CONGRESSMAN ALFRED VARGAS was looking so rotund when we last saw him campaigning before the May election. Now, he looks slimmer, thanks to self discipline.
“I got myself a personal trainer and a nutritionist to help me sa workout ko at sa diet ko,” he says. “I’ve lost 15 lbs na but I need to lose 10 lbs more kasi I’m starting to shoot a new movie in November. This is ‘Ang Guro Kong Hindi Marunong Magbasa’, a Cinemalaya entry. Director Perry Escano sent the script to me and I liked it a lot, so nag-yes ako agad. Pero poor farmer ang role ko kaya dapat pa akong mas pumayat.”
Perry says the film is about child warriors in Mindanao and the principal child actors in the movie are Mark Justin Alvarez and Micko Laurente, supported by Mon Confiado, Lou Veloso and Marife Necesito. “It stresses the importance of education kaya Alfred’s character, napilitan maging teacher to prevent kids in their place to become child warriors, even if he himself doesn’t know how to read and write,” adds Perry.
Alfred was introduced as part of ABS-CBN Star Circle Batch 10 in 2001 after he graduated from the Ateneo majoring in Economics. This batch includes Dennis Trillo and Bea Alonzo. He then moved to GMA where he starred in several soaps and he also went sexy in movies like Seiko’s “Bridal Shower” (for which he won a new movie actor award) and “Bikini Open”. In 2010, he ran as councilor in QC and won, later winning some most outstanding councilor awards and the Gintong Palad Award for Public Service. In 2013, he ran for congress and won unopposed as representative of QC’s 5th district of Novaliches. He did ‘Supremo’ in 2012 and won a couple of best actor awards as Bonifacio. His last film was ‘Separados’ in 2013, but he did a cameo in “Felix Manalo”.
“Na-miss ko talaga umarte,” he says. “Now, aside from ‘Ang Guro Kong Hindi Marunong Magbasa’, Direk Mark Reyes offered me a role in the new ‘Encantadia’. I was in the original as Aquil and also in the sequel, ‘Etheria’. I said yes, but I don’t know yet what role he has in store for me.”
He campaigned for Mar Roxas. Is it true they have a Plan B to oust Pres. Duterte? “Walang ganun. It would be bad for the country. Ako, personally, I support the drive against drugs. In our district, ang daming sumuko at bumaba talaga ang krimen dahil sa peace and order campaign ng government.”
He’s personally sad for what happened to Mark Anthony Fernandez. “We’ve worked together in some soaps so we’re friends at magkasing-edad kami niyan. He’s so talented at mabait na tao. He deserves another chance. Lahat ng mga artista who are into drugs, willing akong tumulong, pati sa pagpapa-rehab.”
Alfred is turning 37 on Monday, October 24, and he feels so blessed as his family life is also very happy. On July 23, 2010, he married his Fil-Italian wife, Yasmine Espiritu, in civil rites and now, they’ll have a church wedding on July 23, 2017 at the Manila Cathedral, with their daughters Alexandra, 6, and Aryanna, 5, as their flower girls. His dream for his first term in congress is for all representatives from the showbiz block to unite and help the local film industry.
“Ang dami kasing taga-showbiz na nasa congress ngayon, like Vilma Santos, Yul Servo, Lucy Torres, Sol Aragones at iba pa. So, sana, makapagpasa kami ng bill na tutulong sa industriya ng pelikula natin. Sa China, ang ratio ng Chinese films na ipinalalabas is 90% compared to foreign films na 10% lang. We don’t know yet kung ano ang details for us, but we really need to help our film industry at this point na our films like ‘Ma Rosa’ and ‘Babaeng Humayo’ are winning awards abroad.”
Wasn’t he afraid that his admission might ruin his political career? “I think na-appreciate naman ng constituents kong naging honest ako sa kanila kasi nang bumalik ako, naging mainit ang pagtanggap nila sa akin. Na-miss daw nila ako and they look forward sa paglilingkod ko sa kanila. Habang nasa rehab ako, I learned about humility and the acceptance na kailangang mag-mature na ako for the sake of my family and the people I’m supposed to serve. I’m really thankful that I’m now given a second chance and I promise to leave my dark past, move on and work better in my job as a councilor now na 100 percent na akong clean from drugs. Nagpapasalamat talaga ako sa mga kapatid ko (Herbert and Harlene) dahil sila ang naging sandigan ko sa panahong kailangan ko ng tutulong sa’kin at makakapitan ko.”
He is married to former Bb. International Yedda Marie Kittilstvedt who’s of Norwegian ancestry and the one who replaced him in congress. They have two sons and two daughters: Andrew, 16 years old; Martin Jr., 15; Minxie, 9 and the youngest is Maddie, who’s just a year old. He met his wife in Cebu before she became a beauty titlist.
I had inflamed kidneys and when I was taken to the ER, they gave me blood transfusion as my hemoglobin was so low. Lupus is a disease where the body’s immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues. Early detection is important to prevent major damage of the kidneys and other organs. Many lupus patients die without proper diagnosis and treatment, so our foundation aims to raise awareness about the disease through education, community research programs and funding Lupus research. There is no cure for Lupus but it’s manageable through medications. Very important that you avoid stress.”
How did her romance with Sec. Villar start? “We met in congress in 2010. When he courted me, I just came from a bad breakup at takot ako to be in another relationship because of my disease, so I avoided him. When he asked for my number from a friend, sabi ko, wag mong ibigay. But when I felt he was serious, I told him I have lupus, you google it. I removed my wig to show na kalbo ako and my make up to show my rashes. After that, he was quiet, I thought be got scared but he came back. I said, I might not have children. He persisted. What’s nice about him is that he jokes a lot. His term of endearment for me is Bems, for Bembol Roco kasi kalbo nga ako. My dad said, saan ka pa makakakita ng ganyang lalaki na tinanggap ka kahit hindi ka magkakaanak. So we got married in 2014. Mark is super bait. Then I asked my doctor if I could get pregnant and when I was given the go signal, ayun, nagka-baby kami, si Emma, now one year old.”
through Globe or Smart. This lets our residents to direct a 24/7 desk during emergency city situations like fire, accidents, and other calamities and they can expect help to come promptly. In time for the 3rd anniversary, we are building a new park at our Astrodome by the sea. I'm putting up many new parks around the city to beautify it and as a mom, I want more parks where kids can play. Also, we're transferring 300 families that are now in temporary shelters into more permanent homes. A lot of people helped us build new structures, like GMA Foundation of Mel Tiangco who built 303 Kapuso homes with their own park, school and market. ABS-CBN naman helped in building a lot of new classrooms."
She seems up to neck with work but she still has time to attend to her eldest daughter, Sofia, who's venturing into showbiz as a Viva recording artist. Will she be a stage mom? "No! I will just be her alalay. Music is her passion and she's really a much better singer than me. She also plays a lot of musical instruments which she learned to play by just watching tutorials on Youtube. She even composes her own songs. She'll be recording her first song 'Love Hurts', which she herself wrote, at the Viva office. She's so excited and at 17, I think she's ready."
