Count them out of politics, said Jericho Rosales and Mon Confiado, who both rejected the idea of running for president in the future.
The fact that Rosales and Confiado both played the roles of the country’s first Chief Executives in the upcoming biopic, ‘Quezon,’ is not lost on them. However, when asked if they are open to the idea of being the top officials of the land, the answer was a firm ‘no.’
‘The [short] answer is no,’ Rosales said during the film’s grand media con in Manila on Tuesday, Oct. 7. ‘The long answer is, I came from [a trip] where there is a free walking tour. The tour guy said at the end, we just need leaders who care. Generally, sincerely, care. That’s all we need.’
Rosales, who portrays Manuel L. Quezon, said while everyone is privileged to learn from different platforms, it is all about prioritizing the country at all costs, noting that it’s a ‘genuine’ intention that comes from the heart.
‘I never graduated. I never went to college. Natuto ako mag-Ingles dahil sa telebisyon. Ang dami mong pwedeng pag-aralan online or sa libro, lahat kaya mo. Pero wag wala sa puso mo at hindi genuine sa’yo ang pag-care at pag-silbi sa isang tao, hindi mangyayari ‘yan. Paano pa kaya kung isang bansa?’ he said.
(I never graduated. I never went to college. I learned how to speak English because of television. You can learn from various online platforms or through books. You can learn everywhere. However, if it doesn’t come from the heart, or if your care and service to the public are not genuine, it will never happen. What happens if the country is at stake?) ‘Ang pinakamahal ko sa buhay ay sining, paano ko ipagpapalit ang sining sa posisyon? Paano ko pagsasabayin ang sining at ito? At iba pang bokasyon at pamumuno ng bansa?’ he said. ‘Hindi madali maging [mamumuno ng isang] bansa, so ang hinihiling namin ay puso ng isang presidente.’
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(What I love most in the world is the arts. How will I exchange it for a government position? How will I balance my responsibilities in art and politics, as well as other vocations, and serve the nation? It’s not easy to lead the nation. So what I ask for is for someone to have the heart of the president?)
Meanwhile, Confiado, who plays Emilio Aguinaldo in the movie, said that taking on a government position never crossed his mind.
‘Ako, hindi. Wala akong kahilig-hilig sa pulitika. Ni minsan, hindi pumasok sa isip ko na pumasok sa pulitika. Aminado ako na hindi ko kakayanin at wala akong alam (Me, no. I am not fond of politics at all. Entering politics never crossed my mind. I know that I can’t handle it and I don’t know anything about it),’ he said.
Solving corruption
Since ‘Quezon’ is described as a film that traces the roots of the country’s political landscape, Rosales was also asked about how the Philippines and its countrymen can solve corruption.
The question stems from the ongoing probe into the alleged corruption of flood control funds involving officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), lawmakers and private contractors.