Another Poe seeks new dawn in presidential run

(Updated 8:50 a.m.) A daughter of showbiz royalty, Senator Grace Poe has become the country's most famous foundling, and is now aiming for the highest post of the land.

Poe was raised by the late actor and National Artist Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ) and veteran actress Susan Roces as their daughter.
 

In September 1968, the infant Poe was found abandoned by Sayong Militar inside the Jaro Cathedral in Iloilo. No less than the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, who was then Archbishop of Jaro, baptized her.

 

A former househelp of the Poes said Militar’s brother-in-law, Edgardo, was the biological father of Poe, according to a report by GMA News’ 24 Oras on June 3, 2015. Sofia Mijares told GMA News that Edgardo impregnated a college student who left the baby inside the cathedral where the former was supposed to pick her up.

 

But Sayong has denied that Edgardo is Poe’s biological father, according to Poe herself when interviewed by GMA News in Iloilo City. Sayong also told Poe that Edgardo was a signatory in the senator’s foundling certificate because he was the one who processed it.

 

Victoria Militar, Edgardo's granddaughter, told GMA News that according to her grandfather, he only found Poe inside the cathedral and gave the infant to Sayong because he could not afford to take care of the abandoned child.

 

Sayong passed on Poe to the Ledesma family who later on gave her to FPJ and Susan Roces. 

 

It was on May 13, 1974, or six years after she was found, that Poe was declared by the court as a legal child of the couple. Her name was changed from Mary Grace Natividad Contreras Militar to Mary Grace Natividad Sonora Poe, based on the order issued by a San Juan Municipal Court. No Marcos blood

 

Poe had also debunked rumors that she is a love child of former President Ferdinand Marcos and her aunt, former actress Rosemarie Sonora.

 

"Ang nanay ko hindi naman magsisinungaling. Sabi niya nung mga panahon na 'yun may mga issue na lumalabas na ganun. Pero ang tita ko po na malapit ako doon, hindi talaga totoo 'yun. Ngayon kung may magpapatunay na iba sa showbiz, bahala sila pero pinaniniwalaan ko ang aking nanay at hindi 'yun talaga totoo," the senator said in an earlier interview.

Education, sports

 

Poe attended grade school at Saint Paul College-Makati and high school at Assumption-Makati, according to a biography posted on her website and the Senate website.

 

She excelled in oratorical competitions and was named captain of the Assumption Debating Team. 

 

The senator is also a taekwondo blackbelter and competed in tournaments during her high school days.

She also played minor roles in films "Durugin si Totoy Bato" and "Dugo ng Bayan."

 

Poe majored in development studies at the University of the Philippines (UP) in Manila and served in the student council but decided to transfer to Boston College in Massachusetts, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree major in Political Science in 1991.

Family

 

Poe married Teodoro Misael “Neil” Llamanzares, an American citizen, in July 1991 against the wishes of her father who wanted her to have a career first.

She gave birth to son Brian a year later. She also has two daughters, Hanna and Nikka.

In documents she submitted to the Senate Electoral Tribunal, Poe said her children, just like her, who used to have US passports, are now recognized as Filipino citizens based on certification issued by the Bureau of Immigration.

 

Work

 

During her stay in the US, Poe worked as a preschool teacher, a procurement liaison and a product manager.

 

When she returned to the Philippines after her father died in 2004, Poe took over the management of FPJ Productions and Film Archive.

Government service
 

President Benigno Aquino III appointed Poe as chairperson of the Movie and Television Regulatory and Classification Board (MTRCB). She advocated “intelligent media viewership” instead of “censorship” and formulated a new, age-appropriate ratings system designed to empower parents to exercise caution and vigilance with the viewing habits of their children.

 

In 2013, she made Philippine election history by garnering the highest number of votes of more than 20 million in the senatorial elections.

 

As the chairperson of the Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, she championed the passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, which was approved on third reading by the Senate on March 10.

 

Poe is also the first lady senator to serve as chair of the committee on public order and dangerous drugs.

 

One of the first bills she filed in the Senate was the Free Lunch Program which seeks to provide free lunch to malnourished children in all public schools nationwide.

True to her “showbiz” roots, she also filed a bill promoting film tourism that aims to make the Philippines into a major shooting destination for international films.

 

She also led the Senate probe on the Mamasapano incident and held Aquino responsible for the deaths of the 44 Special Action Force commandos.

Cases pending before SET, Comelec

In August, defeated 2013 senatorial candidate Rizalito David filed disqualification cases against Poe both with the Senate Electoral Tribunal and the Commission on Elections, focusing on the senator's citizenship and residency as well.

Early this month, however, the SET dropped the residency issue and instead, will focus on Poe's citizenship. The first hearing has been set on Sept. 21. On the other hand, the Comelec has yet to set a hearing on the matter.

Insisting that Poe is a natural-born Filipino, Poe’s lawyer, Alexander Poblador said David's complaints are simply a ploy to prevent the senator from seeking higher office in 2016.  

 

Despite questions on her qualification to seek higher post, Poe said her fight is not for her alone but for other foundlings who might be discouraged by the circumstances they are in. —KG/RSJ, GMA News