Lino Cayetano returns to creatives

A FTER his three-year term as mayor of Taguig City, television and filmmaker Lino Cayetano is raring to return to production, directing and content creation.

At an intimate media gathering this week, Cayetano recalled how he came to the decision to give way to sisterin-law Lani to run in his place. Mayor Lani – the wife of comebacking Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano – is, after all, the predecessor of his post.

“[The last three years in office], napakabigat. Kung bibigyan ka ng tatlong taon siguro na magserbisyo, siguro kapalaran ko na yun na nakatapat sa tatlong taon na may pandemya,” he began.

All the same, and despite the crippling health crisis, numerous government agencies, including the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases), commended Cayetano for ably leading Taguig as one of the fastest-growing cities nationwide and among the bestperforming cities in Metro Manila.

“Pero sa isang banda, napakalalim ng pag-asa sa atin [after this experience], which is why, ngayon, I’m going back to the industry with a lot of confidence.”

With no question about Mayor Lani’s capacity to carry on and achieve greater things for Taguig, Cayetano said he realized that the valuable lessons and skills he learned and developed since his term began in 2019 would greatly help his “home” industry in entertainment.

“Yung hinawakan naman natin ay isa sa pinakamalaking lungsod sa buong Pilipinas at hindi naman tayo napahiya pagdating sa pagpapatakbo, having kept the people safe throughout the pandemic. And I think yung experience that I learned there being a chief executive ng tatlong taon, gusto ko namang dalhin dito sa industriyang mahal na mahal natin – creating content, producing and going back to directing,” he elaborated.

And so, with the knowledge that he had given his best to his public post the last three years, he doesn’t have a heavy heart transitioning anew to his first love and was even excited to announce the resurgence of Rein Entertainment.

Rein is a boutique content creation, and production company Cayetano co-founded with friends in 2017, namely writer-directors Shugo Praico and Philip King.

“I think [I’ve left] Taguig on the right track and I’m happy to transition naman dito sa ating industriya. Sa isang banda, minsan hindi nagkakalayo yung intensyon natin sa pulitika at sa showbiz. Parang magkaiba lang pero ang totoo, ang laki ng responsibilidad natin makapagkwento, makapagbahagi, makapag hulma ng pagiisip.

“So I think bilang pulitiko, bilang isang parte ng industriya, I think there is a big role to play moving forward so excited ako to be here and sa totoo lang, nakikita ko pareho yung epekto at impluwensya sa mga kababayan natin in the direction of entertainment.”

A director for more than 15 years before taking leave from the set as mayor, it can be recalled that Cayetano started his career at the helm of GMA Network’s “StarStruck.” It was during his time that the likes of Jennylyn Mercado, Cristine Reyes, Nadine Samonte, Yasmin Kurdi and Mark Herras were discovered and molded as stars.

He then directed ABS-CBN’s “Little Big Star,” a reality singing competition that launched the careers of Sam Concepcion and Jake Zyrus (then Charice Pempengco), as well as the series “Growing Up,” which saw the first pairing of Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla. He also directed Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson’s first solo film, “I’ve Fallen For You,” for Star Cinema and another string of ABS-CBN telenovelas, including “Call Lily,” “Noah,” and “Mga Anghel na Walang Langit.”

From directing, Cayetano expanded his horizon and started producing digital content in 2017. Rein Entertainment’s debut series, by the way, was a big winner. It was “Bagman,” whose lead star Arjo Atayde [now a city congressman himself], emerged as the first Filipino Best Actor at the Asian Academy Creatives Awards.

Currently, Rein Productions is working on a movie with Ian Veneracion and Heaven Peralejo entitled “Nanahimik Ang Gabi” which was recently announced as the first four entries for the upcoming Metro Manila Film Festival in December.

Cayateno believes, however, that the industry will see changes in his production and directing styles because of his meaningful three-year hiatus.

“Palagay ko mas malawak na yung perspektibo ko. Sana mas naging malalim din yung pangunawa ko hindi lang sa mga kasama natin sa industriya pero patungkol din sa mga issues na gusto nating tahakin, pagusapan, ikwento,” he said.

“I think we’re really in the edge of revolution in the entertainment industry – yung pagsabog ng industriya. We are really on the verge na makita talaga ng buong mundo kung gaano talaga kagaling yung talento ng Pilipino.

“Hindi yan mangyayari sa isang araw, buwan o taon. Nagsimula na yan years ago. Ang idolo natin, sila Brocka, Bernal, nasa Cannes na po yan. Babalik din yung atensyon ng mundo sa mga gawa natin. So I’m excited to be part of the industry so sana tanggapin niyo ulit ako,” Cayetano ended.