Bold star is Ecija councilor

TALAVERA, Nueva Ecija — Make way for Councilor Barbara Milano.

The sultry, sexy star, who is Anabel Ramos in real life, is now a member of the municipal council here after emerging as the top vote-getter in last week’s elections.

Milano garnered a record 15,000 votes, a full 1,000 votes ahead of the second placer.

Milano ran under the Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija (Balane) party whose mayoral and vice mayoral bets — former Cabanatuan City engineer Nerito Santos and Maritess Gabor — won convincingly over their rivals.

Santos won by some 3,000 votes over outgoing Vice Mayor Tila Sebastian and Alma Fausto, wife of outgoing three-term Mayor Lito Fausto.

Santos, Gabor and Milano all got support from the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC).

What made Milano’s victory remarkable was that she was the only Balane candidate to land a seat in the municipal council.

"Lone survivor nga pero No. 1 naman (yet she is number one)," Santos said.

Santos said Milano could prove to be a big asset to his incoming administration, particularly in cleanliness and beautification which were her campaign issues.

"Artista’t hindi, basta’t gustong tumulong, makakatulong (Actress or not, if she wants to help, she can help)," he said.

He described the actress-turned-councilor as charismatic and industrious. "She sometimes campaigned by her lonesome. Hindi mo makikitaan ng kaselanan at makamasa siya (You would not see her being fussy and she blends with the masses)," he said.

"Hindi naman gumastos ‘yan nag-No. 1 pa (She did not spend much yet she’s number one)," he added.

Milano, who hails from Barangay Pula, is the daughter of farmer Feliciano Ramos. She took up midwifery at the Good Samaritan College in Cabanatuan City, worked briefly in Japan and then returned home and tried show business.

This early, Milano is being bruited about as a possible mayoral candidate in future elections. She garnered more votes than mayor-elect Santos.

"Depende yan sa performance niya (That depends on her performance)," Santos said.