18 hours ago
Chavit Singson launches 'Chavit: Legend of the Philippines' in hopes to educate and inspire globally
Chavit Singson has officially launched his book, 'Chavit: Legend of the Philippines,' which aims to offer a look into the life and lessons of the former Ilocos Sur Governor.
On Friday evening at the Peninsula Manila in Makati, Singson unveiled the book at an event graced by many of his friends, including showbiz personalities Vina Morales, Pops Fernandez, Anabelle Rama, and Eddie Gutierrez.
'Chavit: Legend of the Philippines' is not a traditional autobiography but a sprawling, in-depth interview with almost 700 questions answered by Singson.
Singson said that a pivotal lesson he wishes readers to glean from the book, particularly concerning his role in politics, is the supreme importance of 'credibility' for success.
'If they want to be successful, kailangan 'yung credibility nila [ay] huwag masira. Kasi like me, ang iniingatan ko, isa lang salita ko. Nobody is perfect, pero kung magsabi ka, kailangan totoo,' he said.
'Nobody's perfect. Magkamali ka, just say sorry. Kasi 'yun ang kabilin-bilinan ng tatay ko. 'Pag nawala ang credibility mo, wala na maniwala sayo. So very important ang credibility. 'Yun ang kaingat-ingatan ko.'
Photo: Carby Rose Basina/GMA Integrated News
'Chavit: Legend of the Philippines' is authored by Polish author Maciej Mikurda, who admitted that one of the biggest challenges for him was compressing Singson's rich and colorful life into a single volume.
'I think the governor's life could fill like 10 books, not only just one, but we focused on the most important facts,' he said.
Mikurda, who devoted almost 1.5 years to writing the book, said that his focus was placed on the most important facts while also deliberately incorporating Singson's personal beliefs, values, and the rules he lives by to provide deeper insight.
The book's publisher, Riza Hansen, shared that they plan to distribute the books to many students across the country, as well as to translate the book into 15 languages, with an Arabic translation already underway, aiming to make it accessible to over 5 billion people worldwide.
This ambitious endeavor includes organizing book launches in 20 world capitals across six continents.
'We want as many people in the world as possible to know who Chavit is and how amazing his story is, and to understand the beautiful history of our country, the Philippines,' she said.
Outside of politics, Singson is also involved in the entertainment industry, helping to produce projects, including the recent film 'Samahan ng mga Makasalanan,' which starred David Licauco, Sanya Lopez, and more.
He teased that he has another upcoming project with GMA Network, which is coming 'very soon.'
'Ewan ko kung kailan, pero nakahanda na. Sinabi sa akin nakahanda na lahat. So 'yung formal na ano na lang, launching,' he said. 'I just want to help the movie industry.' —JCB, GMA Integrated News
