Risa Hontiveros interviewed some months ago

Many months ago, the Manila Bulletin published in its "Students & Campuses Bulletin" section a long interview with Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros. My blog now carries that interview to give you a chance to get to know much better the heart and mind behind the face of this "magandang panlaban sa magandang laban -- magandang pagkatao na tumatagos sa magandang anyo."
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Read at least some parts of the interview below and you'll probably agree with me that Ms. Hontiveros has the blessed and heroic character and perspectives that have long prepared her to be the people's own senator that they can be proud of, and she would surely shine brighter in statesmanship for the nationwide popular constituency as a senator:

Buletin's Editorial intro:
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(What's) a tall, mestiza lady from a privileged background doing representing the masa in Congress, marching with them on the streets, up against the police, even facing down water cannons? Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros-Baraquel may not look the part, but she certainly takes on the role with genuine passion and sincerity.
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. As one of the three representatives of the party list Akbayan in Congress, Baraquel is one with her colleagues in taking an anti-trapo (traditional politician) stand on issues such as agrarian reform, large-scale commercial mining and logging, solid waste management, renewable energy, and the war in Mindanao. And she is not all talk, her legislative track record reflects this passion and commitment. A well-known women's rights advocate, Baraquel has filed several bills in Congress for the protection of women and the promotion of their rights. Among them are the Reproductive Health Bill, which aims to provide the necessary reproductive health information to empower women with knowledge and to protect them from sexually-transmitted diseases; the Anti-Prostitution Bill, which looks at prostitution as a symptom of inequitable and exploitative social structures and prostitutes, as victims rather than criminals; and the Gender Balance Bill, which will ensure women's representation in all structures of governance.
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. In a congress full of grandstanding mad men and women, hiding behind their speech writers, Baraquel most certainly stands apart. She distinguishes her party from other supposed leftist groups as part of the “New Left” which is democratic and is building a reform constituency. She speaks softly, but packs big, hard-hitting words, very straightforward and unafraid. A far cry from the impression that she is a fragile, sheltered kolehiyala. She would go as far as naming names even when attacking the powers-that-be. .
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. Though known for her stint as a TV journalist, working in front and behind the camera for 10 years, Baraquel has quietly but steadfastly been involved in various advocacies. In 1998 she was a member of the government peace panel conducting negotiations with the CPP-NPA. This has provided her with the necessary perspective in addressing pressing issues of peace and human rights, and has earned her a Nobel Peace Prize nomination. Her activism traces itself much earlier. Even as a high school junior at St. Scholastica's College, she has already taken leadership positions in student organizations and helped articulate the voice of the youth on national issues. At the Ateneo de Manila University, she was also at the forefront of the student movement. She graduated cum laude with a degree in Social Science. She imagined a future career in research, writing or teaching but an opportunity came that totally changed her life. An Ateneo-based non-government organization was looking for a replacement for then host Loren Legarda, who was leaving to join ABS-CBN and she got the job after a brief audition. Before she quit broadcasting and focused full-time on politics, she was awarded the KBP Golden Dove Award for Best Female Newscaster in 2001.
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. But amid all this, she's a mother. When she's not in the session hall, the 43-year-old widow spends most of her time with her four kids, Kiko, 16, Issa, 13, Ianna, 12, and Sinta, 7. She regularly visits her late husband Frank at Himlayang Pilipino who passed away in 2005 due to heart attack. She and Frank had been married for almost 15 years, and Baraquel admits, she sorely misses him as she always discussed her decisions with him. Although her involvement in politics has left her weary and exasperated at times, she believes that one day, change will come.
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. In this 60-minute interview, Baraquel candidly talks about her strong convictions and advocacies, the immature politics in the country, on running for the Senate, as well as menopause and her Jonas Brothers experience.
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Bulletin: How did you become an activist?
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RISA: When I was 15, in second year high school in St. Scholastica's College Manila, Mommy brought me to a forum of the Nuclear Free Philippines Coalition. I was so inspired by them that when I went back to school, I formed a group that we very literally and modestly called Nuclear Disarmament Group. You don’t have to guess what we were about. (laughs) We organized a total of three symposia that year, and two of them, the old man Senator Lorenzo Tañada spoke, so we were very happy about that. Kaya ngayon, dito sa bill ni Mark Cojuangco finally commercially operating the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, nangungumbinsi siya, sabi ko “Marc, sorry, this is the issue over which I became an activist in the first place.”I entered college the year that Ninoy Aquino was assassinated and was still there during the EDSA Revolution when umusbong ulit ‘yung student movement. I was active in the student council and in different student organizations.
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Bulletin: Were your parents okay with your activism?
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RISA: Si mommy nga nagdala sa akin sa forum. Pero hindi naman siguro niya naisip na magiging aktibista ako. At least in high school, my activism was confined to the campus. Pwede na lang silang mag-alala in college, when we would go out for demonstrations and join immersion programs. I once stayed with a fisherfolk family in Laguna during my freshman year. But they would accompany us to rallies.Yung pamilya namin, may ganung kabukasan. My parents, like many middle-class people, voted for Marcos in 1965, thinking he was an alternative to the, they said, then “corrupt” President Macapagal. But by 1969, ayaw na nila. The corruption and human rights violations issues were emerging. I remember during Martial Law, ‘pag may family reunion, ‘pag patak ng hatinggabi, curfew na ‘yun. We would look over the balcony of my tito’s house, makikita naming ‘yung mga magulang namin nag-uusap. They would be talking in low tones pero galit na sila.
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Bulletin: It didn’t interfere with your studies?
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RISA: Well, I hope not. Nagtapos naman ako. (laughs) I did alright in my studies. I missed being valedictorian both times but was considered. Hindi naman ako ikinahihiya ng department ko. (laughs)
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Bulletin: Did you feel optimistic after People Power?
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RISA: When I look back on the first People Power, even knowing all the disappointment and the sins of omission that followed, those were still our golden years. Ipinakita natin ulit how good we could be as a people.Even looking back at Cory now, knowing what she could have done but didn’t do regarding agrarian reform, Hacienda Luisita, or foreign debt na hindi niya ginawa, she meant something to us then. She was that person at that moment. Puno ako ng pag-asa dahil bumalik tayo sa democratization. ‘Yun din ang pinakamalalim na heartbreak din kaugnay nung mga taon na sumunod. Tingnan niyo ngayon, anong klaseng pulitika meron tayo. The best of the worst of trapo politics.
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Bulletin: Who dropped the ball during those years?
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RISA: Good question. It was both the administration, and more specifically, the old and new elite who conspired to take back the People Power Revolution from citizens, at tayo ring mga mamamayan. The way that the Macapagal-Arroyo administration betrayed EDSA Dos, we fought against corruption and for transparency and accountability, naging mas masahol pa sila ngayon kaysa Estrada administration.
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Pero after 1986, many of the old elites came back, and new elites came to power. And nakita nila na para sa amin, EDSA was part of a dream to institute even deeper political reforms and broader social and economic reforms after the change of administration. May mga tao na kasama namin nung EDSA Revolution, hinding-hindi interesado sa ganong pagbabago. They were people in power before Marcos, who were dispossessed by the dictatorship. But their economic program, halos pareho. ‘Yung estilo ng pamumulitika nila, pareho din, except for the most blatant human rights violations. They did it in 1986, and then again in 2001.
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But we dropped the ball too. Hindi natin naintindihan ng ganap ‘yung ginawa natin. Wonderful as it was, it was just another beginning of a lifetime’s work. Kailangan nating ipagpatuloy. That’s what we’ve learned twice already, painfully. I hope we’ve learned already and do better next time, whether the next time is another People Power Revolution or different forms of contests that citizens can win carrying the banner of reform.
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Bulletin: So you still have faith in the People Power movement despite everybody saying that we’re all suffering from People Power fatigue?
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RISA: Of course. Some of the loudest and most persistent voices denigrating People Power are telling self-fulfilling prophecies. They’re trying to take People Power away from people to prevent us from appreciating the power it had and the potential it still has, kasi takot sila na gamitin laban sa kanila. It’s a very cynical move. What’s happening now is also a struggle of interpretation. What really happened in the People Power Revolution? What does it mean? What more can it mean and what are the obligations placed upon us by what we did? Etong mga ito na naninira sa People Power, palibhasa takot sila na ma-People Power. Don’t believe it. It’s a bag of lies.
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Bulletin: How do you continue fighting?
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RISA: It’s hard, it’s tiring, that’s why it’s called work (laughs). It’s not called vacation or rest. I guess it’s just the same idealism that you young people still have in greater and broader measure than I do.As you grow older, you simplify your life. Nakikita mo na ‘yung akala mong importante, ‘yung iba magkakaugnay, hanggang makikita mo na mas malinaw na may ilang bagay na talagang itataya mo ang buhay. Those original inspiration continue to be a source of hope, joy, even victory. Kahit madalas tayong natatalo sa ngayon, I think whatever good thing we believe in, that we love, that we do or try to do, hindi siya nasasayang. They all release a positive energy into the universe. Balang araw, mamumuo ‘yan, magkakaroon ng critical mass ‘yan, hindi lang sa mga ideya natin kundi the way we live, the way we are a community together.A lot of young people who gave their lives, some until the point of death, in the struggle against the dictatorship. Every generation, bagong porma, bagong lenguwahe, pero we aspire for the same things. Nandyan din ang mga anak ko, ‘yung mga kaibigan ko, ‘yung mga mahal ko sa buhay. Sometimes it’s even fun. Sometime you even win! (laughs)
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Bulletin: Do you miss being a journalist?
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RISA: I’ve been asked that a few times. Happy ako nung executive producer ni Randy David sa “Public Life”. Pero enjoy din ako sa pulitika. It’s a different stage from when I was in the mass movement. Pero pareho pa rin ang agenda, it’s just a different terrain and a different dynamic that I have to study and move in.
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The making of an activist
Bulletin: How did you start Akbayan?
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RISA: I was a member of an ideological group called Pandayan, which is one of the three blocks that came together to form Akbayan, the party. We started thinking na lagi na lang tayong nasa tradisyon ng boykot. Nung naisabatas ‘yung party list law, we saw it as an opening to breed new political forces. Doon kami nagsama-sama na buuin ‘yung Akbayan at 1998, nagrehistro na kami sa COMELEC. Unang takbo namin, we won one seat. And then progressively after that more and more seats until the maximum of three.
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Bulletin: Has politics met your expectations?
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RISA: Mabagal talaga ang political change sa atin. When I started in high school, I thought my whole life I would be a participant in this whole movement in one way or another. Ganoon din ako kapasensyosa sa formal political work. It’s fulfilling my expectations in terms of learning a lot, and getting exasperated often.
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Bulletin: Or getting exasperated by…
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RISA: By! By! (laughs) Oo naku, Diyos ko, minsan talaga hindi mo mate-take kung paano tayo mamulitika dito. At syempre, how overly important money is, and yet kita mo ‘yung misery ng mga tao. Hindi dahil niroromanticize mo sila, hindi dahil lahat ng taong naghihirap ay nice at pleasant.But generally, nafufulfill ‘yung expectations ko in terms of the process. ‘Yung outcome, well, hindi naman pwedeng maging ganoon ka-demanding kung opposition ka at maka-kaliwa ka. Basta magpunla na lang kayo. Tuloy-tuloy lang, kasi kung hindi tayo ‘yung susunod ang aani dahil sila ang magpapatuloy. Hindi naman ‘yung generation ko ang nag-imbento nito. We’re continuing what many others have started.
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Bulletin: Are you surprised that the spirit of volunteerism is still alive among young people?
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RISA: May volunteers kami, meron ding paid staff, yung full-time namin. Halos lahat sila multi-taskers, and above and beyond the call of duty. That’s why I love “Field of Dreams”. If you build it, they will come. Whatever each one of us believes in, may mga kadiwa, may kindred spirits.
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Bulletin: Which of your bills are closest to your heart?
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RISA: Obligasyon ko na i-pursue lahat. Pero right now, dahil nanganganib na patayin at talagang iniiyakan ng mga tao, they really walk for this, they fast for this, isa na ‘yung Agrarian Reform. I know na hindi lang sa mga magsasasaka, hindi lang sa mga tulad ko na supporters nila, pero I know na it’s also very, very personal para sa mga hacienderos.
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The controversial RH Bill and Feminism
Bulletin: With all the criticisms about the Reproductive Health bill, what frustrates you the most? Is it the fact that some say it’s anti-life?
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RISA: What’s more frustrating for me is what they’re saying that this will legalize abortion. All it takes to know is that this bill is not about abortion but about RH, information, products and services whether natural or modern, it is a matter of intellectual honesty.There’s a provision there that says nothing in this Act amends the Revised Penal Code (RPC) under which abortion is a crime and punishable. Ganon ka-categorical. Under RPC, abortion is a crime and there are penalties and sanctions. And those will be untouched by our bill when it becomes a law.O yung insistence nila na age appropriate adolescent RH education will lead to teen promiscuity. That flies in the face of the experience in other countries, documented. That with an RH education policy and program in the schools, partnering the parents in the homes, in the families, the onset of sexual relations among teens is delayed and multiple partners are discouraged, greater monogamy is observed among young people and certainly yung incidence of HIV, AIDS and other sexual diseases is on the decline. So how can that be negative?
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Bulletin: Sinasapawan niyo raw yung right as a Catholic citizen?
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RISA: Ay ang sarap nun! I am Catholic by the way. And I want an RH law and I think government should spend for family planning. I think this is a political issue and the party should include RH in their platform.
Yung isang maganda pang side benefit pag naging batas na itong RH bill, is I think we will contribute to breaking the myth of the Catholic vote. Kasi di ba turo ng obispo natin that free will is a grace from God. One of the aims of the Catholic education is the formation of conscience. So pagkatapos nila i-form yung conscience natin bakit ayaw nilang gamiting natin ng malaya? Ultimately it is a secular issue, it’s a matter of public policy, it should be for all Filipinos. Not just Catholics. People of whatever faith or people of no faith. If they say they’re agnostic or atheistic, the law should serve them. Hindi dapat magdikta ang simbahan o estado.
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Bulletin: Why is it that despite the fact that we’ve had two woman presidents and so many woman politicians, things are still so hard not just for women, but for other minorities like the gays and lesbians? Yung anti-gender discrimination bill ang hirap mai-pass?
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RISA: True. Unfortunately, not just because we’re women, automatically we are gender sensitive or we won’t be macho. Kasi capable din kami maging macho. Yun na nga si Cory as the first woman president and the symbol of democratization, she failed to put Hacienda Luisita under CARP coverage. At the time when the international community would have forgiven her for anything, she refused to cancel our illegitimate debts, sabi niya pababayaran ko pa din. Grabe ang implication nun sa mga babaeng pisante.Talagang nakakalungkot, having had two women presidents hasn’t made the difference that it could have. But of course, kasi hindi naman tayo biologically deterministic, in the same way that there are also men who are gender sensitive, so hindi lahat sexist pigs.
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Bulletin: I think it was Jane Fonda who said that just because Hillary Clinton is a woman doesn’t mean she’s a feminist. Jane Fonda did not support Hillary...
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RISA: True. Ito personal ko na lang, Obama is less established than Hilary, so happy talaga ko na lumaban siya at nanalo, parang whoa! Binoto si Obama? You think of it Obama is president only two generations after the civil rights movement in the US. My God, they actually elected an African-American president! And here we are, one generation after the first people power revolution. Maybe another generation meron na tayong reformist government, na demokratiko na talagang social justice ang alam niya. We can afford to hope.
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Bulletin: Do you think among the people who are making noise, any one of them could be a real reformist?
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RISA: When Obama won, nakakainggit din. They have a transformational or potentially transformational president. When I look at the presidentiables right now wala pang ganun, transformational talaga, honestly.
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Bulletin: You don’t have a bet?
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RISA: Oo, wala pa. Pero at the very least pwede pa siguro hanapin sa kanila, at least, to use the term of someone, at least a transitional president. Somebody na bibigyan tayo ng passion na irepair yung damage sa democratic institutions. Tapos hindi siya haharang, bibigyan niya ng daan yung mga social reforms, agenda. Pahihingahin niya tayo ulit na maging mas hopeful ulit yung kultura natin, less of the cynicism, less of the apathy, less of the hopelessness.
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On volunteerism and activism among the youth
Bulletin: But does the youth have the patience for it? Do you think we still have the stamina to wait for that change?
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RISA: Of course. And I don’t believe that you have a short attention span. We’ve been talking for many minutes (laughs), unless you’re too polite to show that you’re bored, parang you’re still on board sa conversation natin naman.
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I never think that we were better from you are now, I mean I’m biased because this is my generation and I’m sentimental of what we have experienced. But I believe that each generation has its own tradition, its own idioms, its own culture. Maybe as the older generation was able to do with us, we older generation have to just commit better or reconnect, with mutual respect, acceptance of the things that in ways which makes us different.
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Ang appeal ko lang sa mas bata ngayon eh, sige, after college, if you’re going to work, study or live abroad, okay, go pero after a few years, please do come back. Because I believe that we were born in the Philippines and not in some other country – not by accident, there’s a reason. I believe that we were meant to understand our country, to love her, to serve her.
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I think you have the stamina you have to because you’re going to live longer than I (laughs). You’re going to have kids also na “ahhh, ano ba ‘tong iiwan natin sa kanila.”
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Bulletin: Do you just feel that for today’s youth, their activism has just taken another form?
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RISA: I do. Well, madalas sabihin, it’s a common place to say na kayo yung napaka technology savvy kaya yung teknolohiya naging laman siya pero format din ng komunikasyon, pati mobilization, even in EDSA Dos, texting, tapos sa website. Yung mga social networking na ginagawa niyo ngayon on the Internet, wow! Not just to reconnect but to make new connections and keep in touch.
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Bulletin: Do you think the older generation has taken part of that or parang realm na yan ng young generation, hayaan na yan?
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RISA: It’s your scene, we had and we have ours. But, yung dialogue among the generations kasi may mga points sa conversation na baka may common interest even for curiosity’s sake and perhaps and since I’m a political animal and I always think, kung makinig tayo sa isa’t-isa at kung mag-usap man tayo kung may ganung encounters then we can discover what maybe we can do together. Other stuff, we do separately pero in parallel universe pero nagkakaroon pa rin ng cross pollination, sharing of ideas, ganyan.
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Of insects and menopause
Bulletin: I love the use of Biology in this interview...
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RISA: Di ba? Yan ang turo ng environmental women. (Laughs) You know, alam mo naman na insekto ito. (Laughs) Kaya lang menopausal, naloka ako dun. Parang di naman ata nagme-menopause yung insect. Parang mali pa yung insulto. Hindi nakinig sa Bio class. Mixed metaphor. Dapat kapag mang-iinsulto ka lang, dapat relevant, dapat precise. (Ed's note: Conversation refers to an “insect!” insult hurled at RHB by a woman senator)
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Bulletin: Do you feel that our politics is too personal?
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RISA: Oh yeah. Of course on one level sabi nga eh the personal is political. Pag ganyan, for politics to be personal in a positive way that’s yung individual passion for it or love for it. Pero yung magde-debate tayo sa pamamagitan ng insultuhan, nakakaubos.
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Bulletin: Hindi ninyo na pinapatulan yung ganun?
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RISA: Well, hindi na. I really don’t think of her as less than human so binalik ko na lang (an usapan) sa World Bank. That’s what I was talking about. I wasn’t talking about insects or menopause. And what’s so bad about menopause di ba? It’s part of a woman’s life cycle. They say it’s a beautiful time and I’m looking forward to it – pero in the next decade.
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Bulletin: Nag-menopause na ba siya?
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RISA: Siya siguro tapos na. At least nakaraos na sya sa hot flashes di ba. I think politics would be more interesting, more useful to people in our everyday lives, hopefully more productive in terms of good governance, professional politics. If we stuck to the issues, if we study the issues more, we debate about them, that’s more worth the salaries that we get from taxpayer’s money than simply insulting each other.
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Bulletin: Or maybe our politicians are not mature enough, nabasa ko po dati yung pumunta sa England sina Aquilino Pimentel tapos parang natuwa sila sa parliamentary form, nag-iinsultuhan sila pero tuloy pa rin. Sabi niya daw that will be great for the Philippines. Eh napaka-balat sibuyas ng mga politiko natin.
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RISA: True. (Laughs) Minsan talaga immature kami. Politiko ka tapos balata sibuyas, mali eh. Miscast. Sabi nga eh, if you can’t take the heat, get out the kitchen. And if you’re in public life, wala namang perfect eh. You should be open to criticisms, to suggestions, ‘hey you are doing wrong’ or ‘you’re not doing this which you should be doing’. Just as we seek praise and affirmation, we should be open to criticism. Pero ang cute naman ng anecdote na yun kay Nene Pimentel.
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Bulletin: What’s the best constructive criticism that you’ve received?
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RISA: Sa AR, sa RH... ang yabang ko sa mga bills eh (laughs) Hindi naman kasi galing sa akin yung mga yun eh. Galing sa mga party list. Best constructive criticism? Ah kasi, well, nung bata ako, napaka shy ko, tapos hanggang ngayon, may malakas pa rin na bahagi sa akin na seryoso. Akala nung ibang tao, when I would be talking about an issue, an opposition stance, na galit ako. So sabi, ‘you look so stern, smile naman,’ ‘para kang galit’. At yun pa naman yung ayaw na ayaw kong makita sa iba, ang nega, laging galit, wala na lang mabuti, wala na lang postive. So I really took that to heart. I don’t think we need more nega people in this very negative situation. Ayaw naming makadagdag sa ganun. Ang bigat dalhin di ba.
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Bulletin: Yun nga yung impression ko sa inyo when I see you on TV, parang feisty. Lalo na in the streets.
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RISA: Trying to keep the peace. Kaya lang minsan yung PNP medyo iba yung ideya nila. But I hope I’m not coming across as angry. Kasi ayoko rin namang... I’d rather communicate in a more constructive, or be one of the constructive voices.
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On being a mom and the Jonas Brothers
Bulletin: Do you talk to your kids about all of this?
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RISA: Yes, I do. I have four kids, ranging from 16, the only boy, to seven, the youngest. They’re very aware, they understand at different levels.My youngest, in her way, she understands about the Reproductive Health Bill and agrarian reform. Nagsisimba kami, tapos may tarp dun na “Yes to Life, No to the RH Bill!” She’ll turn to me and say, “Mama, do we have to look for another church?” (laughs) O kaya kapag Prayer of the Faithful, nandyan na naman ‘yung mga “Protect us from anti-life, anti-family bills,” tinginan ‘yung mga anak ko sa akin. (laughs)
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Bulletin: Do they want to be like you?
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RISA: One wants to be a computer engineer, ‘yung isang vet, ‘yung isa artist. I just share with them my values. Natutuwa ako na nageemphatize sila, in some important ways magkakapareho ang pinaniniwalaan namin. But they are choosing their own values at tama ‘yun. Kung ano ‘yung values na sasabihin mo, kailangan ‘yung talagang iyo at hindi lang dahil kay mama, dahil mahal ko siya. Magkakaroon sila ng gabay sa buhay, they will have a reference point how to become happy and whole and do something that means something to them.
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Bulletin: Do you still have time to bond with your family?
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RISA: I have to make time. Lalo na I’m a single mom. Even then, at lalo na ngayon, usapan talaga namin sa staff ko, I need one day every weekend just to be with the kids. Kasi weekdays magkahiwalay kami, nasa school sila, nasa trabaho ako. Tapos ako ang naghahatid sa kanila sa school, everyday.Dati all my kids would sleep with me. The three girls beside me, tapos yung anak kong lalaki sa paa namin. Natuto akong matulog nang hindi gumagalaw. (laughs) Yung bunso ko na lang ang katabi ko ngayon. We hardly get to eat supper together but I go to all their school activities. I’m active in four parent teacher associations. (laughs)
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Bulletin: Which is more difficult, PTA or congress?
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RISA: Nice question. (Laughs) Fun naman yung PTA. Wala akong kaaway dun. Walang umaaway sa akin dun.
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Bulletin: What do you do to unwind?
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RISA: Sleep. I love reading and watching movies. At least ngayon malalaki na yung tatlo, I can bring them to PG-13 movies. Dati panay children’s movies. (Laughs) I actually brought my son to to watch "Pan’s Labyrinth". He asked for that. He was so affected by it, he was so moved, nakakatuwa. I love listening to music.
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Bulletin: You have your own iPod?
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RISA: No, my daughter does. Hindi ako sanay to do two things at the same time. One track mind ako literally. Ayoko yung mga split screen. Gusto ko focused eh. Pero sila they can do it. Kayo, I guess. You can be doing something and they have something in their ears. It actually drives me crazy. I’m talking and they’re not there pala.
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Bulletin: What’s the last movie you saw with your family, at saka last book na rin you read that you really liked?
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RISA: I’m ashamed to admit, my daughters will be proud but I’m ashamed, I brought them to watch Jonas Brothers. (Laughs) Oh my God!
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Bulletin: The 3-D concert experience
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RISA: Yes. Alam mo, medyo sumakit ang ulo ko dun ha. Kasi parang, ang weird nito.
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Bulletin: Did you have to wear the 3-D glasses?
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RISA: Kailangan kasi pag wala nakakahilo yung ibang graphics and yung ibang visuals din. Pero ang weird kasi the foreground is too close. It was weird. I think si Nick yung may pinaka-talent. But they are so unmusical. My God! Why are these boys stars, they can’t sing. They can play the instruments. I’m sure their back-up instruments play way better.
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Bulletin: They are sexually non-threatening daw? Kasi if you look at rock bands, talagang facial hair, tapos sila they’re slightly androgenous so for the teenage girls...
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RISA: Except for Kevin, siya ang pinaka-attractive kasi medyo edgy siya.
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Bulletin: Alam ninyo [who is who]?
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RISA: Only in that movie. Before that they were just all Jonas Brothers. And then syempre I had to watch so pinapansin ko na rin what's cute kaya about these boys.
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Bulletin: It was just you and your daughters? Of course the eldest son is ...
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RISA: Not interested. X-Men I love. Parang they were so human, natutuwa ako. I read those comics when I was a teenager. Borrowed them from my brother. Pero all-time favorite naming mga bata "The Lord of the Rings". Classic talaga. Tuwang-tuwa kami sa Akbayan kay [Gimli], feel na feel namin yung kanyang ‘certainty of death, zero chance of success, what are we waiting for. (Laughs)
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Bulletin: So for the books "Lord of the Rings" din?
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RISA: Yeah. Beautiful talaga. And I read a lot of books by women about women. Love ko yun. More the fiction than non-fiction.
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Bulletin: That's different because most politicians we interviewed read non-fiction.
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RISA: Well, sabagay. A lot of what we’ve experienced is so fictional. Nakaka-relax yung fiction.
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Bulletin: Which author in particular?
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RISA: Iba-iba. Laura Esquivel, yung mga Latina. I haven’t read pa yung mga South African authors, ang daming magagaling daw.
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Bulletin: Idols?
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RISA: How funny when I’m asked that I always think of men. Sila kasi yung mga unang nabasa ko. Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Gustavo Gutierrez.
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Bulletin: Your vision of a country?
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RISA: A country where citizens have the power whether directly, through their organizations or their representatives who genuinely represent them. And when they don’t, they can be recalled. They’re not omnipotent. They are not passing down their power like an ancestral domain to their children.Politics as a profession, yun ang gusto kong makita. And governance na it’s not out of the goodness of the hearts of politicians. It’s our duty. That’s what we’re paid for. It’s our job.It’s our contract with people. People should expect it from us not because we are magnanimous, because they put us here. It’s not a forever thing. Like in life.And I really want an economy where people have a chance, waiting for a chance to work, good, decent work and buhayin yung mga pamilya nila dun. Para maramdaman nila yung dangal nila at ma-recognize at ma-respeto ng iba dignidad nila bilang tao. Hindi sila kawang-gawa. Hindi sila captive ng boto. Tao.
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I dream of a Philippines where we celebrate our history, we honor our ancestors, especially our heroes and heroines. And all the ordinary people we never forget, we remember those who went before us. A Philippines where our arts are preserved and enriched and lived, and so beautiful because they are. Kaya lang nine-neglect natin eh. Tapos dine-degrade pa. Nakakalungkot talaga. A country like other countries, hindi naman tayo special kumpara sa iba, where if you choose to and if you a reasonable amount of effort to it, you can be happy, in whatever way you can define, you can be happy. Be a happy person na pwede kang mahalin ng mga tao, pwedeng mong mahalin yung mga gusto mong mahalin and that will make a difference. We’ll be happy because of that.
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Yung mga sistema natin, they’ll never be perfect kasi we’re always a human enterprise but we can do a lot, lot more to create that kind of environment, that people don’t have to be miserable even if they work so damn hard. And they have a chance to be happy and lead happy lives (laughs).
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So, okay, friends! That's Risa Hontiveros, there she is, for all of us to know well
...and fully appreciate.
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To read more about her as legislator, etc., please access: http://readdingz.blogspot.com/2010/02/letx-all-actively-campaign-for-rep-risa.html

--ding reyes
of subic, zambales