When Jomari Yllana entered politics years ago, he committed himself fully. In an interview at Okada Manila, the former “Gwapings” heartthrob proudly shared how hands-on he was during his tenure as Parañaque councilor.
“It was my choice to run my office and manage it. Walang alter ego. Walang chief of staff. I prepared everything and departmentalized my office as councilor. So ako nagpatakbo ng lahat, so every now and then, ‘Probinsyano’ would call. I had to decline, so ang point ko lang is I had to be present in every flag ceremony – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. type of work.
“Desk work lang, walang workout, walang gym. Obvious ba?” he joked. “Although I miss showbiz every day. I miss my craft. I miss the world of make believe.”
A brief guest stint in the upcoming Philippine adaptation of “Call My Manager” rekindled his love for acting. He plays a villain in the local version of the HBO show, channeling his inner De Niro and Pacino to awaken long-resting acting instincts. “It was fun,” he confessed.
Now approaching 50 this August, Jomari sees the silver streaks in his hair as more than signs of aging — they reflect growth. “I still have a few good years,” he smiled, half-joking, half-determined.
Whether for a film role or race day, he knew staying in shape was non-negotiable. And once again, his passion for motorsports were calling — louder than ever.
His love for racing began in his teenage years, in the underground scene. He even had a brush with the law when San Juan Mayor Jinggoy Estrada caught him in an illegal race. That chapter closed in 1996 when he joined Team Toyota TOMS and began racing professionally. Years later, as a public servant, he turned his personal history into a public cause by making road safety one of his core advocacies.
Now, alongside champion racer Rikki Dy-Liacco, he’s spearheading the “Okay Manila Motorsport Carnivale,” a fusion of public service and personal passion. Featuring slalom races, drag events and night rallies, Jomari envisions it as the most significant motorsport event the country has ever seen.
“Way back in 2023, we announced that we’re going to wake up a sleeping giant, right? So the sleeping giant is awake. It’s big, it’s a monster, and it’s hungry. So the master plan for this year and the following years to come is to put the Philippines back to the world map of motorsport. So that’s the target this time…
“We have the City of Parañaque LGU supporting motor sports. We’re promoting road safety, tourism and everything that follows. So kami ay excited. We want ah the exciting races in the heart of Metro Manila. Okada being the major sponsor of this event, and proud kami to be part of it, because we found the home of motor sport in the city of Parañaque. We found the venue in the biggest integrated resort casino in the country which is Okada. And together with Ricky Dy-Liacco, legendary champion race car driver, I think we can achieve it.
“We’re bringing back the fun in Metro Manila and the excitement of motorsport step by step will get there.”
Jomari hopes the next generation, including his son Andre, can experience the same adrenaline — but safely. His wife, actress Abby Viduya, even insisted on being the first to test their family’s event car. Every race, Jomari said, will follow strict safety standards.
When asked if he feared for his son’s safety, he said: “We’ll take care of him. Of all of them. This isn’t just a race. It’s a family affair.”
The “Motorsport Carnivale” officially launches on May 4 with a series of events to follow: slaloms, drag races, night rallies. There will also be a tarmac challenge in Lubang, Mindoro in June.
“We are launching the first leg on May 4. It’s gonna be an amateur slalom race. We’re proud to say it’s going to be the biggest slalom event since the ‘80s… So we’re looking at amateurs to compete. We’ve prepared the seaside boardwalk behind Okada Manila and expecting 150 to 200 competitors. And then there’s this called ‘Legends of the Nineties’ grand car meet.
“On May 31, we’re launching Jom’s Cup, 1.8-mile drag racing event. It consists of three categories to be mounted on the same venue…
“On June 21 and 22, we’ll have the biggest rally event in the Philippines. We’re gonna close down main roads in the area of the entertainment city. It’s going to be a night race. According to Ricky, he wants 25 to 40 participants ….”
“This is the biggest it’s ever been,” Jomari declared. “And we’re just getting started.”
As for the prizes, he teased: “So the main events naman natin, simple lang. We want everyone to be happy because it’s a motor sport event. Pag motorsport, may apat na gulong, may dalawang gulong. Pag palarin tayo ng maipamahagi natin sa tao.”
