ZAMBOANGA CITY – It was the charisma of television host Kris Aquino and her cager-husband James Yap that made the Liberal Party’s sortie here last Wednesday the most attended one since Senator Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III started his official presidential campaign last month.

From the airport and during the motorcade, Kris and James had magnetized tens of thousands of people, prompting them to flock to the streets, braving the scorching heat of the sun to welcome the Liberal Party (LP) candidates, led by Senator Aquino himself, who was literally outshone by his celebrity-sister throughout their brief visit in this city.

Police estimated the crowd to be at 50,000 to 80,000, mostly residents who chose to miss watching their favorite prime-time soap operas and instead trooped to the Joaquin F. Enriquez Sports Complex just to personally see Kris and James, but they started leaving when Kris handed the stage to Senator Aquino. But when it was time for Kris to speak, the ecstatic crowd cheered in unison.

During her speech, Kris told the crowd that she had to miss shooting some episodes of her soap opera “Kung Tayo’y Magkakalayo” just to accompany Senator Aquino in campaigning here, but claimed that it was like hitting two birds with one stone for her since “90 percent of Zamboanga is considered Kapamilya,” referring to consistent viewers of her home network, ABS-CBN 2.

A highly in-demand talent and product endorser, Kris is an exclusive talent of ABS-CBN 2 and a mainstay of the long-running Sunday talk show “The Buzz,” a popular soap opera “Kung Tayo’y Magkakalayo,” a new talent-search show “Pilipinas Got Talent,” and a top-rating showbiz news program “SNN: Showbiz News Ngayon,” where she recently took a leave of absence after figuring in an accident due to fatigue and lack of sleep.

Kris’ popularity, not to mention her marriage to James, the Most Valuable Player of the latest season of the Philippine Basketball Association, has been considered a valuable ace to the presidential campaign of her brother. (with a report by Roy C. Mabasa)