Incumbent First Son Mikey Macapagal Arroyo (Vice Governor of Pampanga) scheduled a brunch chit-chat with selected members of the movie press at Virgin Cafe (Tomas Morato) while former First Son (and former San Juan Mayor) Jinggoy Estrada scheduled the presscon for his latest movie, Maverick Films’ Walang Iwanan, Peks Man (with Judy Ann Santos as his leading lady), in the evening at the Valdez Hall of the Veterans Memorial Medical Center which has been his and his Dad former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada’s home these past several months.
Mikey said that he came down from Baguio (where he’s vacationing with his parents, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, brother Datu and sister Luli) purposely for the chika-chika session which he was planning to do on a monthly basis (same group, same venue) and that he was going right back to Baguio soon after.
Jinggoy looked visibly, well, healthy. His blood pressure, he said, sometimes would go up to 140/100 (normal reading: 120/80) so, besides the medication, he makes it a point to work out everyday by jogging or brisk-walking around the sprawling VMMC compound. (Erap can’t do the same due to security reasons; he mainly stays in his room and watches TV with Jinggoy.)
Also present at the well-attended VMMC presscon was Jinggoy’s Peks Man leading lady Judy Ann Santos, looking very fit and very slim in a black outfit.
At the open forum, Jinggoy said (in answer to a question) that he was forgiving (former Cavite Gov.) Bong Revilla (who distanced himself from the Estradas at the height of the EDSA II). But it didn’t mean, according to Jinggoy, that he had forgotten what Bong did to his family. "Forgiving is different from forgetting," said Jinggoy.
Funfare decided to ask Mikey and Jinggoy the same set of questions during the separate interviews. Here’s how they answered:
How did you spend Christmas?
Mikey: With my parents, brother and sister. We went to mass together at the Manila Cathedral and then we had noche buena at our home in La Vista (Quezon City). On Christmas Day, we just stayed home.
Jinggoy: Here in Veterans. It was our loneliest Christmas ever. We spent the day very simply, quietly. Nag-noche buena kami, with my family ... my Mom (Sen. Loi Ejercito), my Dad ... Wala… Kainan lang ... And then, kuwento-kuwento nang kaunti ... And then, natulog na kami.
Did you get your Christmas wish?
Mikey: I guess so. Di ba wish ko that my movie (Di Kita Ma-Reach) would do well at the box office? Even if we didn’t have enough time to promote the movie, it’s doing well. Not many people know that my movie is showing only in Metro Manila while the rest of the (six other Metro Filmfest) entries are showing simultaneously in different parts of the country.
Jinggoy: Not yet. My Christmas wish is ... sana makalabas na kami dito.
Had Jinggoy’s movie (Walang Iwanan, Peks Man) been included in the Metro Filmfest, do you think it would have fared better – or worse – than your movie?
Mikey: I guess his movie would have fared better kasi he’s a veteran in showbiz.
Jinggoy: No comment. Ayoko mag-comment. It’s hard to comment, I really do not know. Pero gusto ko, lahat ng pelikula sa Metro Filmfest ay kumita.
How do you react to observations that the reaction to your movie is an indication of the public’s feelings towards your Mom (and her administration)?
Mikey: I don’t think so. Kasi kung ‘yung movie ko is a gauge (of the public’s feelings towards my Mom and her administration), then it should have been No. 1, just like what the recent (Social Weather Station) survey said about my Mom. My Mom got a high approval rating, didn’t she?
People are making fun of your movie. How do you feel about it?
Mikey: Ganoon naman talaga siguro. Some people can be negative, you know. Whatever you do is bad as far as they’re concerned.
Your Mom said that the fact that Mikey’s movie isn’t doing well at the box office means that Mikey’s Mom isn’t loved by the masa, unlike your Dad who is Idol ng Masa. Comment.
Jinggoy: I get a lot of text messages, just like other people, talagang bad messages ... Pinagtulungan ‘yung isang pelikula. But I guess nasa concept ‘yon ng pelikula. Baka naman hindi masyadong maganda... But if the movie’s concept is good, kung may estorya talaga ‘yung pelikula, I’m sure people will watch it.
How would you spend New Year?
Mikey: Just like Christmas ... also with my parents, brother and sister, in Baguio.
Not with Angela (Montenegro, his girlfriend whom he’s said to be marrying next year)?
Mikey: I don’t know if she’ll be there (in Baguio).
And you, Jinggoy? How would you spend New Year?
Jinggoy: Here in Veterans. Same as Christmas. So, there won’t be any paputok; mga luces-luces lang siguro.
Do you have any New Year’s resolution?
Mikey: I have several, one of them is to make better movies. Actually, this movie (Di Kita Ma-Reach) is a good one; I think it’s better than Mahal Kita, Kahit Sino Ka Pa (his last movie, with Judy Ann Santos).
Any New Year’s wish or resolution, Jinggoy?
Jinggoy: I hope we get acquitted ... Sana matapos na ito so we can live normally and peacefully again. We’ve been here for exactly eight months last Christmas Day. April 25 kami ikinulong dito.
How do you size up the economy next year (and beyond)?
Mikey: It’s gonna be better. (My Mom’s) administration will see to it.
Jinggoy: Well, I think it’s gonna be worse. Our economy is not improving. The peace and order situation is getting worse. The stock market is down. Mas maraming mahihirap ngayon.
If you bump into each other by chance, what would you say (to each other)?
Mikey: I’d just ask him, "Kumusta po kayo?" That’s all. Kukumustahin ko lang siya.
Jinggoy: Tungkol sa movies or what?
Anything. Would you tease Mikey, "Di na kita ma-reach"?
Jinggoy (Breaking into laughter): Maybe I’ll tell him, "Try your very best to help the poor people."