The life of the Queen

[gangster]

Jesusa Purificación Soñora Poe, better known as Susan Roces , is the Queen of Philippine Movies not just because she is the wife of the late “Da King” Fernandon Poe Jr. It was her illustrious career, remarkable craftsmanship and respect for quality that made her one of the most respected icons and a living legend in show business.



Starting as a child actress in the early '50s, Susan became a household name in Philippine cinema with her vibrant screen presence. A luminous mestiza with nearly translucent skin, intelligent brown eyes and a characteristic endearing smile, Susan possesses a timeless beauty that allows her to dip her toes into different roles both for comedy and drama.

With a vibrant career that spans more than five decades, Susan proved that dedication and hard work are keys to longevity in an unstable industry. People come and go but she is one of the more formidable women who withstood the test of time and remained unfazed with all the challenges that went her way. All of these whilst aging beautifully.

At 70, Susan still looks very beautiful, her skin as dewy as it was back in the '50s, and no thanks to beauty surgery. In fact, her only secret to looking young is the frequent meals diet (six meals a day, in small portions), getting enough sleep, laughing a lot and keeping good company.

“I was taught not to dwell on negativity by my husband. He doesn’t like to dwell on negative matters. It wasn’t true that he died because he was heartbroken for not winning the presidency. What broke his heart was betrayal. But past is past. It’s been almost seven years now. Sometimes I still cry and then I’ll smile again. Life’s like that, iyak-tawa lang. It also helps that I’m surrounded by young people, I have my own Ipad now,” she said laughing.

As someone who should have been the First Lady of the Philippines, Susan doesn’t see any difference between the life in the palace and her life in the silver screen. “Being First Lady is just like being any actor or actress in showbiz. We are under the scrutiny of the public, we are answerable to our actions, we should be role models, and that’s really not much of a change. I never really looked forward to that,” she said.

Apart from shunning negativity, Susan also kicked another bad habit, smoking. “I was a smoker until recently,” she shared.

She continued: “My co-star Freddie Web told me it’s not good for the health. But that’s not why I stopped smoking. It was because of the rule that you have to go out the building, and smoke in the sidewalk. Nakakahiya. So it was my will power to stop. I realized that if you want someone to kick a bad habit, you shouldn’t talk them out of it. Let them discover why they should quit.”

With such tenacity, Susan sets the mark of excellence in all her choices – from the right television and film projects to endorsing products. For some years now, she has been endorsing Champion laundry detergent and she’s proud that her partnership with the brand is founded on trust.

“I’ve been taught by my parents to be very careful about honor, respect and trust. Endorsing a product is a big responsibility. Yes, the returns are good. I wouldn’t deny that. But I tried the detergent myself. As a habit, I do my own delicate laundry, hand wash. So I know it’s delicate with the hands, has a good scent, and makes white whiter,” she explained during a Champion press luncheon with co-endorser Ryan Agoncillo.

Susan said you have to trust the brand in the same way that it trusts you. And after touring Champion’s plant, she is 100 percent sure that the brand capitalizes on quality and commits itself to remain true to its promise to the consumers.

“Hindi lahat ng mura walang kwenta, hindi lahat ng mahal magaling. Champion understands the need of every Filipino household to have access to high-quality detergent without the steep cost. It’s very heart-warming to see a brand that seeks to deliver what Filipinos rightfully deserve,” she concluded.



--MB