Kapamilya actor and director Coco Martin did not hold back his frustration over what he called the “rampant corruption” in the country, saying that his anger and disappointment now fuel the socially charged storylines in his long-running teleserye ‘FPJ’s Batang Quiapo’.
In his latest interview with Karen Davila released on YouTube on November 3, the “Teleserye King” expressed how deeply affected he was by reports of corruption involving flood control projects and the misuse of public funds.
“Galit! Sobra. Sobrang sakit, sobrang galit. Kasi sa laki ng buwis na ibinabayad natin. Sa bawat kinikilos natin may VAT (value added tax). Na hindi ko maintindihan, bakit gano’n? Kasi puro pagpapahirap ang ginagawa nila. Tapos malalaman natin gano’n ang ginagawa nila,” Coco said.
The actor shared that Vice Ganda personally invited him to the Trillion Peso March rally last September, where the comedian and other personalities spoke out against corruption.
“Masakit sa atin kasi ang buwis na ibinabayad natin. Sabi ko nga noong tinawagan ako ni Vice Ganda, sabi niya pupunta nga raw siya at magsasalita. Sabi ko, ‘Bes, pasensiya ka na, hindi kita masasamahan kasi may trabaho ako,’” he recalled.
Though unable to attend the protest, Coco said he channeled his emotions into his craft — using ‘FPJ’s Batang Quiapo’ as a platform to raise awareness and educate viewers.
“Siyempre bugso ‘yung damdamin mo bilang Filipino, alam mong niloloko tayo. Ang ginawa ko ay binuo ko ang mga eksena, nagpabuo ako ng kanta about sa mga kawatan,” he explained. “Dito man lang ma-educate natin ang mga tao para malaman nila kung paano nag-iisip o paano ginagawa ang mga panlolokong ginagawa sa atin. Kasi kapag inihinto natin ito at hindi tayo kumilos, walang mangyayari — paulit-ulit lang.”
Martin, who turned a year older on November 1, admitted that while anger may be a natural response, true change can only happen if Filipinos unite behind a common cause.
“Ang hirap magsalita sa isang bagay na hindi pa kongkreto kung ano ang solusyon. Pero pakiramdam ko, kulang tayo sa unity,” he said. “Iba-ibang paksiyon, iba-ibang intensiyon. Nagpunta ro’n, iba-iba ang ipinaglalaban. Sabi nga kahit noong araw pa, ang pagkakaisa ang kulang sa mga Filipino.”
When asked about his birthday wish, Coco answered without hesitation: “Halos lahat sobra-sobra na ang ibinigay sa akin. Kung may hihilingin ako, siguro ‘yun ang unity para sa lahat. Kasi ‘yun ang kulang sa atin para mapagtagumpayan natin itong laban na hinaharap natin bilang bansa.”
The ‘FPJ’s Batang Quiapo’ star said he is no longer asking for anything in terms of career or love life. Instead, his focus now is to give back and use his platform to inspire awareness and solidarity.
“Wala na akong hihilingin personally. Ang gusto ko lang, makapag-share ng blessing sa maraming tao. Kahit papaano, ‘yun naman ang nagagawa ko,” he said.
