Estrada: From Asiong Salonga to Atlas

Yesterday, Asiong Salonga, underdog hero. Today, Atlas, the Greek titan who bore the heavens on his shoulders.

President Estrada adopted yet another persona yesterday, saying that like Atlas, he would carry many Fi-lipino families out of their poverty by the time his term ends in 2004.

During the 26th founding anniversary of the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation Inc. (Mowelfund), Mr. Estrada told his former colleagues in the industry that the life of a President is like that of a film hero, who gets beaten to a pulp before emerging triumphant in the end.

"Hindi ko akalain na ganito kahirap ang maging pangulo ng ating bansa. Para akong si Atlas na pasan ang buong problema ng sambayanan (I never knew being president would be this hard. I'm like Atlas who bears on his back the problems of the Filipino people)," the President said.

Mr. Estrada at the same time urged movie workers, especially those elected to office, to serve with integrity, since the mistake of one can be taken as a general indictment of all of them.

A much-awarded action star before joining politics, the President was a founding organizer of the Mowelfund, which provides assistance to the rank and file of the movie industry and their families, and gives grants to independent filmmakers.

"Utang na loob ko sa masang Pilipino ang aking pagiging pangulo kaya gagawin ko ang lahat ng aking makakaya para matupad ko ang aking pangakong ibangon sila sa kahirapan (I owe my being president to the masses, so I'll do everything I can to lift them out of their poverty)," he said.

It was not first time Mr. Estrada publicly admitted his misgivings and laments about the "greatest role" he has ever played.

He even reminisced anew about his experience and training as a movie actor when he had to turn in at the wee hours of the morning just to complete the shooting of his movies, a habit which he seems to have carried on to the presidency.

"Dahil sa ngayon, kailangan kong magpuyat sa dami ng problema ng ating bayan (Because now, I have to sleep late worrying about the country's many problems)," he said.

And just as an actor has his critics, so does the presidency.

"Gaano man karami bumabatikos sa akin, hindi ko na iyan pinapansin. Alam ko naman na madali ang mamintas ngunit mas mahirap ang gumawa (No matter how many criticize me, I just ignore them. I know that it's easy to criticize but hard to work)," he said.

But unlike Atlas whose superhuman strength enabled him to carry the burden alone, the President appealed to his colleagues, either elected officials or those planning to run in the future, to help him reduce poverty incidence in the country.

"Aaminin ko sa inyo na hindi ko kayang mag-isa ang ating laban sa kahirapan. Kailangan ko ang inyong tulong dahil alam kong malaki ang inyong magagawa (I admit that I can't fight poverty alone; I need your help because I know that you can do much)," he said. -