Politics and entertainment, the peoples’ wonder brew

It was all started in the ‘50s by a matinee idol, Rogelio dela Rosa (brother-in-law of Presideent Macapagal), followed later by Eddie Ilarde, Imelda Papin, Vilma Santos, Ramon Revilla, Fernando Poe Jr. and Lito Lapid. Then Tito Sotto and Manny Pacquiao.

With Erap Estrada as the man to beat in Manila, and Grace Poe most probably topping the senatorial derby in 2019, and with Lito Lapid (of “Ang Probinsiyano” fame) going back to the Senate, and with Tito Sotto (Eat Bulaga) heading that august body, and Vilma's husband Ralph and Sharon's Kiko Pangilinan to be joined by Freddie Aguilar and Erap’s sons Jinggoy and JV, politics in this country will just be like a TV show or a concert, where baby boomers and millennials mix it up, like old wine and new, giving the Filipinos an unusual brew of politics, showbiz, music, arts, and drama. Edu Manzano is running for Congress in San Juan, challenging a political giant, Ronaldo Zamora. If Edu wins, he will join ex-wife Vilma, and Lucky will be very happy. Their faces sound familiar and he could see their voices.

Isko Moreno, the late Kuya Germs protege named after the Master Showman, is challenging Asyong Salonga, Erap from Tondo. Cavite will have Jolo Revilla again as vice governor while mom, Lani Mercado will run for reelection as Bacoor mayor, and dad (the alleged friend of Janet Napoles) Ramon “Bong” Revilla also coming back to the Senate. Then the three musketeers will have a grand reunion; Jinggoy, Bong, and their godfather, Johnny Enrile. They will join Leila de Lima who is still a senator, except that she cannot join the Senate sessions because she is neither as senior as JPE nor as strong as Jinggoy. By the way, Chiz Escudero, husband of Heart Evangelista, will graduate from the Senate and run for governor of his dad's old turf, the lovely province of Sorsogon. Loren Legarda will run for Congress representing her maternal roots, Antique.

Quezon City is known as the city of stars. Bistek is the mayor. Tito Sotto's son, Gian, is running for vice mayor. That was the same path by which Tito entered politics all the way from Eat Bulaga. Gian's dreams enjoyed the blessings of his mom, Helen Gamboa, and her cousin Sharon Cuneta. One of Gian's opponents is Roderick Paulate who is facing some charges too. The other aspirant is Jophet Sison of the “Ipaglaban Mo” fame. Meanwhile, Rico Puno is still running for councilor of Makati but he is torn between two feuding siblings, the incumbent Abby and the come-backing Jun-jun. In Parañaque, Joey Marquez's son Jeremy (who used to be our barangay captain in BF Homes) is running for vice mayor against the son of the late Roilo Golez, Rico, who is the incumbent. The son by Dolphy of Joey's former wife, Alma (Vandolf), is councilor of Parañaque.

In Leyte, Lucy Torres Gomez is running for reelection in the fourth district and her brother is running for mayor of Kananga. Richard Gomez is also gunning for a second term as mayor of Ormoc. Meanwhile, Imelda Papin will run again for vice governor of Camsur and Ate Vi will most probably be reelected in Batangas. JR Ejercito, who was earlier ousted from the Laguna governorship, for alleged overspending, is coming back to reclaim the Laguna capitol. A daughter of Jinggoy is running for mayor of San Juan and Gary Estrada is running for vice mayor of Cainta. Alma Moreno once ran for senator, until ABS CBN’s Karen Davila asked her in a TV interview a very difficult question. From then on, she seemed to have been traumatized. But she is reportedly running again. Alma, by the way, was a student in SWU just like Annabelle Rama in the ‘60s. Annabelle ran and lost to Raul del Mar. Now, Richard Yap is running in the same district. Sir Chief is, of course, much more qualified and articulate.

In the Philippines, showbiz and politics may seem strange bedfellows. But it continues to draw more and more. Nora Aunor, Christopher de Leon, as well as Tirso Cruz III used to run too and lost like FPJ. The people would rather see them on the screen than in the halls of Congress. In the Philippines all things are possible. Since Manny Pacquiao is a senator, will Mocha Uson and Harry Roque not be far behind? I shudder to even think about it all.