After a four-year hiatus, Sen. Lito Lapid returns to his first love.
During a thanksgiving lunch for the entertainment press in Quezon City recently, Lapid revealed he is currently shooting a movie opposite Teleserye King Coco Martin entitled "Apag."
"Kapampangan ang dialogue ko rito. Isang offer lang sa akin nitong 'Apag' tinanggap ko na agad kasi makakasama ko rito si Coco Martin," Lapid said.
Lapid, 66, also said that he is excited to work with award-winning director Brillante Mendoza. The last time Lapid and Martin worked together was in the blockbuster TV series "FPJ's Ang Probinsyano" from 2017-2019.
"Marami akong natutunan sa kanya (Brillante). Very strict siya as a director pero relax siya kapag shooting namin," said Lapid, when asked about working with the famed director.
This is the first time that Lapid would experience a lock-in shoot for a film, and he feels uneasy. "Nakakapanibago hindi ka makagalaw. Parang nagiging suplado ka sa mga tao." Lapid last appeared in the movie "Jack Em Popoy: The Puliscredibles" that was shown in 2018.
On Facebook, Lapid's office uploaded some behind-the-scenes photos from his new project. The senator thinks that he would be remembered in this upcoming flick.
"Palagay ko mapapansin ako rito sa pelikula kong ito. Kung dati puro action at nakikita nila akong madalas nakasakay sa kabayo, ngayon iba naman. Drama ako rito," he said.
Lapid pointed out that he does not have any personal social media accounts like Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, that's why bashers would have a hard time relaying their message to him.
"May Facebook ako pero para sa Senate 'yun. Other than that, wala talaga akong personal social media account. Hindi ako nagbabasa, sinasabi lang sa akin. Hindi naman sila puwedeng magalit sa akin dahil hindi ko naman sila inaaway. Hindi ko naman sila minumura at hindi naman ako sumasagot. Baka kako naiingit lang. Mahirap na kalaban 'yung inggit. Minsan akala mo kaibigan mo, kaaway mo pala. Tinataga ka na sa likod hindi mo na alam," he said.
Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority Chief Mark Lapid, son of the senator, said that his father watches a lot of his old movies on YouTube during his spare time. "Yun ang madalas na pinagkaka-abalahan niya kapag nagre-relax siya."
The older Lapid added: "Kapag pinapanood ko yung mga lumang action movies ko kasama ng apo ko, nagtataka ako paano ko nagawa ang mga ito. Noong kabataan ko parang wala akong kamatayan kung tumalon. Ako rin nagtataka."
Lapid said that he will serve as a senator until 2025. After that, he can still run for another term. But the former action star reiterated that he does not have a plan to run for president. "Wala naman akong pangarap maging president. Yung mga maiingay lang naman sa Senado ang may mga pangarap (na tumakbong presidente). Ako wala."
Lapid believes that he's an effective civil servant, having won three times in the Senate race in 2004, 2010, and 2019.
"Magtatagal ba ako sa Senado kung hindi nila nalalaman yung mga ginagawa ko? Hindi lang talaga ako maingay. Ayoko makipag-away. Pansamantala lang naman ako rito. Hindi habang panahon senador ako," he said. “Marami namang magagaling na artista na pulitiko. Siguro, isa ako sa kinukutya dahil hindi naman ako nakapag-aral. Dahil high school graduate lang ako, hindi ako marunong mag-Ingles at hindi ako marunong makipag-debate sa mga magagaling dahil puro abogado ‘yun. Pero kung sa experience, may karapatan naman na ako dahil 30 years na akong nanunungkulan bilang public servant."
Lapid has expressed support to the tandem of senators Panfilo Lacson Sr. and Tito Sotto III of Partido Reporma in the May 2022 national elections.
He also endorses the Pinuno partylist led by its first nominee Howard Guintu whose main advocacy focuses on housing for the poor.
"Ang bawat Pilipino ay may karapatang magkabahay. Ano man ang iyong estado, kasama mo kami sa iyong pangarap na tahanan. Ang partido Pinuno, kaagapay mong magkabahay!" said Guintu.