House Deputy Speaker Rep. Loren Legarda of Antique and actress-social media influencer Alex Gonzaga-Morada may seem like the total opposite. But that doesn’t stop them from solidifying their friendship. Their fellowship began almost two years ago. Yet it looks like they have known each other for many years now.
The two empowered female personalities have talked about each other in interviews, appeared together in videos, and even gone on personal appearances.
During a Zoom interview, Alex recalled her memorable visit to Antique, where she was invited by Cong. Loren for four days and three nights. From Dubai, where she had a concert with her sister Toni Gonzaga-Soriano, Alex went on an unforgettable journey to the majestic province with Cong. Loren, her idol, a front-runner in the senatorial race. It was the comedienne’s first time visiting the province in Western Visayas.
Here's the interview:
Manila Bulletin Entertainment: Hello Alex! I understand you visited Antique. So what are the highlights of your trip to the province?
Alex: We have a running joke about that. Ganun kami ka close ni ma’am loren. Si ma’am Loren kaya hindi ko siya makakalimutan kasi siya yung nagbuhos sa akin ng gatas. Iinumin pa nga ni ma’am Loren 'yung gatas. Sabi ko wag mo na inumin. charot hahaha! I’m so happy I went to Antique. Ang daming nagrereply sa akin na mga followers ko. Ay thank you for coming to our province. That’s my province, yung iba taga ibang bansa. They’re very happy na nabisita, nakita ko yung ganda. Tsaka ang bait ng mga tao sa Antique. So they’re very happy na nabisita ko sila. I’m sure matutuwa sila kapag nakita nila sa vlog, di ba? Sana mas maraming ma-enganyo na pumunta (sa Antique) kasi ang dami talagang magagandang lugar doon.”
MBE How are the locals of Antique?
Alex: Sobrang bait ng mga locals, parang feeling mo taga Antique ka na. Sobrang welcoming nila tapos nakakatuwa kasi parang alam nila yung mga ginagawa mo. Alam nila yung vlogs mo, alam nila yung noontime show namin ‘Lunch Out Loud.’ Kilala nila yung mga uncle ko, kaya malalaman mo talaga na nanonood sila, supporter sila. So parang hindi mo maiisip na buti nakabisita ka, na-meet mo sila lahat, and they are very excited to meet us, and they’re very approachable.
MBE: What about the products of Antique?
Alex: Ako talaga city person ako. Gusto ko talaga yung city, city, city. Pero ngayong medyo nagkakaedad ka na, na-appreciate mo na yung nature. Na-appriciate mo na yung mga trees, na-appreciate mo na yung nagrerelax ka lang. Massage ganun, parang dati hindi ko akalain na ma aapreciate ko yun, pero now, na-appreciate ko siya. Tsaka yung kapag nakakakita ka ng mga produktong Pinoy, parang excited ka. Pag ako nakakakita ako, ay parang ang ganda nito ewan ko ba. Baka dahil kay ma’am Loren yun. Parang gusto ko sa bahay ko may ganun.
Loren: Meron ba akong impluwensya sayo? Biglang naging gusto mo ang Filipino products, mga nature. Di ba?
Alex: Yes, ma'm!
MBE: Did you enjoy your visit to Antique? Are you going back?
Alex: Yes, nag-enjoy ako sa Antique. Bitin eh kaya babalik ako roon!
MBE: Cong. Loren and Alex, when and how did your friendship start? You're so relaxed with each other.
Alex: Last year, I think last year pa, mga first quarter last year. Kasi si ma’am Loren, parang feeling ko mas magiging close niya ang ate ko. So nag interview sila, ng ate ko. Tapos parang natutuwa ako sa kanya. Ako ang impression ko talaga kay ma’am Loren, is parang matalino, strict. Parang feeling ko yung hindi kami magkakasundo. Pero yung nakita ko siya sa interview, tapos nung kinuwento ng ate ako, huy alam mo ang cute cute ni ma’am Loren. She’s very nice, ang cute niya kasama, parang ang dami mong matutunan sa kanya. Sige ate, sana maging guest siya sa vlog ko. Nung ininvite ko siya sa vlog ko, syempre wala naman siyang idea na ipaprank ko siya.
Loren: Natutuwa talaga ako sa batang 'to, kasi both of them sila ni Toni, I told mommy Pinty, she’s so lucky to have children like them. Parang polar opposite, sabi naman ni Alex, parang ako daw si ate niya. Serious di ba? Tapos puro trabaho, eh si Alex, she’s my polar opposite at tsaka hindi ako madaling patawanin eh. But siya, maski corny, natatawa ako. Tsaka ang kulit. Usually naiirita ako sa makukulit, pero kay Alex hindi ako naiinis, natutuwa ako sa batang to. At tsaka she’s able to grasp everything. Even if biro yan ng biro, she’s very bright, and she’s able to absorb everything so I like to mentor her, at tsaka natutuwa ako sa grupo niya. Welcome ako sa grupo nila at sa family nila nakakatuwa.
MBE: Opposites do attract. Alex is makulit and Cong. is serious.
Alex: Ma’am Loren really wants other people to be successful because she’s not uhmm hiding na malaman ng ibang tao yung secret, why she’s successful. She shares. She keeps it open, she wants everybody to learn, she wants everybody to know kung ano yung secret para maging ganyan, kung ano yung passion niya, kung ano yung operation niya kung bakit niya naiisip yung maraming batas na naiisip niya. Ayun parang achievement na sa akin ang maprank siya.
MBE: Cong, I have a hypothetical question. Should Alex decide to join politics, what will you tell her? What is your advice?
Loren: Ang advice ko do not enter politics.
Alex: Kahit SK?
Loren: Ang advice ko, in everything you do, just follow your passion. Follow your passion, wherever that takes you. Whether it's entrepreneurship, being a lawmaker, or it's being in show business or in entertainment. Whatever, follow your passion. Whatever makes you happy.
Alex: Ma’am lodi, what if my passion is to prank you?
Loren: Oh my God, then I will build my defense mechanism against the prankster.
MBE: Alex, the best advice you've learned from Cong. Loren so far.
Alex: Best advice, alam mo sa totoo lang, it’s to love the environment. Kasi ako dahil nga city girl, well not really a city, kasi taga Taytay ako, pero parang mas gusto ko yung city life. Tapos syempre, as a young girl, parang (hindi na ako ganun ka young). As a young girl, hindi mo naiisip yung mga bagay na importante talaga. And then, nung nameet ko si Ma’am Loren, yung parang marerealize mo na how successful she is. How accomplished she is. But then she really loves the environment because, totoo naman eh, we can’t live without the environment di ba? Dun tayo nakatira, yun yung nagfefeed sa atin. Pero yung pagmamahal niya sa ganung mga bagay, yung mga hindi mo napapansin, napapansin nya. You just don’t focus on being successful. Alone, you have to make sure na even yung paligid mo, the people around you are successful, are thriving di ba?
MBE: So Alex, no doubt, Cong. Loren is your role model?
Alex: Oo. Sobrang role model ko na yan, minsan nga kapag tinititigan ko yan, gusto ko na sabay na kami maligo eh para lang talagang makita ko. Kasi nga parang ano siya eh, pero what’s good about her also is she’s very open. She’s not close minded, she’s also asking you, hindi siya yung ako lang, ako lang, ako lang. Kaya masarap siya kasama, kasi you’ll learn from her, and she wants to learn from you also.
MBE: Now that you've known Cong. Loren, what wrong impressions would you like to correct about her?
Alex: Siguro na masungit, pero parang hindi naman, hindi siya masungit, and ako kasi yung impression ko sa kanya matalino, tsaka strict, uptight, ayun na lang. She’s not uptight. Kasi hindi ko naman naisip na masungit eh, kasi nga nakikita ko siya dati sa TV na parang mabait naman siya, so uptight. Yung parang, you can’t joke around her, or you can’t be yourself with her, but hindi siya ganun. You can be yourself, she’s fine, she just wants you to be comfortable around her. You don’t have to be your best self around her. You just have to be yourself and she’s okay with that. Masarap siyang kasama.