Luis Manzano admits several brands pulled away after the elections, but he’s now gearing up for multiple renewals and new TV shows.
Actor and host Luis Manzano is in a time of peace and acceptance this Christmas holiday, saying his focus now is to take care of his family and return to show business after losing the vice gubernatorial elections in Batangas in May.
Manzano said he found his niche again in hosting popular TV shows, where his skills lie in making Filipinos happy.
“I think what happened to me was not a simple redirection, but it was God’s protection, so my wife and my kids will not be affected,” Manzano said during Tuesday’s press conference that was also attended by his wife, actress Jessy Mendiola.
“After everything we went through, everything that’s going on—for me, I found my niche once again,” Manzano said.
During the midterm elections last May, Manzano ran for vice governor of Batangas on the same ticket as his mother, actress-turned-politician Vilma Santos, who ran for governor.
Despite his popularity in the entertainment industry and his mother’s victory, Manzano suffered a significant defeat against his primary opponent, the then-Governor of Batangas, Dodo Mandanas. Manzano’s brother, Ryan Christian Recto, also won the congressional seat for the sixth district of Batangas.
Manzano admitted that he felt lost after the elections and that several brands he had endorsed before then distanced themselves from him.
“Actually, right after the campaign—right after the election—for a while, I was lost,” Manzano said.
“For example, there were certain brands that didn’t renew their contracts with me, which was perfectly understandable. A lot of things I already had before, for very understandable reasons, I felt them distancing from me,” Manzano added.
But six months after the elections, Manzano said he’s ready to go back to his roots as a host of Rainbow Rumble, Pinoy Big Brother Collab Edition, Kapamilya Deal or No Deal, and other shows next year. He also said he has endorsement contract renewals with three different brands lined up.
“I really appreciate my endorsements—my brands—that even though things didn’t go our way, they didn’t lose their trust in me,” Manzano said.
“After everything, it felt like everything fell into place again. I don’t want to waste that because not everyone is given a second chance to come back to the industry,” Manzano added.
Manzano said politics is the least of his priorities right now as he makes a comeback in show business.
“So, as of now, my main focus is balik sa pagho-host, taking care of the family. I still have a lot I can help with in Batangas, but if you’re asking about running [for office] again, I haven’t thought of that yet,” Manzano said.
After everything we went through, everything that’s going on—for me, I found my niche once again.
Luis Manzano
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