Scrolling down: The "Papa Chen" character in the TV "teleserye" would be the second showbiz personality incumbent congressman Raul del Mar might tangle with in 2019; five years ago, he beat entertainment talent manager Annabelle Rama; Mayor Tomas Osmeña has two, not one, pee bags; he depicts himself as a cancer survivor who was bullied by the president
LAST July 11, Bzzzzz reported that presidential son Sebastian Duterte, 29, might run for mayor in Danao City in 2019 against incumbent Ramonito Durano III. Very unlikely, the report said then, because Baste is from Davao City and he's into surfing and TV shows who shunned politics. If he'd go into politics, why not in his native city Davao? That was explained in the Bzzzzz item.
READ: Bzzzzz: Baste Duterte eyes mayor's seat in Danao City? Get out of here.
Another political rumor that emerged at weekend was that Richard Yap, a personality in the entertainment world who is into the food business and active in sports (scuba diving and archery), will run for congressman in Cebu City's south district. He'll tangle with incumbent Raul del Mar. What set off the rumor was that the new contender, fully named Richard Edision Uy Yap, had been seen lately socializing with groups in the north.
Yap is widely known for his role as "Papa Chen" in "My Binondo Girl" and in TV drama "Be Careful with My Heart" as Richard "Sir Chief" Lim.
Unlike Baste, Yap, a full-bloodied Chinese who'll be 52 on May 18, 2019, was born and grew up in Cebu. He studied at Sacred Heart School and moved to La Salle University in Manila.
And if Yap would file his certificate of candidacy (COC) this October, he'd be the second personality in the entertainment industry whom eight-termer del Mar would face. Del Mar beat Annabelle Rama, movie-TV talent manager, in 2013.
Tomas's two pee bags
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña in an August 31 post on Facebook said he carried not just one "pee bag" but two: one on the right side of his waist, covered by a tucked-in shirt; the other, strapped to his leg, hidden by his pants. The external pouch or "urostomy bag" on the waist, he said, receives the urine "through a stoma" and routs it to another bag on his leg.
The mayor was found to have urinary bladder cancer in 2008; his bladder and prostate, among others, were removed.
He's bagging not feces, just pee, Tomas said, disputing the reference made by President Duterte in his August 21 attack on the mayor in Mandaue City.
READ: Duterte dresses down Tomas Osmeña
It could still smell, particularly when there's a leak, which he said has happened often lately because of his hernia that still has to be operated on, a procedure he said he has kept putting off because of the problems in the city.
A joke that Duterte might use in a future tirade: "I wouldn't want to go near Tom. He might throw urine and feces at me." He might still include the feces even though Tomas already corrected him.
Cancer survivor
Apparently, Mayor Tomas is portraying himself as victim and winner, having licked cancer (he repeatedly declares himself "cancer-free"). He would be seen as an underdog but a cancer survivor who was being beaten up by the highest official of the land.
Memes, play on words
Duterte's five-minute rant against the city mayor produced memes and sound bites in the media, mostly ridiculing the tirade and dragging Osmeña.
One such word play was #Tomparoson, referring to the promise of the president to slap the mayor the face, the first-syllable "tam" in Cebuano Bisaya substituted with "Tom."
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