Saddened by Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr.'s defeat in the May 12 polls, Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin said the call to boycott showbiz personalities in the elections--just because they were former entertainers--should have been challenged in some way.
"Pasensya na po ha kasi talagang ako'y nalungkot na hindi nanalo si Senator Bong Revilla bilang aming chairperson at aming kapartido (I'm really sorry, but I feel quite saddened that Senator Bong Revilla did not win as he is our chairperson and party member)," Garin said in a recent Facebook live video.
"Yung mga artista, inisyuhan na wag iboto. Ako ay talagang tumatawag sa partido na dapat sagutin siya. Kasi pwede naman sanang sagutin eh (They made an issue out of showbiz personalities, and called for their boycott. It was an issue that I asked the party to answer. Because it could have been answered)," she said.
The lady solon and former Department of Health (DOH) secretary is a Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) stalwart.
Revilla, who first gained fame decades ago as an action movie star, failed in his reelection bid after landing 14th in the 2025 Senate race. Only the top 12 senatorial candidates were given seats in the upcoming 20th Congress.
"Eh maganda sana ito sagutin eh. Kasi kapag hindi natin masagot ang isang issue, nananatiling katotohanan yung mga maling bagay naman (It would have been a good issue to answer. Because when we fail to answer an issue, the lies become truths)," Garin said.
She went on to cite as example two former actors-turned-politicians from other political parties who have made their mark in the realm of politics.
"Andyan si [Manila Mayor] Isko [Moreno]. Eh di ba nung siya ay nag-mayor, madami naman siyang naipakita na magagandang accomplishment niya? (There's Manila Mayor Isko Moreno. When he was mayor, didn't he show many great accomplishments?)," said the Iloilo solon.
"Marami ring mga artista, oh si Senator [Tito] Sotto. Eh performer naman na senador yan. Marami eh (There are also many artists, look at Senator Tito Sotto, he was a performer-turned-senator. There are many like him), Garin said of the former Senate President.
"Marami ring tayong mga officials who came from the entertainment industry, nanalo, nagkaroon ng posisyon, at nagkaroon ng mga legacy programs. Nagkaroon ng output, May accomplishment," she continued.
(We also have several officials who came from the entertainment industry, won, held positions, and established legacy programs. They gave their output. They had accomplishments.)
Moreno, president of Aksyon Demokratiko; and Sotto, chairman of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) won in their respective races during last week's polls.