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JINGGOY ESTRADA TACKLES DIFFERENT ROLE

San Juan, Metro Manila, Nov. 30, 1998 - San Juan Mayor Jinggoy Estrada, a spitting image of his father President Erap Estrada, has finally done a non-action movie: ANG ERPAT KONG ASTIG.

"This is my first time to do an action comedy at first time ko din itong kumanta sa isang movie ko (with child actress) I played the role of a jeepney driver na biyudo in the film with Carmina Villaroel as my leading lady. Si Ruffa Mae (Quinto) naman plays the role of a dancer sa club. Eh, kapitbahay ko siya so na in-love siya sa akin!" Jinggoy told entertainment writers inside the Mayor's Office in San Juan.

After playing mostly tough roles in the past (The Kuratong Baleleng Gang, The Marita Gonzaga, Strebel: Gestapo ng Maynila) he will be making people laugh this time aside from thrilling them with his hard-hitting stunts.

"Dapat nga PG 13 ito because of Ruffa Mae's scene na parang kita yata 'yung taas pero in the end ay napapayag din namin sila sa Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) na gawing General Patronage ang classification dahil justified naman 'yung eksena sa movie," he said.

Like all his past movies, this one also has good values to impart to the viewers especially to the youth. In fact, the movie is so wholesome that it will have two premiere showings: one will be for a group of underprivileged children and the other will be the regular premiere where he will take his children to watch their "Daddy na Astig."

Playing cameo roles in the movie are some of the most popular stars in the movie industry headed by Vilma Santos, Edu Manzano, Rudy Fernandez, etc. Hollywood action superstar Jeanne Claude Van Damme introduces the movie.

"It took us almost four months to finish 'Astig' dahil minsan ay hindi nag-mi-meet ang schedule namin ni Carmina. Supposedly ay October sana ang showing nito pero 'yun na nga, naging December 2 na lang. The idea of inviting other stars for a cameo role was direk Felix Dalay's idea," Jinggoy said.

Perhaps in preparation for his campaign to run for a seat in the Senate, Jinggoy will also be hosting his own public service television program on Channel 9 called "SaBayan" together with Ruther Batuigas and Cristina Pecson. The program will be launched next month at about the same time his "Panday" movie (co-starring presidential daughter Kris Aquino) will be shown hopefully as a Film Fest entry. Under negotiations, too, is a weekly television sitcom .