Senator Lito Lapid signs with ABS-CBN, will star in a teleserye

Bernie Franco

<img src='' alt='012612-lito_main.jpg' width='305' border='0' align='left' height='290'>Senator Lito Lapid is returning to showbiz and will do a teleserye for the first time. The action-star-turned-politician inked a contract with ABS-CBN last Tuesday, January 24. While he did not disclose who would be his co-stars, he did reveal that in The Little Champ (the working title of his series) he would be playing a trainer for a young child to ride horses. “Isang karangalan na maging Kapamilya ako. Binigyan nga ako ng isang role na siguro nakikita nila bagay sa akin kasi may kabayo,” he began. As to finally deciding to do a TV series, the senator explained, “First time kong magt-TV, kasing noong araw kaming dalawa na lang ni FPJ (Fernando Poe Jr) ang hindi nagt-TV. Eh, wala na siya. Ako na lang ngayon.” Apart from the said teleserye, Sen. Lapid is uncertain about any other possible project that the network will give him, but he hopes that they will also commission him to do a movie under Star Cinema. When asked about what made him decide to return to showbiz, the politician replied, “Wala, talagang gusto ko nga. Medyo tumatanda na tayo. Baka nakakalimutan na tayo ng tao, tsaka ‘yung exposure maganda rito, nakikita naman natin sa TFC (The Filipino Channel) sa [United] States.” Like many showbiz celebrities-turned-public-servants who do not leave showbiz, the senator admitted that others might criticize him for doing both but he said that there is nothing he should worry about. “Kami naman trabaho lang kami ng trabaho, malinis naman ito’t marangal, ‘di ba?” he justified. He also cited another senator who still does showbiz, Sen. Bong Revilla, and added that even when he was still the governor in Pampanga, he still did movies then so it should not be different if he decides to return to showbiz now. “Naa-adjust naman [ang schedule] pero siyempre priority natin ang impeachment dahil trabaho natin talaga ‘yon. ‘Pag wala lang impeachment pwedeng dalawang araw, tatlong araw [ang taping].” Since the impeachment for Chief Justice Corona is expected to last up to six months, Sen. Lapid was asked if doing showbiz again is just a diversion to do something while the impeachment trial is ongoing. “Oo, pero nagkataon lang ito. Matagal nang scheduled ‘to eh, kaya lang pumasok na itong impeachment kaya nagkasabay lang kaya sana huwag bigyan ng masamang kahulugan na may impeachment, nagtatrabaho [ako sa showbiz]. Kailangan ko lang kumayod,” he said.

Senator Lito Lapid explains that doing showbiz while in position as public service is not new to him.

Senator Lito Lapid signs with ABS-CBN, will star in a teleserye | PUSH.COM.PH