Joey rationale: “Magkaiba kasi kami ng partido ni Ness at naiintindihan niya yan. I have to support my party’s candidate, former Mayor Olivarez and his running mate, Councilor Anjo Yllana.” Joey still belongs to LAKAS–CMD.
“I never left my party. I believe in loyalty, hindi ako political butterfly na palipat-lipat.” But if his estranged wife needs advice, “I can always give it to her. Lahat naman ng nagkukunsulta sa akin, I accommodate them, how much more with Ness when she is the mother of my children? And I should say she has been a good mother to our children,” Joey said.
“I can always give her morale support. But when it comes to logistics and endorsement, I can’t give that to her.”
Interestingly, Joey is now supporting former Mayor Olivarez who was once his arch political nemesis, having ran against him for mayor of their city.
Joey won over him and since then Mayor Olivarez had been his most avid critic. “But last year, nang binagyo ako, when my personal as well as political life was put in jeopardy, it was Mayor Olivarez who was among those who supported me and in one of our meetings, he said ‘ngayon mo ako subukan bilang kaibigan, hinding hindi kita iiwan at pababayaan.”
Joey said he has always aimed for unity in his beloved city so he doesn’t look at the political color of anyone especially when the election is finished. “Dahil pagkatapos ng election, parepareho kaming magtatrabaho na sa ikakabuti at ikakaunlad ng lugar namin.”
Joey could have opted to run for senator like his good friend Jinggoy Estrada but he said “hindi ko pa kaya, hindi pa ako handa kaya sa congress na muna ako. I believe in going slowly, but surely. Start at the bottom. Yan ang paniniwala ko, magumpisa muna sa ibaba. I started as vice mayor (for one term) then as mayor for three terms. I believe  that has given me enough experience to go to Congress.” Joey’s son Jeremy, 24, is also into politics now, running for councilor. He was with SK previously. “I also always tell my son,  umpisa ka muna sa ibaba...”
Joey’s accomplishments for Parañaque is very evident. “I’d like to think I did well in giving my city a good economic climate,” he said. “Our coffer now has more than one billion pesos. Through various business enterprises operating in my city, I created more than 100,000 job opportunities for my constituents. I send teachers abroad to study para maging mas magaling sila sa pagturo..” He hopes that if Mayor Olivarez wins, he will continue his projects. “I strongly believe in continuity,” he stressed.
He loves Parañaque, he said, and this is also a big reason why Joey didn’t want to run for senator. “Karugtong na ng buhay ko ang Parañaque, at hinding-hindo ko tatalikuran ang lungsod ko. Whatever happens, I will be there for my people...”
This early, people are calling Joey congressman. “I don’t want to be called congressman. I want to be called representative of the people...”
Joey is one who isn’t so keen on titles. “I believe that a political title is not a career, but more on moral responsibility (to the people).
So what can he say to the fact that his sister Melanie Marquez, actress-producer and former beauty queen and international model is in the opposition, supporting the candidacy of Fernando Poe, Jr.? “Okay lang na magkaiba kami ng partido at iba and sinusuportahan niya. Ganyan naman talaga, kahit sa pamilya hindi magkakapareho ng paniniwala. I respect that. But I know that when this is over, we will all be working for the same goal - ang ikakabuti ng bansa.”
How about his lovelife? “I can tell you everything about my personal life, but you have to put down your pen and promise to keep everything off the record,” Joey said. He was asked if it was true Kris Aquino, his former lover who last year revealed everything (even the sordid details) about them on national television (quenching  televiewers’ thirst for scandal), and he saw each other in church recently. True to his word, Joey did not entertain personal questions during his recent presscon at Niche Grill along Esguerra St., QC the other night.
By the way, it’s also interesting to know that Joey’s monthly salary as mayor (R25,000) goes directly to an orphanage.

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myGlobe Music winner experiences Ms. Jones live

From the pigeonhole:
Music is a special language that can transcend race, culture and age. When sung or performed brilliantly, music can touch the emotions or lift up the spirit. Such is the music of Norah Jones. Its delicate beauty and fragile melodies can whisk her audience to a musical wonderland where past, present and future all melt into one. myGlobe recently gave one lucky Globe subscriber, Evelyn Deveza, and her sister, Zenaida Zarate, a chance to experience the magic of Norah Jones’ music in an exclusive intimate performance in Hong Kong where the up-and-coming sensation performed songs from her new album “Feels Like Home” live for the very first time.  
Deveza, a regular subscriber to myGlobe Music Central Hot Tones, is the winner of the recently concluded myGlobe Music Central Norah Jones promo contest. By subscribing to the hottest tones weekly, she won round–trip tickets for two, with free hotel accommodations at the luxurious Marco Polo Gateway and two free tickets for the exclusive Norah Jones intimate performance. The promo winner and her traveling companion also each received pocket money for their three-day stay in Hong Kong.
Before her trip to Hong Kong, the 53–year old homemaker and Globe Handyphone subscriber had only a vague familiarity with Norah Jones’ music. 
“I am not really familiar with Norah Jones or her music. Naririnig ko lang ang name niya at yung mga songs niya duon sa mga anak ko. After seeing and hearing her play live, I can now say na fan na niya ako. Ang galing talaga niya! I was really moved by her performance. A far cry from much of today’s music which are all noise,” mused Deveza, after she had witnessed a very exclusive and intimate Norah Jones performance in Hong Kong.
A delighted Deveza exclaimed: “Thank you myGlobe for giving me this wonderful opportunity, Norah Jones’ live performance was really an eye–opener, my sister and I really enjoyed our three day stay in Hong Kong,”
This February, the song kitten from Texas will once again dazzle her legions of fans with “Feels Like Home,” her new musical offering. As early as now, record industry pundits are already predicting that this new album will break new grounds both musically and commercially. Norah Jones’ debut album “Come Away With Me” sold more than six million copies worldwide and earned for Norah eight Grammy awards last year including Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Performance.
myGlobe Music Central can turn the dream of Globe subscribers to meet world-class entertainers such as Norah Jones, Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, F4 stars Vanness and Ken and crossover classical pianist Maksim into reality. From now until March 15, subscribe to myGlobe Music Central’s weekly tone subscription by texting ON to 2949 and you can get a chance to win a RAV 4 or a R1 million cash prize.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, Feb. 22, go to our own international star Lea Salonga, Dean Pascasio Banaria (former SEC Chair) who’s turning 90!, awardwinning actor Yul Servo, QC Councilor Jorge Banal, top plastic surgeon Dr. Jorge Neri, Awit awardee Margot Gallardo, travel exec Dading C. Clemente, Lito Anzures, Johann Patrick Graham, Lourdes Teves, Prof. Mutsuhiko Miki of the Philippine Cultural Institute, Mrs. Rosa Aguinaldo vda. De Romualdez, MB’s Teddy Ramos, Willie Baun, Jamaal Williams, Doris Garcia, Parungao, Maribel D. Anaya, Lulu Miraflores, Jimmy Boy Panesa, Jr. and ABM Dan Dia of Casino Filipino-Pavilion...Belated b–day greetings to Chit Penus of National Housing Mortgage Finance Corp. (Feb. 16)...