Mar Roxas and then some

Was at the wake of a friend's father in Central Luzon at 10 this morning. An hour or so after we arrived, who should come but Mar Roxas. Okay, Senator Mar Roxas. When we were introduced he repeated my family name and said, "Of course you're Ilongga" and when my friend told him I was a Gerry Roxas (his dad) scholar, I added , "yes, in fact when you ran for senator, your mom invited us to your place and we went." He said, "thank you" very properly. His mom then had asked us to support Mar's candidacy and gave us paraphernalia to distribute. I guess he knew that. And as I respect Mar's position on several things -- his providing computers to various public schools, his support for pricing medicines reasonably-- I gladly campaigned for him to the extent I was capable.

After he left our company, he moved to a table where the province's governor was seated. There he ate fried fish with gusto, getting rice, talking, like a regular person. No airs whatsoever. He didn't have a slew of bodyguards. Instead, he just had one companion who looked more brainy than brawny. Maybe his chief of staff? He wasn't loud either, he made no attempt to catch anyone's attention, which was so unlike a young congressman we saw in a tony restaurant last week. I don't know how he positioned his foot as he sat around a misono table but it looked ill mannered of him. And he was noisy. Last night we also saw Migs Zubiri and his wife who was perpetually smiling. She was as lovely in person as in the pictures and on TV but the smile doesn't waver. It's there like it's stuck on her face. Not a twitch out of place... looks wise, she'd make a beautiful First Lady. Anyway, back to Mar.

I was several tables away from him so I could watch him unobserved. When two old ladies who were obviously very rich fashionistas (I'll describe them in a later blog) approached him, he readily stood up and listened to them. He sat when they did and when they left, he stood up again. Apparently a well brought up man. Earlier when we were introduced he asked where we stayed and if I was all right. I guess he was concerned because of my being in a wheelchair.

before he left he stopped by our table and kissed me on the cheek. Mar Roxas in 2010. Seriously. I'd rather him than Loren, Manny Villar, Noli de Castro. Plus he used to take the MRT to office and sports a Timex watch. This morning his polo was so ill-fitting and he didn't look like he cared. He even forgot to button the last one from the top. Wait, I don't like Korina. But never mind, I like Mar's mom.