Why Robert Ortega can’t resist the call of politics - FUNFARE by Ricardo F. Lo

There are actor-politicians and there are actor-politicians. And then there’s Robert Ortega, incumbent Councilor of Manila (fifth district) who’s running for reelection, again making the campaign in Mayor Lito Atienza’s turf a showbiz-y "event," indeed. Other showbiz people running for the same post include Cita Astals, Isko Moreno, Lou Veloso, Larrie Silva and… did I leave out anybody else? No, former beauty queen Star Querubin has decided to quit politics – for good?

However, unlike most actor-politicians who venture into the uncertain field of politics armed with nothing but popularity, Councilor Robert is fully prepared, well-equipped. As his manager-adviser Lolit Solis said, "May ibubuga siya; he has something between his ears."

That "something" includes an AB Human Resource Management degree from De La Salle University (College of Saint Benilde, class of 1997) and a wealth of (political) experience from growing up in a family steeped in politics.

"It’s in my blood," said Robert, who turned 27 last March 16, now looking far more mature than he did three years ago when he set aside showbiz to wade in the murky waters of politics. "So I can’t resist the call of politics."

His father, Retired Col. Robert R. Ortega, Sr. (a.k.a. Markang Bungo whose relentless pursuit of criminal elements was showcased in a movie titled Markang Bungo, starring Rudy Fernandez), is an incumbent councilor in Baguio City where he’s running for Mayor. An uncle is a Governor of La Union where another uncle is a Congressman. His Tita Mary Jane Ortega is the Mayor of La Union and his uncle Victor (Mary Jane’s husband) is running for Governor in the same province.

"You see," added Robert, "walang escape. It’s in my genes. I am destined to be in politics."

The Ortegas’ political roots can be traced back to 1901 when Robert’s great-great grandfather served as a bokal.

"My late grandfather (Markang Bungo’s father) served as Congressman in our province for six terms; he was also a Mayor of Baguio City and was a COMELEC Commissioner and a Human Rights Commissioner."

Robert knows fifth district (Malate, Intramuros, Ermita, Paco and parts of Sta. Ana and Pandacan) like the back of his hands. Every once too often, he goes around, accompanied only by his girlfriend, Korina (very pretty and very Japanese-Korean-looking although she’s a Filipina), and not with bodyguards ("I don’t have any!"), driving his old reliable red Volvo.

"I can put in harness my college degree," said Robert. "For example, in calling the attention of my employees when they make a mistake, I never do so in front of other people; I call them aside and talk to them in private. It’s also important that the working place is cool and conducive for people to be productive. Check out our revenue office in City Hall, for example, and you’ll find it cool and comfortable, fully air-conditioned, so taxpayers feel okay when they’re there."

Now on leave from his GMA sitcom, Idol Ko si Kap (whose top-biller, Cavite Gov. Bong Revilla, is also on leave now that he’s running for reelection), part-time actor Robert hardly misses showbiz (but he can’t totally do without it).

"Showbiz and politics are the same," he admitted. "In both endeavors, you deal with people. The only difference is that while before I got paid when I went up the stage, ngayon ako na ang nagbabayad when I mount the stage – you know, for the sound system and my showbiz colleagues invited to campaign for us or to perform in special occasions. Unlike in showbiz, however, in politics, there’s no Take 2. If you commit a mistake, you can’t pass on the blame to somebody else."

Of his many projects, what Robert is most proud of is his sports-consciousness program (construction of basketball courts in vacant lots, etc.).

"That’s my first line of defense against drugs," he said. "Drug addiction is hard to solve. But if you can get especially the youth busy with sports, that should divert their minds from drugs."

It’s CoCo Lee, not ‘Ko Ko Li’

A lot of readers called my attention to a glaring (yes, embarrassing!) error in last Tuesday’s Funfare (about the Oscars 2001) in which Taiwanese singer CoCo Lee was identified as "Ko Ko Li" both in the text and in the caption.

Well, you see, in newspapering, some "unseen forces" can get between the writing of your story and the actual printing. I did write her name as CoCo Lee but I was just as surprised as many of you when I opened The STAR and saw her name printed as – horrors! – "Ko Ko Li!"

Anyway, Sony Music contract star CoCo Lee sang A Love Before Time, (nominated for Best Song), theme song of Best Foreign Language Film awardee Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, at the Oscars. She got her big break in Taiwan (she lived in Hong Kong with her family before they moved to San Francisco when CoCo was eight years old) when she sang a hit karaoke song in 1994. Then Disney hired her to do the Chinese voice-over for Mulan (Celine Dion also got her break the same way, by voicing Beauty and the Beast).

When Ricky Martin performed in Hong Kong last year, CoCo did the front act and she was as well-applauded by the SRO audience as the Latin superstar was.

In an interview in the latest issue of Time magazine, CoCo confessed to having nightmares several days before the Oscars where she wore a five-inch-heeled shoes and a red $1.3 million Versace cheongsam.

"My dream," Time quoted CoCo as saying, "is that I trip and start rolling down the stairs, my dress goes over my head and everyone can see my underwear."

Luckily, no such nightmarish incident happened at the starry show watched by more than one billion people worldwide.