SHOWBIZ KONEK
ni Maricris Valdez Nicasio
“I am proud of PM. He is a natural when it comes to connecting with people and he has an instinct for feeling and understanding their needs. Mataas din ang ‘empathy quotient’ niya. Minana namin Kay Mommy.” Ito ang tinuran niRep. Alfred Vargas, matapos maghain ng kanyang Certificate of Candidacy (COC) noong Lunes ang bunsong kapatid niyang si PM Vargas na tatakbo at papalit sa iiwan niyang puwesto bilang representative ng 5th district ng Quezon City.
Ayon kay Alfred, emosyonal siya sa desisyon ni PM na tumakbong kongresista. ”His decision to run for a congressional seat made me emotional on so many fronts. Naalala ko si Mommy and how she would have been proud of her youngest son. Public service is one of her legacies which has inspired all her children not only to be of help to the less fortunate and disadvantaged but to effect positive change. Si PM ang isang matibay na sandalan ko sa tatlong termino ko bilang kongresista. He would support me in all my initiatives no matter how unpopular they may be. ‘Pag kailangan, dapat may pagkilos anuman ang balakid, he would reassure me. Kinausap niya ako bago siya nag- file ng COC. Sabi niya, ‘dapat pang ituloy ang lahat ng iyong ipinaglalaban, Kuya. I understand your cause and vision. And because of that, I will run. Your positive effect on the lives of our ka-distritos has to continue. I will do it for your constituents. You and I owe them that.’ Then I knew, my brother and I are one.”
Si Alfred na TOYM awardee at consistent recipient ng mga recognition at awards dahil sa kanyang performance bilang kongresista, aktor, at producer, at family man ay proud na proud kay PM.
“I am supporting his candidacy because I believe in what he stands for. I’ve known him all his life. We come from the same tree and the fruit never falls far from it. I am proud of PM but I am sure Mom and Dad are even prouder of him.”
Kahapon si Alfred naman ang nag-file ng kanyang COC at sinamahan siya ng kanyang asawang si Yasmine Espiritu at sinuportahan din ni Mayor Joy Belmonte katulad ng ginawang pagsuporta sa kanyang kapatid na si PM.
Dinalaw din ng magkapatid na Alfred at PM ang puntod ng kanilang mga magulang para humingi ng blessings sa bago nilang tatahaking daan sa politika.
Ani Alfred, “Nagpaalam at humingi kami ng blessing sa aming magulang na nagpamulat sa amin ni PM ng tunay na halaga at kahulugan ng serbisyo publiko. Alay naming sa kanya ang bawat sakripisyo at tagumpay sa larangang kanyang isinabuhay.”
Sinabi pa ni Alfred na ang huling habilin sa kanila ng kanyang ina ay—Live and serve with integrity, compassion and competence. ”Three words PM and I have always stood for and lived by.”
Pangako ni Alfred sa kanyang ina, ”We will take care of our legacy and we will always make you proud. We love and miss you.”