Alfred Vargas Doesn't Mind Playing Dad To Teen Star Bianca Umali Now That He's The Father Of Two Girls In Real Life

ALFRED VARGAS plays the dad of Bianca Umali in the yet untitled new primetime soap of GMA-7 that will replace “Alyas Robin Hood” come November 27. Doesn’t he mind playing father roles when he just turned 36 last October 24? “No, okay lang,” he says at the special presscon of the show. “Anyway, I’m a real father now to two girls. Si Bianca naman is 17, so that means, kung nagkaanak ako at 19, puede na niya kong tatay ngayon. I really welcome doing this show kasi na-miss ko ang acting. I appeared in ‘Encantadia’ recently but it’s only a guest role. Dito, I’ll be a mainstay and very grateful ako sa tiwalang ibinigay sa akin ng GMA dahil maganda yung role ko.”

The taping came at a time when congress is currently on recess. “Matagal ang bakasyon namin sa kongreso after our budget hearing, at may Christmas break pa, kaya malaya akong makapag-taping. It’s nice to work with Carmina Villaroel as my wife. We’ve worked before sa Kapamilya and first time namin ngayon as Kapuso. Mabibilanggo ako rito dahil sa kagagawan ng ibang taong pina-frame up ako at maraming magagandang twists ang show. Dito ko na-realize na na-miss ko talaga ang magdrama.”

Is he tired of politics? “Di naman, pero iba rin kasi ang demands ng public service. Nakakapagod. It’s not a joke. Enjoy naman ako sa congress with Ate Vi, Monsour del Rosario, Yul Servo, Lucy Torres at iba pang taga-showbiz na na-elect din sa kongreso. It was in 2010 when I first became a councilor, tapos naging congressman. Nakaka-stress, kaya parang breather itong pagbabalik ko sa acting. Iniisip ko nga, baka kapag natapos ang pagka-congressman ko, mag-retire na lang ako at bumalik ako seriously sa showbiz, kasi first love ko naman ito. I want to go back to making movies din. E, yung shows na ginawa ko noon, nire-remake na, like ‘Encantadia’, ‘Dyesebel’, and now, ‘Impostora’. Kasama ako noon sa unang ‘Impostora’ with Sunshine Dizon at nag-taping pa kami noon sa Singapore.”

So he’s not going to step higher and run as senator? “I don’t know. I still have one term kasi second term pa lang ako. I have about five more years to think about it. But I’m not closing my doors, so tingnan na lang natin.”