When she got a call from Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero asking her to be one of the sponsors in his wedding with actress Heart Evangelista, Cebu City Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña couldn’t help being surprised.
“I really don’t know. I was surprised myself. I feel touched. I’m touched. I don’t want to say I’m flattered. I appreciate that they consider me close enough to ask me to be a sponsor,” Osmeña told Cebu Daily News.
Together with her husband former mayor Tomas Osmeña, they flew to Manila yesterday morning.
Today, they will be traveling to Balesin Island Club where Heart will be celebrating her birthday. Tomorrow afternoon, in the same venue, Chiz and Heart, whose real name is Love Marie Ongpauco, will be exchanging their marriage vows.
Osmeña said she didn’t expect to be one of the principal sponsors in the couple’s wedding.
“When I read and heard that they were engaged (last year). I called him (Chiz). Anak, I hope you live happily ever after,” she said. Later on, Chiz called her and conveyed his request.
She said she has known Chiz for a long time through a friend. They exchanged greetings on Christmas and other occasions and sometimes visit each other during special activities.
On the other hand, she met Heart when they were already together.
Osmeña recalled that the senator visited her and Tomas when he was in Houston, Texas undergoing treatment for his urinary bladder cancer.
“Chiz was still in school when Tommy got sick and we were in Texas. He even visited us. He happened to be in the States for something else that time. We appreciated it very much,” she said.
Osmeña and several prominent businessmen and politicians have been invited to the wedding ceremony.
Since only limited guests can be brought to the island, a separate reception will be held in Manila on February 18.
President Benigno Aquino III, was supposed to be the Chiz’s best man but according to news reports, Chiz reportedly advised the president not to join the island ceremony since he had other matters to attend to.
Among the male principal sponsors are business tycoons Ramon Ang, Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Lance Gokongwei, Roberto Ongpin, Hans Sy and Dr. Andrew Tan.
Ang is the president and chief operations officer of San Miguel Corporation while Ayala holds the same position in the Ayala Corporation.
Sy is the director and president of SM Prime Holdings, Inc. and is also the first executive president of SM Investments Corp.
Ongpin is the chairman and chief executive officers of Alphaland whose flagship project is the Balesin Island Club.
Other notable personalities as principal sponsors include GMA chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe Gozon, senior vice president for entertainment Lilybeth Rasonable, vice president for entertainment Marivin Arayata and executive vice president and COO of GMA Kapuso Foundation Carmela Tiangco.
VIVA Entertainment chairman and CEO Vicente del Rosario Jr. and ABS-CBN Corporation chairman Eugenio Lopez III will also be sponsors while actor-director Bibeth Siguion-Reyna and Jesusa Sonora Poe, popularly known as Susan Roces, are also in the list of sponsors.
Politicians in the lineup include General Santos City mayor Adelbert Antonino, Isabela Gov. Faustino Dy Jr. and Sorsogon Mayor Esther Hamor.
Heart is 29 while Chiz is 45 years old.