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Eddie Garcia is putting his full support behind Sen. Grace Poe, who recently declared her intention to run for president of the Philippines in the 2016 elections.
Eddie also campaigned for the late actor Fernando Poe Jr., Sen. Poe’s dad, when he ran for president in 2004.
“Noon, niyakag ako ni FPJ, e. Tutulungan ko rin siya [Sen. Poe], habang kaya ko,” Eddie tells PEP.ph.
Eddie believes Grace can continue her father’s advocacy, especially when it comes to the development of the entertainment industry. He adds, Grace can help put a spotlight on the issues besetting the business of showbusiness.
“Well, dapat ay babaan ang taxes sa movies. At iyong influx ng foreign films, dapat ay bawasan o kontrolin. Yung mga film festivals, pati iyong international, makakatulong yun sa ating industriya,” Eddie explained.
He also recalled a time when many provinces in the Philippines would hold their own film festivals.
“Noong panahon ni [former president Ferdinand] Marcos, kung natatandaan mo, ang daming film festival. Bawat city noon ay may film festival—Olongapo Film Festival, Baguio Film Festival, Iloilo Film Festival, Davao Film Festival… Ngayon ay nawala na lahat ‘yon, e,” he remembered.
The indomitable actor says he fully supports Sen. Poe’s roadmap for reform and is on board with the legacy she wants to build. But if other politicians want to ride the bandwagon and ask him to endorse another presidential candidate 2016, Eddie says they’re better off looking somewhere else.
“Hindi ako sasama kahit magbayad sila, dahil nakay Senator Grace na ako,” Eddie said.
Header photo via BenchTM on Instagram
