Meryll Soriano says she is grateful her father’s run for the Senate did not succeed, describing the loss as something that spared him and left him free for work she believes suits him better.
“Mabait talaga ang Diyos sa kanya na hindi siya nanalo because he’s set out to do other things where’s he more than capable to help,” the actress said of television host Willie Revillame.
Revillame ran as an independent in the last midterm elections and drew more than 8.5 million votes, finishing 22nd. The final slot in the winning circle went to re-elected Senator Imee Marcos, who received 13.3 million.
Soriano said she felt sad when he entered the race, worried about whether he could handle the pressure of a world she described as entirely unlike his own. Her concerns extended to his health and to how holding office would affect the family.
“He’s very smart to understand na hindi niya ‘yun forte,” she said. “So noong tumakbo siya, siyempre nalungkot ako, parang… kakayanin ba niya ‘yung stress? It’s a completely different world.”
Revillame had earlier conceded that politics was not his strength and that he did not feel confident about public office, even with supporters urging him to file. Soriano added that she stayed away from online comments about him, though survey numbers had initially placed him in contention.
The exchange aired on the July 21, 2026 episode of “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda,” where Soriano joined Marietta “Pokwang” Subong to promote “2 Valid IDs,” their entry at this year’s Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.
Politics came up by way of actor Joshua Garcia, who went viral for reposting a video read by many as backing Vice President Sara Duterte. Subong and host Boy Abunda each said they maintain friendships with colleagues whose politics differ from theirs.
Neither guest expressed any interest in running for office. Subong said show business was already messy enough.
Abunda also read back a January post by Soriano about her father: “Life gave us a second chance not to rewrite the past, but to understand it with kinder eyes and softer hearts. We are grateful for this chapter.”
Soriano said growing older changes how a person sees a parent’s history, and that what parents went through should not be dismissed, since everyone is shaped by their own circumstances.
