The Son(ny) also Rises Part II

BALER, Aurora, January 27, 2013- It’s tough when you are the son of a politician. But it’s relatively tougher when you are the son of an accomplished politician, particularly one who is considered the “best president we never had.” You have to work double, even triple time perhaps to approximate the achievements of parents.

A classic example is our very own voice in Congress, Rep. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, the son of Senator Ed Angara and the former Gloria Manalang, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) President during the Estrada administration.

Blessed with boyish good looks, Cong. Sonny has his pedigree as an added blessing. But will he be his own man?

The answer is yes. The Son (ny) also rises. He basks in the glory of his illustrious parents but is doing everything to re-invent himself, distinct and separate from the surname.

IMAGE MODEL 

For one, Cong. Sonny has put one (or I would say two?) over Senator Edong. For one, the congressman was named a TOYM awardee, a distinction never bestowed on the elder statesman. Maybe because the award was only for young men as the name suggests (he he) but in fairness to Cong. Sonny, his being an Angara did not make him a graduate of the London School of Economics, Harvard, and University of the Philippines. He certainly earned it and Senator Edong never had a part except perhaps sending him to school. The father was not the one who answered his test papers

For another, Cong. Sonny has become an image model of the sweet smelling eu de toilette for men, Blackwater Elite. He’s certainly in good company with Senator Bongbong Marcos, Christian Bautista and Sam Milby? That’s a milestone enough, isn’t it? Even Coco Martin manifested his support to Sonny.

Now, why go for Sonny Angara when there are so many other senatorial candidates equally qualified and competent.

         

Some may not exactly agree but the people behind Blackwater’s Elite Homme say that the congressman exudes a pleasant aura, is charming and friendly. He’s a loving and caring husband to Tootsy and father to Manolo, Ines, and Javier.

         

Needless to say, he has the looks of a movie star. In the words of Kuya Germs Moreno, “Puedeng pang ‘That’s Entertainment.”

By the way, Sonny, 40, recalls he grew up watching Kuya Germs in “That’s” and secretly desired to be part of the youth-oriented group.

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON 

Sonny is like Sen. Angara in many ways, though not exactly a copycat. Both of them are lawyers, are products of UP and Harvard, are economists and are public servants.

         

The younger Angara finished grade school and high school at Xavier and studied at the London School of Economics (LSE) and Political Science.

In case you don’t know, LSE is one of the best schools in Europe.

         

While he says he is his own man, Sonny is humble enough to admit that what he is today is because of his father.

         

Here’s praying that we’ll see him delivering his privilege speech or interpellating a colleague in the august halls of the Senate later this year. (Jason de Asis)