Jamby, a simple Pinay when in Europe

Jamby, a simple Pinay when in Europe


By LOUI GALICIA

ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau

Sen. Maria Ana Consuelo "Jamby" Madrigal’s latest trip to Europe proved that she isn’t the "prima donna" type of lady despite her position and wealth.

When she checked in at the posh and historic Le Meridien Hotel des Indes, a hotel which had been operating since 1881 and has hosted aristocrats, kings, heads of state and celebrities, Madrigal paid her accommodation from her own pocket.

In fact, she says that she pays all her trips herself, even the expenses of her assistant.

"Well ako naman nagbabayad ng lahat. At wala akong pamilya na kasamaand I have never traveled with my family (I pay for my trips and I have never traveled with my family)," Madrigal told ABS-CBN Europe in an exclusive interview.

"Every time, pati aking assistant ako ang nagbabayad. Wala kaming sinasampa sa taong bayan. Hirap na hirap na nga ang taong bayan. Technically I’m here to work and technically I can charge this pero di ko chinacharge sa taong bayan (Every time, I pay for my assistant. I don’t burden the Filipino people because they have so many financial difficulties already. Technically I’m here to work and technically I can charge this but I don’t charge it to the Filipino people)," Madrigal declared.

Atty. Gary Jimenez is the sole person who accompanied Madrigal during her last three trips to the Netherlands and he did not seem to be her personal "alalay" (servant or hanger on).

In fact, Madrigal packed her two large suitcases, one of which is a Louis Vuitton case, herself, before she checked out of the hotel.

She did not seem to mind when her LV suitcase was just thrown at the back of the van that picked her up. Others would have gone crazy if their LVs are treated that way for fear of scratching such an expensive piece of luggage.

This correspondent, who had covered her last three trips to the Netherlands, also noticed that she used the same handbag during her two visits to the Netherlands last March 2007 and last weekend.

Madrigal was in the Netherlands in October 2006 and March 2007 for the Permanent People’s Tribunal sessions which tried and convicted President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for gross violations of human rights, and just last weekend in her capacity as chair of the Senate Senate Committee on Peace, Unification and Reconciliation.

While it is normal to see celebrities and politicians flash their vast collection of expensive designer handbags in public, Madrigal was seen carrying a Kate Spade bag twice.

Her Kate Spade with the classic Noel Blue design should be worth a little over $600 based on the price of a similar but smaller-sized bag on the company’s website and which is not that expensive compared to the bags being flaunted by people of her stature.

Before coming to the Netherlands, Madrigal had openly criticized Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and his sister Pia for their trip to Geneva, Switzerland to attend the annual Inter-Parliamentary Union Conference held from Oct 8-10.

She said that she opposes these "family trips" during foreign missions and does not condone her colleagues who bring an entourage comprised of family members and "alalays" (hangers-on) to official trips abroad.

"Alam naman ng taong bayan na five years old palang ako eh pumupunta na ako sa Europe kaya di ako sabik na sabik. Ang pera ng pamilya ko, hundred-year-old money that was saved na galing pa sa lolo ko. Ang aming ginagastos, wala kaming chinacharge sa taong bayan (Everybody knows that at five years old, I was already going to Europe. My family’s money originally came from my grandfather so we never spent the money of the Filipino people)," Madrigal said.

Madrigal’s grandfather is the former Supreme Court Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos of San Fernando, Pampanga. Her paternal grandfather was Senator Vicente Madrigal of Ligao, Albay, elected in 1949.

Madrigal does not care if paying for her own trips abroad will not impress her critics given that her wealth is common knowledge and she is in the top ten list of the richest senators in the Philippines in 2006.

"Hindi ko naman ninakaw yung pera ko. Ang dami naman diyang mayayamang politiko na ang pinanggalingan ng pera eh talagang nakakapagtaka. Hindi naman masama ang gumastos ng sariling pera kung di mo ninakaw (I didn’t steal the money anyway. There are so many rich politicians whose money came from questionable sources. It’s not bad to use your own money if you didn’t steal it)," Madrigal said.

Being so used to Europe, Madrigal exudes a down-to-earth attitude when she is in the Netherlands.

During the gruelling and tiresome Saturday meeting with the National Democratic Front Panel that was held at the Nassau Church in Amsterdam, she asked for a half-hour rest before proceeding to a scheduled forum in another venue.

Jimenez and an NDF staffer found an empty conference room and put a blanket on top of a table and Madrigal uncomplainingly took a short nap on top of this improvised "bed."

And when it comes to food, although she is a strict vegetarian, she is not very picky.

In fact, she said that the highlight of her every visit to the Hague is always a meal at her favorite restaurant downtown, a Chinese restaurant called Fat Kee.

This small restaurant is a popular hangout of Pinoys because of its fast service and tasty dishes like roast pork and salt and pepper chicken.

However, it is stripped of class and elegance and the restaurant doesn’t boast of anything fancy.

But Madrigal always eats here and in fact her favorites are vegetarian fried rice, sweet and sour tofu and stir-fried Kangkong (a green leafy vegetable common in the Philippines) which she all eats with gusto.

Madrigal feels that she is always misinterpreted in the Philippines and people have the wrong impression of her because she is blatantly frank and very serious about her work as a senator.

Asked if she has any presidential ambitions for 2010, she replied, "That is neither here nor there. Ang kailangan magawa muna natin maiwasto itong mga mali na nangyayari ngayon."

"I’m not planning for 2010 the way my colleagues are. Kasi sa akin dapat ang isang senador ang focus eh ang trabaho nya. The moment nag-ambisyon kang maging presidente marami dyan matatakot nang bumanat sa masama at tungkulin mo bilang senador eh nasasakripisyo na and I’m not willing to do it (I’m not planning for 2010 the way my colleagues are. For me a senator should be focused on his work. The moment he has aspires for something more, he becomes scared of lashing out and he sacrifices his being a senator and I’m not willing to do it)," Madrigal said.

SOURCE: WWW.ABS-CBNNEWS.COM

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=96054