Chavit Singson reveals plans | TMT Newsroom
Chavit Singson reveals plans
For the next episode of TMT Newsroom, Ilocos Sur former governor Chavit Singson talks about his business plans, e-jeepney rollout, 2025 electoral plans, and Vagabond 2 production in collaboration with Korean actor Lee Seung Gi.
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For the next episode of TMT Newsroom, Ilocos Sur former governor Chavit Singson talks about his business plans, e-jeepney rollout, 2025 electoral plans, and Vagabond 2 production in collaboration with Korean actor Lee Seung Gi.
Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe
Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net
Follow us:
Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook
Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram
Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter
DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion
Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital
Check out our Podcasts:
Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify
Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts
Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic
Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer
Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcher
Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein
#TheManilaTimes
#TMTNewsroom
#ChavitSingson
#Vagabond2
#Ejeepneys
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NewsTranscript
00:00Hello and welcome to the TMT newsroom. I'm Tessa Mauricio Arriola, the Lifestyle and
00:10Entertainment Editor for the Manila Times. Today, I have the honor of introducing our
00:14distinguished guest. Age is truly just a number for our special guest today as his energy easily
00:21defies the numbers eight and two. Currently, he is making headlines and he is perhaps the most
00:27prominent citizen to have paid the largest penalty for a traffic violation on EDSA. He
00:32continues to be involved in major business deals and exciting ventures including producing the
00:38sequel to Lee Seung-ji's Vagabond 2 and nurturing the next Manipakyao. Additionally, he works
00:44closely with fellow politicians and various advocacies across the regions to enhance the
00:49lives of different sectors from our farmers and jeepney drivers to service workers and ultimately
00:55the Filipino family. Please join me in welcoming to the TMT newsroom former Ilocos Governor Luis
01:02Chavit Singson. Good afternoon Governor Chavit. Good afternoon. Before I introduce our guests
01:09today in the panel, we'd like to ask you to greet the viewers of the TMT newsroom. Yes,
01:16first of all, I'd like to thank each and every one of you here for inviting me. It's an honor
01:22to be here because I remember during the old days, this is the most popular newspaper of the time.
01:30Yes. Number one. Governor, I'd like to introduce our guests in our panel joining us today to
01:38pose hopefully the most intriguing and challenging questions to you. Our Mr. Fred Nasaid, our
01:44Regions and Sports Editor. Our reporter, Red Mendoza, who currently covers the House of
01:50Representatives and our young business reporter, Micah Arceo. So let's begin our round table with
01:57Governor Chavit Singson. I'll go first since we've been covering Governor Chavit. I hope our viewers
02:05have already read stories that we've run on the government this past week. We have a story on how
02:11he's producing the next Vagabond sequel with Lee Soon-Ji and you also have a restaurant, a Korean
02:19chain that you've successfully brought to the Philippines. I hope you don't mind that I
02:24mentioned your age earlier, Governor, because we are all really, really impressed at how much
02:31energy you have. At age two years plus 80. I won't repeat myself. But you are so fit and so energetic.
02:40I know you're all across the country doing so many things. Governor, my first question is,
02:45what is your health routine? What is your daily routine? How do you keep fit and healthy?
02:52Well, I exercise a little. Not even running. Just keep on moving.
03:08A little cardio?
03:10No, I just march 50 times. Not walking, stationary marching. And then stretching.
03:21I have to keep moving, moving around.
03:23And maybe if it's when you're not doing anything, that's what you don't like. I'm sure you always want to be in action all the time.
03:34In terms of food, what are your favorites?
03:37In Ilocos, our vegetables are pinakbet, dininding. Is that right?
03:43Bagnet. Bagnet.
03:45That's not bad. Bagnet is a little sinful. But the others are really healthy.
03:49Yes. But for me, I usually eat vegetables and fish.
03:59There's nothing wrong with eating meat, but I'm just avoiding meat.
04:15We really do have to say that you look very good. And we really do feel the energy that you have.
04:21Because you really have a lot of things you're doing right now. Whether it be business or hobbies, and all that.
04:29So maybe we can get to a little bit more of the tougher questions. I know Red has a few up his sleeve.
04:35Well, of course, being a former governor, being a former kingmaker, political kingmaker in the Philippines.
04:44Of course, 2025 is coming. What are your plans? Do you have any plans of possibly running for higher office?
04:51Or any political plans?
04:53I don't have any plans yet. In fact, during the last election, I didn't run.
04:59I just asked President Bibiang to go around the region because I was then the president of the mayors of the Philippines.
05:09So I introduced him to all the mayors. And he said he was very lucky that I'm the president.
05:17Now, because when he ran for vice president, he told me that I don't have a single mayor.
05:25But this time, 80% of mayors all over the country worked at him. Because I'm the president of the mayors of the Philippines.
05:33But I didn't run anymore. But still, the mayors elected me as emeritus president, emeritus member, as head member, and emeritus president of the league.
05:45I'm just helping them.
05:47Tuluy-tuluy ang pagtulungan sa kanila.
05:49Dun lumabas yung electric vehicles because I want to help the drivers.
05:56It's been a long time, long plan of the government to modernize our jeepneys.
06:01Hindi magawa because there is no funding from the drivers.
06:07So again, I told the president, I will just provide everybody.
06:14And marami yan. Dibu yan. Di lang dibu. Million.
06:19So kung ako lang ako, hindi ko magawa. But we can do it because in Korea, I have a lot of partners, factories.
06:27And in Korea, there is a province in which all of the electric manufacturers are there.
06:36I forgot the name, but I went there. They call them e-mobility group.
06:43So all of them are having their manufacturing electric vehicles, tricycles, and motorcycles, everything.
06:55So I talked to them to join me in this project.
06:59But I told them na gagawin ko ito tulung.
07:04Hindi tayo magpapadal payment dahil yun ang problema.
07:09Hindi tayo magpuporsyento, harapin natin pinakamura.
07:13Kasi kung magporsyento kami habang nagbabayas sila, hindi na tulung yan.
07:19So I explained to them, kumayag naman lahat.
07:21That's why nangkot sa LTFRB and the transport group who came to my house, harapin nyo muna yung pinakamura para hindi ako mabintangan.
07:31So yan, inaanap nila pinakamura daw.
07:35President Duterte sa LTFRB sinabi sa akin, specification, in the airport, copyay mo yung jeep.
07:47So ginawa nga ako, dinala ko rito electric.
07:50Sinubukan ng mga mayors, BBMs ng mga mayors.
07:52Mga mayors kasi sila nakakalamay yung mga drivers.
07:56So nung dumatid dito, gusto mga drivers, aeroplane.
08:02Mas mahal yun, gagaw.
08:05Kasi pinahanap ko muna sa kanila, sino pinakamura.
08:081,000,000 to.
08:10Sige, bigyan ko lang 800, gagaw, para tulung.
08:14So pinahanap ko ulit, inaanap nila ulit ang pinakamura na electric vehicles ng airphone, 2,000,000 to.
08:26Pwede kung yababa ng 1,200, 1,300, whatever yung, yan ang pinakababa.
08:35Dahil di kami magne-negosyo, talaga tulung lang sa ating kababa niya.
08:44Reporter, kami-discussing yung e-vehicle project, e-vehicle business ninyo.
08:51Pero Gov, you're saying nga po yung e-vehicle project ay pinitchin nyo sa mga mayors.
08:56Pinitchin nyo sa mga mayors itong e-vehicle project.
09:00Since 20... kailangan po ito pinitch itong e-vehicle, e-vehicle project na ito.
09:06Kailangan po siya pinitch sa mga mayors po?
09:09Noong ako bang mayor, umiigot na ako.
09:13Because yung mga mayors, alam ko nakakaalam sino ang mga drivers sa kanila.
09:19Because karamihan sa atin hawak ng cooperative or transport group, ang kikita rito yung mga transport group o cooperative.
09:30Gusto ko idiretso sa mga drivers. So the mayors ang nakakaalam.
09:35Noong nabalita naman ng transport group, lumapit sila sa akin, problema dito, kasi pumayag ako.
09:40But that will be a lot. So nagpatulong ako sa Korea.
09:45Q. How much is the investment you're making to be able to help them?
09:50Malaki dahil millions. Billions yan ang alaga.
09:56But pumayag naman mga manufacturers na kasama ko hindi kami mamumursihan ito.
10:02No down payment, no guarantee, no percentage bang di ka nangbabawas, kung anong presyo yan.
10:10Basta magbayad lang ang mga drivers sa grupo, RGU, transport group, or cooperative.
10:32Q. So what kind of loan na ibibigay from that jeepney modernization? Kasi sobrang daming jeepney drivers against with that?
10:41Yes, against sila. Hindi ko pa sila nakawusap. Ang nakawusap ko lang naman ang mga pumunta sa bahay.
10:47Kung problema nila pag-akwal, wala naman problema dahil ibibigay ko. Ako magpuprovide.
10:52Q. Pero paano nila? Iri-repay o babayarin?
10:55Ano lang? Parang rentong. Anong kikitain nila sa araw na yan? Itabi nila.
11:01Daily. Itabi nila. Yan ang pangbayad. So ang group hindi nila magbabayad.
11:06Nag-meeting nga kami mga transport group. Walang down payment, walang guarantee, hindi ko mamumursihan ito dahil ako mamumursihan ito, di natulong.
11:16Ano naman ang guarantee namin? Sabi nila mukha niyo kako. Kaya kakusapin ng majaryo, pag di nila nagbayad, nalagyan nila mukha niyo rong di nila nagbabayad ka.
11:29Kaya siguro kapartner ko rin ng media. Manirat tayo, mag-agree tayo kung sino di magbayad, itabis yung mukha niya.
11:41Q. Through your network as chairman of the Mayor's League, papasok din ba yan sa mayors office?
11:49Yes. Yung mga iba, mayors na nangilangan din, ibigay ako rin. So ngayon lahat na all over the country.
11:58Q. So they have to come to you to be able to take part in this project? Do the mayors have to knock on your door? Paano silang makakasali dito sa project?
12:28So binigay nila sa akin, 22-seater, plus 6 ang nakatayo, so 28 passengers, aircon.
12:58So exacto sa size, pati tornillo exacto. Kaya lahat computer ang parts. So binigay ko ngayon sa mga different manufacturers sa Korea.
13:28As a matter of fact Charlie Suarez lumalaban sa isang country, wala naman nakakakilala sa kanya. She's already 35 years old. Wala na akong pag-asa sabi niya. Sana yung ginawa niyo kay Ma'am Lina lumaban sa US, kung magawa niyo paraan, sige ka kong gawa ng paraan.
13:50Saka hindi ako mamomorsento sa iyo kung anong premium hindi ako mamomorsento tulungan kita. In fact ako nagbumasto sa lahat. Tama ko si Baba Arom, yeah we can, I can help you, we have hundreds of flights a year.
14:20So that's the title. Kung sino manalo sa susunod na laban, yan ang nalaban sa champion na incumbent, eliminator. So hinanap nila yung champion walang talo, pinabliss, nakararang.
14:50Kung malapit ng laban, bata rin ni Baba Arom yung kalaban kasi, alaga nila. Nahalata niya maumusay si Charlie, big lang pinalitan. Hindi na eliminator ng laban, iba lang kalaban mo, ayaw nila mataro yung tao niya.
15:20So kailan yung eliminator? By June. Okay sa June kung sino mga kalaban niya doon, gusto ko eliminator. Kung sino manalo sa eliminator, yan ang nalaban sa incumbent champion. Champion of the world na yan.
15:50Q1. How are you supporting Charlie Suarez?
16:20Siya lumapit.
16:21Siya lumapit sa iyo?
16:22Di ko naman pwede, aligat. Yung mga napapatulong sa akin, tutulungan ko. Nagpatulong sa akin. Magaling naman, magaling siya.
16:33Good luck to Charlie. Going to shooting naman. Kumusta tayo sa shooting? Mayisyam na tayo na nag-qualify sa Olympics? Meron bang hahabal sa shooting?
16:41Ako president ng shooting association before pero hindi na ako tumakbo. So iba ng officials na yan. Kung ako humahawak, lahat ng nalanalo binibigyan ko ng P100,000. Assign sa mga medals nila.
16:55So hindi ka na-involve sa shooting?
16:56Hindi na. Iba na nagpapatulong ngayon.
17:00So vaccine ka na lang talaga?
17:03Pero dapat, kasi be-politics din sa shooting. Marami nagko-complain. Marami ang mga engineering na kinukuha na magagaling. Wala nang magawak ako dahil di na ako presidente.
17:17Speaking of vaccine, of course kayo ang BFF ni Sen. Manny Pacquiao. I heard you're going to support Sen. Manny Pacquiao's comeback in 2025. Is this true?
17:30Yes. In fact I convinced him and talked to him dahil noong bad day na inibita ako, magkaibigan na kami. Magkahalikan na kami.
17:48So I convinced him and told him to run for senator. Kasi matulungin din siya. So kailangan tumakbo ka na senator para makatulong ka.
17:59Of course ang inisip ng mga tao ngayon, is Pacquiao even active pa rin sa public service? Of course we know na-retire na si Sen. Manny sa boxing pero parang gusto pa rin niyang lumaban.
18:16Kasi sinabi ko from the very beginning. Manny ginawa ka ng ating panginoon na boxer. Hindi pastor dahil gusto niya magpastor. Magpastor-pastor din siya. Manny gusto niya. Araw-araw kami magbible study. Hindi pwede yan.
18:38Saka ginawa ka lang na boxer. Pagbutihan mo nalang boxer mo dahil at the age of 40 you'll be very old as a boxer. He was then 26 years old. So yan, menos-menos na rin yan. He's very religious.
19:08... para alam niya ang gagawin sa pera niya. So siyasama ko para makita niya mga factories ko roon, paano pagtulong sa tao ngayon, mga drivers, tapakita ko ang makapaktura ng electric vehicles in Korea.
19:38Q. How did you come to do business with many Korean businessmen? Kailan ito nangyari? How did it come to be?
20:08... So yung mga nakikilala ko yung mga tunay ng mga babay. Marami lang naloko na big-time investor from Korea dito dahil batas natin 60-40. So naghahanap sila ka-partner, pag nagka-pera takbo na. Maraming ganun kaya walang tiwala ang mga Korean.
20:38... Parang binenta ko ang Pilipinas sa mga investor. Para magtiwala sila, nag-invest ako doon. Bubili ako ng 4-hectare beachfront sa Gangmun and develop it as an economic zone.
21:08... So marami akong factory doon. Solar, panels, rebars. Ang rebars ngayon iba na. Di ba mga baka natin kilakalawang? Ngayon mas mura nga yung fiberglass rebars.
21:38... four times lighter than steel and hindi nakilakalawang. It could be used sa roads and bridges, bahay. Hindi nakilakalawang the most important and cheaper than steel now.
22:08At the same time, negosyo.
22:38... ng mga empleyado sa movie industry. Wala naman akong makitang impresado sa mga anak ko or makatonong sakin. So sa Korea, ang endorser namin sa BBQ chicken, one of them is Bisonggi.
23:09... they have 3,500 branches in Korea alone. And now there are 57 countries. Ang bilis dumami. So yung branches dito biligay sakin. So anybody may magusto biligay ko naman.
23:23... and si Bisonggi ang endorser. So madalis kami magkita even in Korea. E siya ang bida ng bagabong. So nahinto na yun, baka pwede ako ma-endorse mo sa Philippines.
23:41... marami naman. You're very popular because of bagabong. So kausap ko yung mga writers, producers, ginagawa ngayon yung story, second part. So possible, hindi masigurado, possible na dito nagagawin yung second part.
24:11... So makakatulong ako. Kasi nag-invest na ako yung Miss Universe, $20M dito para sa ating bansa. So sabi yung mga kilala ko, mga CEO, because all my companies here may CEO, any new project binibigay ko sakin nila, they'll pass it down, pag-akihat, recommendation.
24:41... maaring madungi tayo, maaring kumita. Kung madungi tayo ng konti, kukunin natin. Pero mahal yun, sabi nila, $12M pera yung gastos dyan. Kasi $12M plus bumili ako ng yacht, aeroplano na 160-seater, ano yung aeroplano yun?
25:11So I really prepared for that. So nag-invest ako mga $20M. Dahil yung $12M hindi nagkasi, may nag-protest na women group, ayaw nila yung ganon, gumagamastos ka ulit sabi sa akin. So labot $15M.
25:41... Ngayon medyo maguluhu yata sila.
26:11... It's owned by a big company. Isa lang yan. Ayaw nilang masira. It's not that easy. Before we continue, daraw best ako nagbalis sa New York, before we continue discussing you have to deposit $1M, unrefundable.
26:41Kung hindi kayo naka-indendiyak, sa kanila $1M. So tingin ko parang niloloko ako dito, hindi naman ako niloloko. Sige ako, nag-prepare ako, I deposited $1M.
27:11So I have to pay another $5M because $6M is for Miss Universe. Di nangpasubo na ako. So I have to pay another $5M, $6M. Let's say na-contract na ako para naman maayos. No, no, lahat ang gastos sa'yo.
27:28So strict ko sila. Lahat ang gastos sa Pilipinas, gastos mo. Magkano yan? Another $6M. Sige ako, no. Baka hindi ko gastusin. You have to deposit another $6M. Parang niloloko ako. Pinakanggat lang ako.
27:55Sige ako, no. Baka hindi ko gastusin. You have to deposit another $6M. Parang niloloko ako. Pinakanggat lang ako. Parang niloloko ako. Pinakanggat lang ako.
28:25All over the world lahat pinapuntang Miss Universe. Pinukulong lang sila sa isang hotel dahil takot sila may mangyari international issue. Dito sa Pilipinas nililabas ko lahat. Magalit na kayo magalit ako, nagbayad na ako. Nililabas ko lahat. Pinakita ko lahat ang mga tourist spot natin para mga tourist. Although ayaw nila.
28:51How about security? Kinausap ko si President Duterte. Noong yate, binili ko yate. Dinalako sila sa Batangas. Dalawang Navy Boat na mga exportante. Lahat puntang namin maraming police. So we're secured.
29:21Dito sa hotel. Noong natapos, this is the most successful, sabi nila Miss Universe. Next year bigyanin namin sayo, may discount na walang deposit.
29:51I don't want to put a comparison but of course there's a very controversial man by the name of Donald Trump sa America who also owned the Miss Universe before the license. Tapos of course he's involved in real estate. Napakalaki pong mga negosyo niya. A very successful businessman.
30:21Q1. Meron ba at any point hindi ba pumapasok sa isip mo na pumaktumakbo ng Presidente?
30:51I'm just saying people na lang. Tumatulong ako sa lahat na kailangan. Like noong governor ako marami akong scholars and may private fans all over the Philippines. Kung may nagpatulong, titignan ko lang ang grade mataas, sinusulat ang mag-check-in yung university or colleges. Wala akong pinipili. In fact hindi ko nakita ang mga nag-graduate.
31:21It's worth investing ako. Para investment sa ating country yun pag magaling yung tulungan mo.
31:51Q1. Many people are commenting on social media na baka binabayaran lang din siya?
32:21Sorry and my congratulations sa mga nanguning ako. Kinamagalang ko yung chairman, magaling yung mga tao niyo, hinuli ako, congratulations. Magdonate pa ako ng ano para sumipagsirak ako. Yes, sabi ni chairman, artist pero bawal yun.
32:51Parosa rin sa akin. Violate ako. And no. 1 to show that nobody's above the law. Yung binigay ko naman para chipagin sila, para masabi na hindi ako galit na hinuli. Mga iba nagagali sila pag hinuli.
33:21So sabi ni chairman pa-receive ako. Pinareceive ako, gawin nilang uniform or jacket kasi tulong. Parang parosa rin sa ginawa ko. At the same time tulong sa mga nanghuli sa akin.
33:51Of course yung mga philosopher. Bawal yan, bawal yan.
34:21So really all of these challenges that come to you, which one makes you feel excited? Is it being in politics, being in business? Nakikita po namin ng mga businesses pero hobbies din po tulad ng producing and all. What excites you the most these days?
34:44Keep on moving, parang makin na yan. Yung makin na pag hindi umandal kakalawangan. Kaya yung mga tao rin ganoon din, hindi ka maglakad, subukan mo hindi maglakad na matagal, mayarap ka maglakad. May success ko nag-marching ako 50 times sa umaga, sa habo. Marching lang, stationary marching.
35:14Kayo po ba social media user din po? Meron po ba kayo?
35:44... magagalit pa yun di ko maimbita. Mapapagod ko pa. So ginawa ko, lumilipad na ako abroad, nagbibigay ng duration. Like the last time, nagbigay ako ng P3M, P10,000, P10,000, P10,000. The first time kasi nagbigay ako, nagkagulo, reclaim ng mga iba.
36:14... na-sanggap nila kagad same day. Yung first price ko noon P100,000. But next birthday ko, mas maraki na, gagawin mo ng P7M. P10,000, P10,000 pa rin pero may first price na P1M.
36:44Q. What is your vision for the Philippines?
37:14I feel very happy. So puro tulong lang ginagawa ko lahat. Kaya next birthday hinating ko ng P10,000, P10,000 para maraming manalo. Pero gagastusin ko lahat yung P7M. Maglalala ko ng first price, P1M.
37:44Q. Mag-share ng gifts to people who need help on your birthday?
38:14So nung sinabi sa akin, pinembesig ako. Totoo. So ang ginawa ko, dalhin niyo sa Manila yan, convinsin niyo, first time niya magsasakay ng aeroplano, pinatira ko sa hotel, haping-haping siya nagtataka, bakit?
38:44... may bahay na siya, may kumpleto. Tapos nung bidala doon, haping-haping hindi ako yung title. Tapos hindi lang yan, may truck naka-abang. Pagdating yung truck, purty chores, punong-puno yung bahay niya. Magano, haping-haping ako doon.
39:14Q. Pag-share ng gifts to people who need help on their birthday?
39:44So nung sinabi sa akin, pinembesig ako. Tapos nung bidala doon, haping-haping hindi ako yung title. Tapos haping-haping ako doon.