MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Loren Legarda recently marked her 50th birthday with a unique People’s Day celebration offering job fair, free medical, dental, haircut, eyeglasses services plus environmental education for many thousands of well-wishers in San Pablo Central Elementary School in her father’s hometown of San Pablo City, Laguna. Students of various schools (including winners in the recent coconut festival) performed pop songs and folk dances, while Loren surprised them by going up on stage to sing Karen Carpenter’s song I Won’t Last a Day Without You to the tumultuous cheers of the crowd.
The award-winning TV host, journalist, now top legislator, international environmental advocate and vice-presidential candidate said in Tagalog: “This special day of my life I share with you my kababayan of San Pablo City and Laguna province, not only as a celebration but more as a day of public service. My whole life I have dedicated to public service and to hopes of helping change our nation with dynamic socio-economic reforms. Thank you for sharing my dream of a better, more green and progressive Philippine society.”
The senator also announced that her bill on additional benefits for senior citizens was recently passed. It shall exempt senior citizens from VAT. Loren is the principal author along with Sen. Pia Cayetano. Old residents of San Pablo fondly remember Loren’s late great-grandfather Potenciano Cabrera who once served as mayor of this city famous for its beautiful seven lakes and buko pie.
Apart from the endless stream of many thousand ordinary people from students, housewives, farmers, teachers, tricycle and jeepney drivers, workers, OFW relatives and even senior citizens shaking her hand or kissing her like a movie star, Loren was greeted by many governors, mayors, barangay captains and other leaders of southern Luzon and other regions. Among the leaders who joined Loren’s People’s Day birthday included Nacionalista Party presidential candidate Manny Villar, her Nationalist People’s Coalition president, the 87-year-old Frisco San Juan and former TV host and now Nacionalista senatorial bet Gilbert Remulla.