ACTRESS and fashion influencer Heart Evangelista has buckled down to work as Senate’s first lady, not long after her husband, Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, bared that his wife was having qualms about her new tasks with government.
On her Instagram Story, Evangelista reposted a reel of her visit to her husband’s office for her first official meeting as head of the Senate Spouses Foundation of the Philippines (SSFP), a nonprofit organization composed of the wives of incumbent and former senators that conducts charitable missions and humanitarian projects.
The position is traditionally bestowed on the spouse of the incumbent Senate President.
“Wife duties,” the caption of the first video, shared by a Senate staff, read.
“First meeting as Senate First Lady,” another shared video captioned.
Evangelista then posted another Story, a screenshot of the official Instagram account of the Senate Spouse Philippines, asking for her followers to also follow the foundation.
“So we shall begin [smiley face] follow [senatespouseph],” the actress wrote in the caption.
During the Kapihan sa Senado forum, Escudero revealed that his wife “panicked” and teared up before his appointment day, as she didn’t know that she would also be handling her own position.
“Nagtatanong siya, hindi daw niya alam, hindi daw niya kabisado. Sabi ko, ako rin naman, hindi ko alam, hindi ko kabisado. Sabi nya, ‘E ikaw ang tagal-tagal mo na dyan, mundo mo ‘yan.’ Sabi ko, ‘Senador, oo, pero Senate President hindi, kaya panay ang pa-briefing ko,’” he said.
Escudero said he advised Evangelista to not get too sucked into the pressures of the job and to just do what she could. “Kung ano lang ang kaya. Tapos nagtatanong sya, hindi daw nya alam, hindi daw nya kabisado.”
Asked if Evangelista is willing to sacrifice her career in fashion to focus on her new role in the Senate, the Senate leader explained that SSFP’s activities are usually done once every quarter only.
“Usually Christmas season ang functions nila,” Escudero said. “Sa ngayon, willing pa lang. Magiging ready pa lang.
As head of SSFP, Evangelista assumed the post left over by Audrey Tan-Zubiri, the wife of former Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri. (Jessica Ann Evangelista © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
