Here is more to senatorial candidates than just mere politics and mudslinging. It’s fortunate to note that there are interesting and little-known facts about them, including that some are music enthusiasts and trophy-hoarders while others are health buffs, and have had funny experiences on the campaign trail.

Here they are:

Music Lovers

1.Muntinlupa Rep.Rozzano Rufino Biazon

Running under the Liberal Party (LP), retired Gen. Pong Biazon’s son is fighting for a more efficient disaster relief delivery system, but outside Congress he is a disc jockey. He played music from the 80s during the private Valentine’s party thrown by LP standard bearer Benigno Aquino III. Biazon said he played that type of music because it is both his and Aquino’s favorite genre and era.

2.Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile 

The re-electionist under Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino may not sing on stage, but he sings with gusto in Christmas parties and other gatherings all the time. Manong Johnny’s favorite songs are Visayan love songs Usahay and Baleleng.

3. Lawyer Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana

As a senatorial bet of the NP, Gwen also loves to move to the beat of Latin music, particularly salsa, with her husband. Her brother, lawyer Koko Pimentel, recently revealed that the ballroom-dancing candidate is also known for being “everyone’s guidance counselor.” He admires her ability to give sound advice to everyone in need.

4. Akbayan Party-list Rep. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel

A guest candidate of LP, when Risa was 14, she starred as Louisa Von Trapp in the Repertory Philippines production of Sound of Music. She appeared with notable actors who played the other Von Trapp children: Broadway star Lea Salonga, West End’s Monique Wilson, and theater veterans Raymond and Menchu Lauchengco.

5. Ilocos Norte 2nd district Rep. Ferdinand ‘Bong-Bong’ Marcos Jr.

Bongbong is running as senator under the Nacionalista Party (NP), but did you know that he’s a promoter of wind energy and plays wind instruments, particularly the saxophone and flute. He played the background music for his political ad, Tuloy-tuloy.

6. Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III

Wanting to return to the Senate under the Nationalist People’s Coalition), Tito is a known television host and singer, has composed more than 20 songs both in English and Filipino, among them the early hit songs of his niece Sharon Cuneta and goddaughter Pops Fernandez. He also composed the song Magkaisa, which became popular during the Edsa Revolution of 1986. He and his brothers are known for their ability to sing and compose, and they all married women who can sing.

Youngest

-Among the top 15 candidates, NP’s Gilbert Remulla is the youngest, being born on September 5, 1975. A former TV reporter and news anchor, he can sing well and play the guitar. During a break from politics in the last three years, he was the one behind the improved operations of Island Cove Resorts, the premier resort in Cavite owned by his family.

-On the distaff side, Senator Pia Cayetano, who is a re-electionist also under NP, is the youngest woman to be elected in the Senate at age 38 last 2004. A known triathlete and health buff, Cayetano never buys bread and bakes her own. She said she uses all-organic ingredients, following the recipe her grandmother taught her.

Idealist

Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, a guest candidate of NP, is a member of the Philippine Military Academy’s class of 1978. The class adopted President Arroyo as an honorary member. A number of his ‘mistahs’ have been placed by the President in key positions and commands in the military and police organizations. Ironically, Lim is currently in jail for rebellion charges in relation to his alleged involvement in the 2006 coup attempt to overthrow President Arroyo. When interviewed by Newsbreak, his colleagues at 1-Ganap/Guardian said that he is an idealist who has the ability to hold their group together with ideals for the nation’s common good.

Trophy Collectors

- Among the movie actors vying for Senate seats, re-electionist Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla Jr. (of Lakas-Kampi-CMD) has the most number of movie-related awards with nine trophies.

- Re-electionist Senator Jinggoy Estrada (of PMP), who tied with Revilla for the top spot in the most recent Pulse Asia survey, comes in second with five acting awards. Another re-electionist, Lito Lapid (under Lakas), has one acting award, given by the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) in 2002.

- While Sotto has yet to win a movie-acting award, he hoarded various awards for television. He was a three-time Box-Office King awardee in the Guillermo Mendoza Entertainment Awards, four-time Best Actor in a Comedy Series, and a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for Television from the PMPC Star Awards for Television.

- Re-electionist Miriam Defensor-Santiago, guest candidate of four parties, was a high school swimming champion at the Iloilo National High School. When she was a freshman in high school, she also topped written examinations and was appointed by a faculty member to be editor-in-chief of her school paper. She was EIC for four years. She was also the first woman editor in chief of The Philippine Collegian, the official student publication of the University of the Philippines.

Cameo Roles

- The fans of Senator Estrada who didn’t get to watch the 2009 comedy Kimi Dora should grab a DVD copy. Dora, the mentally-challenged lead character, gave an inspiring speech—flawlessly imitating her over-achieving and powerful sister, Kimi—in front of the media and executives of her Korean family’s company. Estrada showed up as a janitor listening to Dora’s speech, looking uplifted and inspired.

- Former Senator Sergio Osmeña III, guest candidate of LP, also had a cameo role, but on television. To our recollection, he is the first politician to ever appear in a sit-com—a practice that politicians would follow in succeeding election seasons. In 1995, he appeared on the television show Palibhasa Lalaki, in the network owned by his in-laws. In fairness to Osmeña, the idea to appear on the Lopezes’ network didn’t come from him—we gathered that a campaign strategist who wanted to help Osmeña made the friendly request with a network executive.

Funny experiences

- Captain Ramon Mitra III of NP, a wakeboarder, said that the funniest thing that happened to him recently was when his family attended the Philippine Military Academy homecoming in Baguio on February 20. One of his daughters asked him: “Dad, who is Pigrolac? His streamers are everywhere!” He said that he and his wife laughed and told her that ‘Pigrolac’ is the candidate for the party list of feeds. His daughter only figured out that it was a joke on their way home to Manila.

- Former Senate President Franklin Drilon of LP said that his funniest experience recently was when he attended the celebration of the 73rd Zamboanga City Foundation Day. He was waiting for his flight back to Manila at the Zamboanga City airport when a half-blind lady approached him and asked if one of the masseuses could have a picture taken with him. The reason? “Because they have not seen me for a long time!” he said.

- Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto Guingona III, who is running under LP, narrated when he was young, he liked to take girls out on a date. He ran out of money one time he invited a girl for snacks after watching a movie. “My money was enough for noodles and coke. I was surprised she ordered rice, spring rolls, pork chop and noodles,” Guingona recalled while noting that he got nervous after the girl ordered. In the end, he asked his friend to bring money to the restaurant.