AT A CROSSROADS, POE REMEMBERS LESSONS FROM HER FATHER

As she continues to ponder a life-changing decision, Sen. Grace Poe remembers the most important lessons in her life--those from her father, the late actor Fernando Poe Jr., who would have turned 76 today.

Staying away--at least for the day--from the political circus that has hounded her since surveys showed she was the Filipinos' top choice as the next president, Poe sought some moments of silence at the grave of FPJ at the Manila North Cemetery.

The senator and her family heard Mass and laid flowers on FPJ's grave.

"Madalas niyang sabihin sa akin, 'huwag na huwag kang makakalimot sa iyong pinanggalingan.' Nagtanim ng mabuti ang aking ama noong siya ay nabubuhay pa, at hanggang ngayon ay tinatamasa namin ang bunga ng mga kabutihang nagawa niya noon," Poe said.

She said she remembers how her father would pay the hospital bills of strangers who asked for his help, and support other people's children through school. People would come and go at their house in San Juan.

"Lumaki akong napapalibutan ng iba't ibang klaseng tao: mga artista at direktor, mgasociety people, mga fans, mga ordinaryong mamamayan na minsan ay dumudulog sa aming pamilya, at ni minsan ay hindi ko nakita ang aking ama na tinalikuran ang sinumang humingi ng tulong sa kanya," Poe said.

"His kindness was unconditional," she said.

Now at a crossroads, the senator said she clings to the values that her parents taught her as a child.

"Marami tayong nakakausap ngayon, marami ang nagbibigay ng payo at opinyon--at nagpapasalamat tayo sa lahat ng mga iyon--but at the end of the day, ang babalikan ko pa rin ay ang mga itinuro sa akin ng aking mga magulang, at iyan ay ang paggalang at bukas-pusong pagtulong sa kapwa, lalo na sa mga mahihirap," Poe said.

FPJ, known as Da King of Philippine Movies, taught her to treat everyone equally, regardless of who they are or where they come from, the senator said. He also told her never to look down on anyone.

"Nagpapasalamat ako sa aking ama dahil pinalaki niya ako nang tama. Lagi niyang pinaaalala sa akin noon na kung ano man ang kaginhawahang tinatamasa ng aming pamilya ay utang namin sa mga Pilipinong tumatangkilik at nagmamahal sa kanila ng aking ina, kaya nararapat lamang na suklian din namin sila ng kabutihan," Poe said.

FPJ, who ran and lost in the 2004 presidential elections that was widely believed to have been fraught with fraud, died after suffering a stroke in December 2004.

Every year, in August, various TV channels show reruns of FPJ movies as a countdown to his birthday. Eleven years after his death, fans continue to commemorate FPJ's life and work.