Face to Face: Sen. Kiko Pangilinan and Chuva Chienes

This was a meeting by chance. How can a lowly blogger such as Chuva Chienes get a chance to meet one of the most prominent Philippine Senators today? Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan was unknown to me before I cooked up a video entitled, “Sharon Cuneta for First Lady 2010”. I knew of him by association to our Megastar, Sharon Cuneta but I didn’t know anything about him.

An idea came up as a friend and I (let’s call her Gihanna) were on a train ride from work.  She knew that I am a Megastar fan and while speaking about her we thought, “Wouldn’t it be nice if Sharon Cuneta becomes the First Lady of the Philippines?”   Of course, the idea was born because we were imagining how Filipino Fashion Designers would clamour to dress her up during her state visits and international functions.  A representation of our country in the most fashionable sense possible.  Kind of a fantasy really.  I thought the idea was brilliant!

JUMP for the SURPRISE

I went home one night and gathered photos of the Megastar and started creating the video.  I took one look and said to myself, with Sharon’s silent charities – this could really be possible.  She could possibly be a good model.  With KC’s involvement with the World Food Programme, I became more excited.   Even then, I had no idea who Sen. Kiko Pangilinan was.

To make this long story short, the video was created and posted on Youtube.  The views started to come.  Then, the comments.  I was suprised to find that there were a lot of positive comments about Sen. Kiko Pangilinan and a few negative ones.  I was wondering where the negative ones were coming from. I decided to read up on him.  I was surprised to find out from his resume on Wikipedia about his accomplishments and his humble beginnigs.

Kiko, as he is widely known, first made his mark as a young lawyer giving free legal assistance on-air and closely monitored case progress through the television program “Hoy Gising!” over ABS-CBN where he was a co-anchor and segment host. He also anchored radio programs, including “Batas” and “Relos Report with Atty. Kiko” over DZMM, programs aimed at making the Philippine’s legal court system more understandable to the masses by increasing their understanding of their rights and duties under the law.

After an 18-month hiatus from local broadcast media, he returned by conceptualizing and then hosting “Barangay Dos”, a service-oriented television program aired over ABS-CBN, dedicated to finding solutions to the everyday problems of the common Filipinos. The program established him as an intelligent, articulate, working, and involved lawyer and a media personality

At this point, I was a bit convinced.  But how popular was he among Filipinos?  I didn’t know.  I placed a poll on this blog asking people to vote if they would elect Kiko Pangilinan should he run for the Presidency.  Approximately 60% of the people polled said yes.  33% said no, and less than 1% said they will vote for him only because they are a fan of Sharon Cuneta.

At that time in November, President Obama was just elected.  I had voted for him.  I was optimistic about the change that he can bring to the United States of America, to the world.  I had felt that the Philippines need the same excitement for change.  I was excited about Kiko Pangilinan, about Sharon Cuneta, about the CHANGE needed for the Philippines.  Kiko has a Facebook account and I noticed a lot of YOUNG Filipinos are excited about his programs.  They are energized by his team.  I figured, if the youth of our country becomes involved in expecting change for our country, this will be a win-win situation.  With the elections about a year and a half away then, I created a video called “Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan for President 2010“.  I posted it on Facebook as well.  A couple of months later, Kiko visited my blog and commented on my entry about him.

Kiko Says: February 18th, 2009 at 10:06 pm Thank you so much for posting a message on my facebook wall. Thank you too for your ‘endorsement’ for 2010. I have yet to decide whether I will be a candidate for higher office of if I will simply support a candidate for higher office come 2010. I think I would be a great first gentleman to Sharon…haha! Cheers! Kiko Pangilinan

Ako, isang hamak na blogger?  I was  honored to have my blog  visited by Sen. Kiko Pangilinan.  Sobrang excitement, I blogged about it.

That’s when I connected with his colleagues on Facebook.  I wasn’t aware that they were reading my blog.  Thanks to Georg and Jojo for getting in touch with me.  We had discussed the possibility of Chuva meeting Sen. Kiko Pangilinan.  It was a conversation in passing.. nothing concrete really.  Although, I had already scheduled a vacation in the Philippines back in January for the month of May, they thought – it may be a good opportunity for us to meet.

With my schedule and Sen. Kiko’s schedule, I figured it would probably not happen.  I only have two weeks wherein I will be in Manila.  Sen. Kiko was scheduled to accompany Sharon for her month-long Mega30 TOUR in the US and Canada within a few days of my arrival.  I figured, “Que Sera, Sera…”

With Georg Nava’s help, we coordinated a tentative schedule to meet either the 16th or the 18th of May.  Still unsure about time and all  I said to myself, “Bahala na… sana matuloy!”    By the time I arrived in Manila on the 15th, and a busy schedule on the 16th, the day came and went.  No contact.  My hopes of meeting Sen. Kiko was dwindling.

By the 17th, I received a text message from Georg.  A meeting with Sen. Kiko in Makati.  Due to his schedule, we cannot decide on the exact time we were to meet.  We decided to touch base on the 18th to firm up the exact time.  By noon on the 18th, I received another text message asking if I will be free at 1:30 p.m. for the meeting.  I was with friends having lunch and couldn’t.  Besides, I wasn’t properly dressed to meet a Senator.  I had to decline and suggest a 2:00 meeting.  It was agreed.. we will meet at 2:00 p.m. at MESA Restaurant in Makati.

You will never know what happened next….

I GOT TO MEET SEN. KIKO PANGILINAN!!!

What happened next was PURE BONUS… follow this link for the surprise…

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