EDU:  GAME  NA!  /  EVEN  HILARY  BATS  FOR PACMAN

[PHOTO AT LEFT - Edu Manzano, running-mate of administration presidential bet Gibo Teodoro (inset): I believe in Gibo’s vision for the country; he will be a good president.]

MANILA, NOVEMBER 14, 2009 (STAR) FUNFARE By Ricardo F. Lo - The announcement came as a big surprise, if not a mild shock, to most people in the industry.

“I was surprised, too,” said Edu “Doods” Manzano on his choice as Gibo Teodoro’s running-mate in the 2010 elections. “I knew about it but I didn’t think the announcement would be made so soon.”

“Nagulat ako!” said Edu’s manager June Torrejon when she heard the announcement yesterday.

Edu initially planned to run for senator under former Pres. Joseph “Erap” Estrada’s Puwersa Ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), that’s why he quit as host of the ABS-CBN gameshow Pilipinas, Game Ka Na Ba? several weeks ago, although he has stayed as co-host of the same station’s early-morning show Umagang Kay Ganda.

“For Doods’ senatorial bid, we have already prepared buttons with ‘Game na!’ on them,” said June. “Well, we can still use those buttons even now that he’s running for vice president.”

Unlike Defense Secretary Gibo who is, as he put it, “a neophyte” in politics, Edu is not a greenhorn. He once served as Vice Mayor of Makati City and later lost his bid for the mayor of the same city.

He also served Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration as head of the Optical Media Board (OMB) which is tasked to run after film pirates. It’s the same position that he inherited from Sen. Bong Revilla and is now held by Ronnie Ricketts. It’s interesting to note that Bong was also short-listed as Gibo’s running-mate, together with Vice Pres. Noli de Castro who has begged off from the race.

But keeping the advice of his father, former Sen. Ramon Revilla, to bide his time because he’s “still too young,” Bong declined the offer and decided to run for reelection.

The, well, “merry-go-round” even included Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos — yes, Edu’s ex-wife! — who claimed that, despite the persistent reports, she never got a formal offer. She said “no, thank you” just the same, determined as she is to run for reelection and, she said, “finish what I have started as Governor of Batangas.”

Asked for her reaction to Edu’s vice presidential bid, Gov. Vilma said, “Why not? He’s very qualified to be a public servant. Kaya n’ya ‘yon! Wishing him good luck!”

Edu said that he didn’t have second thoughts about being Gibo’s running-mate.

“Gibo is a good man,” said Edu. “He has a good vision for the country. He will make a good president.”

Edu added that he has been working hand in hand with Gibo’s wife, Tarlac Rep. Monica “Nikki” Prieto-Teodoro in the campaign against child abuse (and child pornography) which was among his priorities as OMB head.

Edu will be running against Sen. Mar Roxas (with Sen. Noynoy Aquino as running-mate) and Makati City Mayor Jojo Binay (with Erap). Also rumored to be running are former First Lady Imelda Marcos (with MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando), and Sen. Loren Legarda and Sen. Chiz Escudero (not clear with whom).

Even Hillary bats for Pacman

Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao is so llamado in his fight with Mexico’s Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas tomorrow, Nov. 15 (Manila Time) that visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton predicted that Pacman would win, ehem, hands down.

If you want to watch the match bigger-than-life, “live via satellite,” here’s where you can do it:

• Aliw Theater, starting at 8 a.m. Admission price is P350 per.

• The ballroom of Hyatt Hotel & Casino Manila, starting also at 8 a.m. Admission price is P900 inclusive of snacks and free-flowing soda. For reservation, call The Concierge at 245-1234.

• SM Cinema which is conducting a Firepower: Pacquiao vs Cotto promo (one ticket entitles holder to a raffle coupon and a chance to win one out of 100 Accel Team Pacquiao sports jackets and one of 10 Victorinox Swiss Army Watches; grand draw is on Nov. 27).

• Araneta Coliseum, with screen as big as the one in the Las Vegas venue: P430 for Patron, P530 for Lower Box and Upper A, P380 for Upper Box and P158 for General Admission. Call Ticketnet at 911-5555.

Readers’ reactions

• From Diana Rosal Santos: I am the daughter of Alice Rosal, one of those mentioned in your column A gallery of pre-Bb. Pilipinas Misses RP-Int’l (1960-67). Just a bit of trivia: My mother was also the first San Miguel calendar girl back when SMC did not use sexy stars as calendar models. SMC commissioned my mother to be its first calendar girl. It was a classic pose, showing my mother in close-up wearing a laced Filipiniana attire.

• From “SGM”: If I remember right, there was a Philippine bet to the 1965 Miss Universe pageant, a half-Filipina named Louise Vail Aurelio who was actually Louise Aurelio Vail. Her name was rearranged to give the impression that she was a Filipina. The next year, the country’s candidate former Miss UE Clarinda Soriano, a nurse who almost made it to the semi-finals, was asked to translate “Miss Universe” in Tagalog. Her terse answer: Ang Pinakamagandang Babae sa Buong Mundo. She was given a standing ovation.