Sen. Grace Poe remembers last conversation with mother Susan Roces about Foundling Law

Senator Grace Poe, the daughter of the late Susan Roces and Fernando Poe Jr., looked back on her last conversation with her mother.

In an interview with Poe on "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho," the senator recalled when she ran for the Presidency. Many criticisms were then thrown her way, especially about the questions surrounding her birth.

Of course, aside from Poe, Roces was the most affected and hurt about these issues about her daughter.

"Kaya nga nu'ng sinasabing, 'Hindi ka pwedeng tumakbo dahil ikaw ay hindi natural born citizen kasi dampot ka lang.' Nagalit siya, nasaktan, siyempre 'di ba?" Poe told Soho.

("When people were saying, 'You can't run for President because you're not a natural born citizen. You're just a foundling.' She was so angry and hurt.”)

So, when the Foundling Law was finally enacted for the benefit of abandoned children, Poe was ecstatic to tell the good news to her mother.

"Sabi ko, 'Mom, I have good news.' Naisa-batas na 'yung batas para ipakilala or to recognize 'yung mga batang na-abandona," Poe said.

("I said, 'Mom, I have good news.' There is now a law recognizing abandoned children.”)

To which her mother weakly replied, "Congratulations!"

"Sabi ko, 'No, mom. Congratulations to you! Because of our case and because of your diligence,' 'yung pagiging maayos niya na siguradong dapat 'yan nasa ayos ang mga papeles niya, nagkaroon ng basehan ang mga lehislaturang ganitong klase," Poe said.

("I said, 'No, mom. Congratulations to you! This would not have been possible if not for your diligence. There is now basis for this kind of legislation.")

This was Sen. Grace Poe's last conversation with her mother.

"Siguro sinasabi niya sa tatay ko, 'O Ronnie ha tapos na ako dito. Hindi na apihin ang anak mo. Recognized na 'yan at 'yung mga ibang bata na katulad niya,'" she said.

("Perhaps she told my dad, 'O Ronnie, my job here is done. Your child will no longer be mistreated. There is now a law recognizing children like her.’")

Born on July 28, 1941, Roces passed away last Friday due to cardiopulmonary arrest.

The wake of the late veteran actress and Queen of Philippine Movies will be until 10 p.m. on Tuesday, May 24.

In her acting career, Roces had won Best Actress recognition from the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences for Maligno in 1977 and 'Gumising Ka, Maruja' in 1978, among other awards. —Hermes Joy Tunac/MGP, GMA News