MAKATI CITY — Former 90s teen idol turned public servant Angelu de Leon is embracing the rigorous demands of governance, discovering a more serious and meticulous side to her personality outside of showbiz.
Now serving as a city councilor in Pasig City’s second district under the administration of Mayor Vico Sotto, de Leon reflected on her political career during an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN entertainment website PUSH, held at the Marie France weight management program launch in Makati City.
Reflecting on her personal transformation, the actress-turned-politician shared a surprising realization about her transition from entertainment to local legislation.
“I’m just grateful for everything that’s been given to me. So parang yung mga times na yung mga projects na nagagawa ko, parang na-explore ko na ang lahat. Na-discover ko na seryoso pala ako (laughs). Kasi normally makulit ako. Pag nasa councilor mode ako, lumalabas yung pagiging strikto, pagiging metikoloso, pagiging matanong ko. Siguro yun yun. Kasi I know for a fact that I don’t know anything and everything, parang ganun. So every time na may dumarating na mga ordinansa, binubusisi ko na gusto ko makausap yung mga resourse speakers. Talagang I try to get the knowledge na hanggang maintindihan ko siya,” she stated.
De Leon also addressed the public scrutiny surrounding celebrities who enter politics, candidly acknowledging that her celebrity status played a major role in her electoral victory while emphasizing her commitment to proving herself through genuine public service.
“Sometimes you can’t blame them. You can’t blame them kasi meron namang nababalitaan. Hindi rin naman ako puwedeng magpaka-ipokrito na magmalinis na dapat hindi niyo kami isipan ng ganyan. Pero totoo, may pressure sa amin to really step up. Because I would admittedly, for a fact, na kaya rin naman ako nanalo was mainly because I was popular. Pero it doesn’t have to stop there. And it shouldn’t stop from there. Kailangan on your own matuto kang alamin kung ano yung mga responsibilidad ng posisyon na pinasok mo. Because at the end of the day, after everything, hindi ka na nandun dahil sa popularity mo, ang titingnan na sa ‘yo kung ano yung nagawa mo, kung ano yung ginagawa mo,” she explained.
As she continues her term as a close ally of Mayor Vico Sotto, de Leon remains focused on learning the intricacies of governance to deliver meaningful results for her constituents.