Lino Cayetano: All families have ‘telenovela’ stories

There’s so much more to returning politician Lino Cayetano than a brewing family feud.

It all stemmed from his older brother, Senator Allan Peter Cayetano’s endorsement of film and TV director Lino’s rival candidate for the same congressional post in Taguig.

The younger Cayetano is making a comeback to politics after a long hiatus. He was mayor of Taguig from 2019 to 2022, right smack during the challenging years of the Covid-19 pandemic. Under his term, Taguig was named Model City by both the DOH and MMDA.

During a meet-up with select media on February 17 at Valencia Events Place in Quezon City, we were struck by the man’s burning idealism.

While many have seemingly given up hope on our country and the way it is being run by politicians, he expressed confidence in seeing a bright future ahead if only we put the right people in the right places, he said.

“I can’t help but be hopeful. I have two young children to dream for,” he said.

He downplayed the current family crisis they are facing, comparing the situation to a telenovela.

Coming from the entertainment industry, director Lino believes the industry needs a general, long-term framework for sustainability and continued growth. To achieve this, government support is essential.  

His own company, Rein Entertainment, is making its own baby steps by partnering with ABS-CBN, iflix, GMA, Viva. Their latest, The Caretakers, a horror picture, is produced in tandem with Regal Films. The movie starring Iza Calzado and Dimples Romana, directed by Shugo Praico, opens February 26.