Why Marian Rivera wouldn’t run for public workplace

Marian Rivera as Trainer Emmy in “Balota,” which earned her the Cinemalaya greatest actress award —PHOTOS FROM GMA PICTURES

Politics and present biz aren’t the unusual bedfellows they have been as soon as considered—at the least not within the Philippines, the place actors and different celebrities have lengthy been making an attempt, and proving, their luck in public workplace.

Simply have a look at a number of the names who made headlines within the weeklong submitting of certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the 2025 elections earlier this month.

Marian Rivera, certainly one of at present’s greatest stars, admitted that she has, on not just a few events, obtained proposals to run for a authorities place. “Marami!” she revealed in a latest interview with Way of life and choose reporters.

However she by no means gave them something remotely near a second thought. Why would she? “Ano naman ang i-o-offer ko sa kanila?” the ever no-nonsense actress quipped earlier than laughing.

Rivera would a lot reasonably deal with her charity work and elevating her youngsters—Zia, 8, and Sixto, 5—along with her husband, actor and TV host Dingdong Dantes. Or she will follow what she does greatest and use her platform for politically and socially related initiatives, like her newest film “Balota,” which premiered on the 2024 Cinemalaya Movie Competition and began its nationwide theatrical run final Oct. 16.

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Produced by GMA Footage and directed by Kip Oebanda, the satire drama thriller is about in 2007 in a rural municipality, the place locals are compelled to decide on between a former attractive actor and a land-grabbing tycoon as their subsequent mayor. The tight race results in conflicts. And violence inevitably descends in town come election day.

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Amid the chaos, Emmy (Rivera), a strict however well-loved instructor, flees to the forest, warding off goons and risking her life to guard the poll field containing the final remaining copy of the election outcomes. Nevertheless, she finally ends up paying a steep worth for upholding her ideas. In her dogged persistence to defend the democratic course of, her group finds itself caught within the crossfire.

Well timed

For Rivera, the message of the movie couldn’t be extra well timed. “I hope it evokes viewers to mirror. Voting is one thing we have to do, not just for ourselves, but in addition for our family members. All of us desire a peaceable election and winners who will genuinely lead us and who will probably be there for us,” Rivera stated.

Whereas the jaded and cynical could have resigned themselves to the notion that their decisions are futile within the grand scheme of issues, Rivera begged to vary. “Like what Emmy says within the film, ‘You don’t must promote your vote.’ We’ve got to guard it. It’s necessary … even should you really feel like your one vote gained’t matter or make a distinction. We are able to all make an affect,” Rivera stated.

However greater than the sanctity of voting, the movie additionally builds a case in opposition to patriarchal and patronage politics. This explains the prominence of feminine and LGBTQIA+ protagonists, which embody Babe (Sassa Gurl) and Ehrmengard (Esnyr), the riotous duo whose friendship will get examined by their contrasting political opinions.

“We need to create a counter-argument that energy ought to lie within the individuals and people; it ought to be in protesting and talking out for our welfare. We shouldn’t simply rely—or relaxation our personal futures—on cartoonishly macho figures that exist in Philippine politics,” Oebanda informed Way of life.

In a manner, “Balota” is Oebanda’s response to the 2022 elections—the outcomes of which, he admitted, affected him profoundly. In spite of everything, the filmmaker is greatest recognized for “Liway,” the award-winning 2018 movie informed from his perspective of rising up in a jail camp along with his mom and martial regulation dissident Cecilia Flores- Oebanda.

The movie additionally allowed him to encapsulate and satirize the “lies, revisionism, violence and dishonest” which have lengthy plagued the nation and elections—however in a manner that doesn’t additional polarize our already politically fractured society.

It may be tempting to advocate for one’s private politics in initiatives like this one. However Oebanda didn’t enable himself to fall into that lure. He knew from the get-go that, if he have been to push by with this movie, he must get out of the echo chamber many people unwittingly discover ourselves in amid the noise round us, particularly on social media.

“One of many issues I did in 2022 was analyze the social media actions, developments and conduct of individuals from the alternative sides of the political spectrum. For hundreds of hours, I watched content material from either side, took notice of what satisfied them and engaged them,” Oebanda stated.

He additionally disengaged from his circles, and as an alternative, mingled with the everyman who would in the end change into his take a look at viewers—the home helpers, drivers, safety guards and different staff.

Dearth of content material

What he realized was that there was a dearth of content material that appeals to political tribes that determine, or are perceived, as both conservative or progressive. “We’re all the time interesting to ourselves, maybe as a result of we need to impress that group we exist already in. The discourse circulates in just one space,” he stated.

Some critics and viewers discovered the film’s presentation of its themes fairly rudimentary. However that is by design, as a result of as Oebanda realized whereas doing his legwork and after a showcase ultimately month’s Hawaii Worldwide Movie Competition, many individuals don’t even agree with the premise that democracy as an establishment is necessary.

“I can’t consider that in 2024, there are nonetheless many individuals who consider that we have now an excessive amount of freedom, and that we’re higher dominated than making our personal choices,” Oebanda stated. “So how do you speak to an individual like that? You need to lay down the fundamental circumstances and predicates.”

And what’s apparent to some stays hidden in plain sight to others. “Audiences who’ve data of political science might imagine, ‘Ah, however these are apparent.’ But when this stuff are apparent, then why do the identical issues carry on taking place? And it appears to be solely getting worse. Have a look at those that lately filed COCs,” he stated. “It’s actually an try on my half to succeed in individuals who don’t agree with me politically,” he added.

The movie is propelled by Rivera’s compelling efficiency, which earned her the Cinemalaya greatest actress award. Breaking free from the conventions of mainstream appearing which have change into second nature to her, Rivera was in a position to discover the breadth of her emotional vary, which wasn’t all the time doable in a few of her previous tv outings.

However the trophy was only a bonus. Echoing Oebanda’s sentiments, Rivera stated reaching a wider viewers is the extra urgent purpose. As such, they’re maintaining their fingers crossed that the movie’s business launch can spark as a lot curiosity as its preliminary pageant run.

“It will be a missed alternative, we thought, if we don’t put it out in common cinemas,” Rivera stated. “If extra individuals can see this, it could function a wake-up name for them.” INQ