Lito is very proud of his showbiz roots. He started his career as a stuntman, just like his late father, and rose to action stardom through hard work and determination. He was launched by Mirick Films in 1978 in The Jess Lapid Story, the film biography of his uncle who became a top action star in the ’60s. It was a hit and more action films followed.
"I remember very well it was also the year Jackie Chan became a big star here with Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow, kaya I can say sabay kaming sumikat. But now, he is a big box office star not only in Asia but also in Hollywood. I was only 22 then. Jesse Chua, producer of Mirick Films, sent me to Hong Kong to train with Jackie’s mentor. His plan was for us to do a movie together. But this didn’t push through because Jackie quoted a high talent fee and Jesse said he couldn’t afford it. Sayang nga, e. Actually, I can also do the kinds of stunts Jackie does without a double."
In his more than two decades in the business, Lito has always been known as the King of Stunts. He has tried jumping from skyscrapers, even from moving vehicles like trains and cargo trucks. For this, he earned the monicker Bida ng Masa, which he is now using as his slogan in his campaign for the Senate.
"The most dangerous stunt I’ve ever done was hanging from a flying helicopter in the movie on the life of Col. Rudy Aguinaldo. The pilot was not very careful and I hit several trees along the way and I ended up badly bruised. In Hollywood, they now just use a lot of computer tricks and special effects to protect action stars from being harmed. Here, we don’t have that kind of technology yet. I once tried doing a scene like those in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon where I’ll use wires and a harness in doing some sequences then they’ll just erase these through computers. I was told that a five-minute scene would cost P1.2 million! So, sabi ko, huwag na lang. That will be too expensive for a local film."
From showbiz, Lito branched out to government service. He was vice governor for three years (1992 to 1995) and governor for nine years (1995 to the present). In those 12 years, I gained a lot of experience as a public official. As vice governor, I was presiding officer of the provincial board so I already gained some experience about legislation and in studying ordinances that need to be passed. I know this will serve me well in my bid for the Senate."
What prompted him to run for the Senate when he used to say he’s just a high school graduate? "It’s Pres. Gloria Arroyo herself who told me that my 12 years of experience in Pampanga will be a big help in the Senate. And if she herself is trusting me that much, who am I to turn her offer down to be part of her senatorial ticket?"
What are his biggest achievements in Pampanga? "My term coincided with the eruption of Pinatubo and the lahar problem. They wanted to make Pampanga just a catch basin for the lahar flow, but I didn’t give up and with the help of the Ramos administration, we were able to build the megadike to prevent constant flooding in several towns. Then there’s the international airport in Clark Field and the establishment of top business like SM and Robinsons in Pampanga. In terms of infrastructure, I was able to build many schools, roads and bridges. Pero marami pang kulang that’s why I asked my son, Mark, to run as Pampanga governor. I have many projects that remain unfinished, like building a pier for ships in the coastal towns of Sasmuan and Lubao, and putting up a food terminal for goods coming from the northern highlands of Mexico. Mark, who started serving Pampanga when he was 16 as head of the Sangguniang Kabataan, will now finish all these projects for me."
Just like FPJ, Lito has a love child. His son with Melanie Marquez, Manuelito, is 21. "The difference is my life has always been an open book. Even then, alam na ng tao ang tungkol sa kanya. And I can proudly say that I never neglected him."
This is true. In one talk show, Melanie even declared that among the former men in her life, it’s Lito with whom she is on the friendliest terms.
"I’m also happy for Melanie because she has finally found peace of mind with her lawyer-husband," says Lito. "We remain in good terms because of our son who now works and studies in the States. I try to maintain communication lines with him through the phone and I continue to send him support. It’s his decision to live on his own because he wants to learn to live independently."
At the Senate, Lito says he will try his best to help the ailing local film industry. "So many crew members, stars, and stuntmen are losing their bread and butter because very few producers continue to make movies. I will see if we can help solve their problems with taxation so they can get more revenue from financing new films. Maybe we can revive the film fund where they can avail of loans for producing quality films. Siempre, diyan ako nagmula, so I really want to be of help to the industry where I came from."