Annabelle Rama to register as voter in Cebu City, eyes north congressional seat to help mayor

Celebrity talent manager Annabelle Rama is visiting Cebu City today to register as a voter of the north district.

She’s seriously thinking of running for congress in 2013, a spot that will put her on a collision course with incumbent Rep. Rachel “Cutie” del Mar.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, a first cousin of the entertainment figure, confirmed that he was the one who invited Annabelle to run for office, an offer that first surfaced in Twitter accounts of the showbiz manager and her actress daughter Ruffa Gutierrez.

“Mo sulod man gani ang ubang artista sa politika, siya pa kaha nga Rama na daan,” the mayor said. (Other actors are entering politics, why not her, when she’s already a Rama.)

The mayor said Annabelle, who like him is a grandchild of Don Vicente Rama, is based in Metro Manila but owns a house in the mountain barangay of San Jose in the north district.

Annabelle’s brother Basak San Nicolas barangay captain George Rama spoke with her by phone yesterday to arrange her flight to Cebu and brief her on requirements for voter registration.

He said he tried to discourage Annabelle from seeking public office because it was a costly investment in time and money. George estimated that a candidate running for congress would have to spend P10 million to P15 million. “Ang akong tambag niya nga dili ko gusto mo dagan siya kay busy siya sa negosyo, sa showbiz, sa iyang pamilya. Mabahin ang iyang oras ug mo sulod siya sa politika,” said George. (My advice to her was not to run because she’s busy with her business, showbiz, and her family. Her time will be diverted once she enters politics.)

If Annabelle pursues an election bid, it will be known for sure in early October yet, the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy.

Her sudden decision to transfer voter’s registration to Cebu City fills a gap in the lineup of Mayor Rama who still lacks a congressional candidate in the north district for Team Rama.

Fielding Annabelle would challenge a reelection bid of Rep. Rachel del Mar or that of her father, former congressman Raul del Mar.

“I shall reserve my comments about all probable candidates for Cebu City’s north district until after they file their Certificates of Candidacy in October,” Cutie del Mar said when sought for comment.

A one-year residency requirement for candidates is also believed to be behind the timing of Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia’s sudden decision last May 4 to transfer her voter’s registration.

She moved from Dumanjug town in the 2nd district to the next town of Barili in the 3rd district, whose representative is her brother Rep. Pablo John Garcia, who announced that he is running for Cebu governor.

Actress Ruffa Gutierrez posted on her Twitter account on Wednesday that her mother was invited to run for congresswoman in Cebu City.

Her Twitter account @iloveruffag read, Mom@annabellerama2 excitedly tells me that she’s being offered to run for Congresswoman in her hometown in Cebu.

“I’m like, whattt?? Kaloka.” (It’s crazy)

Minutes after Ruffa’s tweet, Annabelle responded that it was not her fault if she was chosen to run for congresswoman in the north district.

Annabelle said in her message @loveruffag “Bakit ka ba na shocked! Kasalanan ko ba kung ako ang napili para sa North District of Cebu?” (Why are you shocked! Is it my fault if I am picked for the North District of Cebu?)

Carmen Rama del Prado, the matriarch of the clan and only surviving daughter of Don Vicente Rama, said in an interview that she would not want her niece Annabelle to join politics.

“If I talk to her, I will tell her to get out of it.  She is better off handling herself, her talents and her family,” said del Prado.

Annabelle was born in Cebu City but her family and work is based in Manila.

She is married to actor Eddie Gutierrez, and is the mother of six children, most of them in the entertainment industry.

Ruffa and Richard are popular movie actors. Her other children are Raymond, Elvis, Rocky and Ritchie Paul Gutierrez.

Annabelle, who kept her Bisaya accent and often speaks Cebuano in a Tagalog-dominated entertainment industry in Manila, is the talent manager of J.C. De Vera, Ehra Madrigal and Nicole Anderson.

George Rama, her brother, said the celebrity talent manager “has the intention to run for office.” “Ug mo dagan siya dili na man kinahanglan mangumpanya ug maayo kay daghan na man ang naka ila niya.  Bisan mga bata ug tiguwang naka ila niya,” said George.

(If she runs, she doesn’t have to campaign hard because many people recognize her. Even old people know her.)/with Correspondent Tweeny Malinao