Susan Roces pitches for Grace Poe

Susan Roces: Seeking support for daughter

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines—Movie actress Susan Roces returned to her roots in this city on Wednesday to campaign for her daughter, Grace Poe-Llamanzares, a candidate for senator with the administration Team PNoy coalition.

Roces went to the public markets, surprising vendors and customers who were delighted to see her and gave her a warm welcome.

“Thank you so much for making me feel so welcome. I missed all of you. I am here to ask for your support for my daughter, Grace Poe. She will continue the plans of her father, Fernando Poe Jr., for the people, especially the less fortunate,” she told those who came up to shake her hand.

Roces said Poe shared her father’s passion for serving the poor.

Grace’s platform builds on her father’s social covenant and focuses on poverty alleviation, opportunities for all, especially the children, and on electoral reforms, Roces said.

She said that Grace, whom the elder Poes adopted, was God’s gift to them.

The househelp of a friend, Tessie Valencia, found the baby in a church in Iloilo in September 1968 and brought her to Manila.

The friend, who was single and could not adopt the baby, asked Roces if she was interested.

Roces said she was hesitant at first since they had just gotten married but her husband fell in love with the infant.

Roces was born Jesusa Purificacion Sonora in Bacolod City on July 28, 1941, to Dr. Jesus Tonggoy Sonora and Purificacion Levy. She belongs to the Locsin clan of Negros.

A forebear, Wo Sin Lok, a peddler from Amoy, China, had himself baptized into the Catholic Church as Agustin Locsin and married Cecilia Sayson of Molo District in Iloilo.

Roces studied at La Consolacion College in Bacolod, where she developed her talent for acting under its noted speech and drama teacher, Luisa Medel.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said that since Grace Poe’s mother was a Bacolodnon, she should be considered the senatorial candidate from Bacolod.