Kris vows 1/3 of salary for youth projects

By KRIS BAYOS
June 13, 2010, 6:27pm

Even if actress-TV talk show host Kris Aquino-Yap will not assume the role of First Lady, she has pledged one-third of her earnings to help the administration of her brother, President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, by way of youth-oriented advocacies.

Just a day after her brother’s proclamation as the country’s 15th duly elected President, Kris went to the Aquino’s hometown in Tarlac and distributed school supplies to grade school pupils of three districts of the province.

In an earlier interview last week, Kris said she initially wanted to reach out to regions where her brother unanimously won as a gesture of gratitude for getting the trust of the voters.

She, however, shared that “Noy said, ‘hindi ganyan Kristina. Kailangan puntahan mo ang lahat.’ So ngayon, marami nang lugar na naka-mark sa calendar ko (That’s not the way.You should go to all. So now, I’m going to places marked on my calendar), ” Kris said, adding that she is set to go to Cebu on June 22 for another round of outreach program with grade schoolers.

Like Kris, the other First Sisters expressed their willingness to help the incoming administration even if they would not be given government posts.

Ballsy Aquino-Cruz reportedly preferred to help in disaster response and rehabilitation; Pinky Aquino-Abellada in education, and Viel Aquino-Dee, in protecting indigenous peoples.

But the youngest, Kris, chose youth-related advocacies “being a mom of two young kids.”

“Helping now is easier than during mom’s time when I was younger than Josh when she became president. Besides being of age, all of us felt that we need to help Noy because we were also part of his campaign,” Kris said.

Kris, who decided to forego her career in talk show hosting, but to keep her acting projects, said she will devote her time to her family and to the Filipinos, whom she vowed to help in any which way she could.

Kris also expressed that their proud parents, the late Preident Corazon “Cory” Aquino and Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr., will be praying for the success of Noynoy’s administration.

“We know for a fact that Noy won’t be where he is right now if Mom did not die and there was a clamor for my brother to run. But who won’t be proud of what he has achieved? Mom will be proud more so our father because Noy carries his name,” Kris said.

“I’m sure Mom will be praying for Noy 100 percent in heaven for him to do a great job for the country,” she stressed.