Grace Poe-Llamanzares. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) Grace Poe -Llamanzares remains undecided whether or not to run for senator in 2013.
“Hintayin na lang po natin ang pormal na anusnyo kasi sa ngayon po ako ay nagtatarabaho sa MTRCB so dapat maging responsable sa pagbibigay ng mga statements (Let’s wait for the formal announcement because I’m now with MTRCB so I should be responsible in giving statements),” Llamanzares told reporters in a chance interview on Tuesday in the Senate.
“Hinihintay ko pa rin syempre ang boss ko, ang ating Pangulo kung ano ang pinal na desisyon (Of course, I’m still waiting for my boss, our President, whatever his final decision is),” she said.
While the President himself had mentioned that she might be part of the administration’s ticket in 2013, Llamanzares said she has yet to hear the final and formal announcement of Aquino and his group, the Liberal Party.
“Alam mo syempre malaking bagay kung ano ang magiging komposisyon ng isang coalition. Kung ano ang magiging mga condition at hangga’t hindi ko syempre naririnig yan hindi ko masasabi ng may katapusan na siguradong makakasali ako (I know it’s a big factor what composition a coalition has. Until I know the condition, I can’t say with finality that I will join),” she said.
The MRCB chief is also being considered as a guest candidate of the United Nationalist Alliance, the new coalition formed between Vice President Jejomar Binay’s PDP-Laban and former President Joseph Estrada’s Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino.
Asked if she would still run with UNA even if she was not included in the LP ticket, Llamanzares refused to give a categorical question although she pointed out how the current administration managed to return the trust and confidence of the people to government institutions.
While she said she was happy with her current work as MTRCB head, Llamanzares hinted her desire to follow the steps of her father, the late Fernando Poe Jr.
Poe ran and lost to former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the controversial election in 2004.
“Alam nyo ganito yun, syempre gusto mong gumawa ng maraming kabutihan sa mas mabilis na pamamaraan pero kakayanin mo ba? Ngayon pag sinasabi nila, bakit papasok sa pulitika e ang dumi dumi ng pulitika? Pero kasi pag pumasok ka dyan at ikaw ay pinagpala at ginawa mo ang trabaho mo ng tama, mas malaki ang pagkakataon para maging dakila para sa iyong kapwa (You know what, it’s like this, of course you want to do good things in a faster manner but could you do it? Now if they told me, why you enter politics knowing it’s a dirty game? But if you accept the challenge and you’re blessed and you do your work right, there’s a big chance to do great things for your fellowman). A chance for greatness,” she explained.
“Iniisip ko rin ang alala ng aking ama. Sa araw-araw na nagtratabaho ko sa MTRCB at nakakaroon ako ng duda kung tama ang ginagawa ko, iniisip ko lang, kung sya ang nakaupo ano ang gagawin nya? Sa tingin ko naman, naging tapat syang tao, hindi man sya nakatapos ng pag aaral nya, marami naman syang natulungan so hindi naman siguro masamang maging gabay kung ano man ang naging prinsipyo nya (I also think of my father. Every day I work at MTRCB and there are instances when I have doubts on what I’m doing, I just think, what if he’s the one sitting here, what would he do? From what I know, he has been an honest man, he may not have finished his studies but he has helped a lot of people so it’s not bad to be guided by his principles)” Llamanzares added.