June 5, 2026

Can you recall the iconic scene of Kuya Mark Lapid in his movie "Apoy sa Dibdib ng Samar" some twenty years ago? Where he ranted this line: "Oo, inaamin ko, saging lang kami. Pero maghanap ka ng puno sa buong Pilipinas, saging lang ang may puso! Saging lang ang may puso!"(Yes, I admit, we are just bananas. But look for any tree in the whole Philippines, only the banana tree has a heart! Only the banana has a heart!)

It was so popular before given that the social media wasn't that active yet but this particular scene jas inspired a lot of memes and according to Kuya Mark, some had even asked his permission to use it in their sitcoms and other projects. 

In line of this, to help you refresh your memory or if you do not have any idea what I'm sayin' , here's a sample of what I did just recently...

Please click Here!

And I feel so privileged to have finally be up close and personal with Kuya Mark just recently. Getting to know him and having him shared all his hopes and dreams for our beloved country, his positive outlook in life, his cheerful vibe, so natural not pretentious... He was just like a regular, funny but full of great knowledge "Kuya." And another thing, he's so approachable, you wouldn't feel any hesitations for him. Very open, amiable and in Filipino term... "Walang masamang tinapay (there is no such thing as bad bread)." 

Here are some of the videos recorded during our conversations with Kuya Mark:

MARK LAPID (born Marco Tadeo Lapid) is a Filipino government official,

tourism development leader, former provincial governor, and actor. He

currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Tourism

Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), the infrastructure

arm of the Department of Tourism responsible for developing and

managing tourism-related infrastructure and investment zones across the

Philippines.

Lapid first served as TIEZA Chief Operating Officer from 2009 to 2016

under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III. In 2021, he was

reappointed by President Rodrigo Duterte and continues to serve under

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., leading initiatives that strengthen tourism

infrastructure, investment, and sustainable destination development

nationwide.

Prior to his national government role, Lapid served as Governor of

Pampanga from 2004 to 2007, becoming one of the youngest provincial

governors in Philippine history after being elected at the age of 24. During

his tenure, he focused on local development, public service modernization,

and provincial governance.

In 2016, he sought a seat in the Philippine Senate, further expanding his

engagement in national public service.

Beyond government, Lapid has also built a career in the entertainment

industry, following in the footsteps of his father, renowned actor and

Senator Lito Lapid. He has appeared in several Filipino action films and

most recently portrayed the character Ben in the hit television action-drama

series Batang Quiapo. 

Lapid holds a Master's Degree in Development Management from the

University of the Philippines Los Baños and earned a Doctorate in

Business Administration (DBA) from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng

Maynila (PLM). He has further strengthened his leadership and

governance expertise through executive education programs at the

Harvard Kennedy School and the Stanford Graduate School of

Business.

He is married to actress Tanya Garcia, and together they have three

daughters.