopez Montelibano to extend his apology. Migz could not have found a better peacemaker than Allana.

For the love of Allana and for the sake of peace, I accept Senator Zubiri’s apology. But as my mom’s famous line goes, “Careful, Careful,” Migz next time around.

Thank you, Sen. Lacson

My family and I are so grateful to Sen. Panfilo Lacson for coming to my mom’s defense. How kind of him to post this:

“Maria Lourdes Jimenez-Carvajal, more popularly known as ‘Inday Badiday,’ was a decent person. She was authentic and truthful, trusted and credible. In the senate plenary yesterday, peke ang source, peke ang messenger; pati ang back-up, peke.”

If there were more statesmen and gentlemen like Sen. Lacson, our government would be a better place.

‘Love, Ngo’

Jerald Napoles’ lovable character Ngongo is back in his own movie, ‘Love, Ngo.’ It is directed by Darryl Yap and opens on June 3 in cinemas.

Jerald Napoles captured hearts as Ngongo in the top-streamed film, “Ang Babaeng Walang Pakiramdam” (ABWP). The lovable character is back with his own movie, “Love, Ngo.” Directed by the inimitable Darryl Yap, it opens on June 3 in cinemas.

Find out what Ngongo’s life was like before he crossed paths with Tasha (played by Kim Molina in “ABWP”). The prequel also stars veteran actress Gina Alajar and influencers Malupiton and Jack Argota.

Although Ngongo’s condition is considered a disability, it does not lessen his ability to love. The touching movie will make us understand what people with cleft lip and palate are trying to say.

Since they cannot speak clearly, their hearts do the talking.

Here are quotes from Jerald and Darryl:

Jerald: “Our movie has shock value. It makes people curious and interested. Our trailer elicited mixed reactions, but it garnered 60 million views. It means they have embraced my character, Ngongo.”

Darryl: “I hope people will give our movie a chance. I would like to believe that Pinoys are now ready for topics that used to be taboo. It’s not meant to make fun of people with cleft lip and palate. It shows that they are fun to be with. I think their story needs to be told. Even if we are not ngongo, what we say is also misunderstood sometimes. So, what Ngongo’s going through we also experience in a different way.”

Jerald: “Comedy na may kurot sa puso ang movie namin. It will make you reflect: Sino ba talaga may diperensiya, mga ngongo or the people who pass judgment on them.”

Darryl: “To show respect for people with cleft lip and palate, the subtitles in our film are verbatim as delivered. Through our movie, we hope to uplift those with cleft lip and palate. It’s a reminder for all of us to practice self-love.”

Jerald: “Our movie is a love letter to PWDs and marginalized people trying to blend in. Everyone is fighting their own battles. So, we just show compassion.”

Darryl: “I welcome negative and positive comments. What counts is the effectivity of my work. What bashers say has no gravitas.”