TACLOBAN CITY ? "It's okay," so replied former president Joseph Estrada when asked about his reaction to the endorsement by his long-time friend and showbiz colleague Dolphy of one of his rivals for the presidency in the coming elections.

Estrada, who was in Tacloban en route to his Samar visit this weekend, said the ace comedian would remain "a close friend of mine" even if he has decided to endorse the candidacy of Nacionalista Party standard bearer Senator Manny Villar.

"That is okay. Nagtra-trabaho lang yung tao [The man was just making a living]. I respect his decision," Estrada said here on Saturday.

Estrada declined to comment further, but his statement hinted that Dolphy might have received a "talent fee" in return for his endorsement of Villar.

Villar is known to be admirer of the King of Comedy and has authored a bill now pending in the Senate naming Dolphy a national artist.

Dolphy's television plug endorsing the presidential bid of Villar is now being aired frequently in all television networks in the country.

In the ad, Dolphy cites Villar's pro-poor agenda and their both being natives of Tondo as among the reasons for his endorsement of the former Senate president.

Incidentally, the former President is also campaigning under the slogan "Erap para sa mahirap." He also identified himself as "laking Tondo."

In the 2004 presidential election, Dolphy was among the showbiz stalwarts who campaigned for the late Fernando Poe Jr., a close friend of both Estrada and the comedy king.

In his visit to the city on his way to Samar province Saturday, the former president was welcomed by former Tacloban City Mayor Alfredo "Bejo" Romualdez, who is running for vice mayor under Estrada's "Pwersa ng Masa" party.

The party of the former president, who included his running mate Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, and his senatorial slate led by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, was scheduled to travel to Catbalogan and Calbayog cities, both in Samar, and to some towns in Eastern Samar.

In the 1998 presidential election, Estrada won by a landslide in Eastern Visayas, a feat he said he could duplicate in this year's presidential race.

The former President was meanwhile still visibly elated over the recent decision of the Commission on Elections allowing him to run.

He said that with the decision, nothing could stop him from taking another shot at Malacañang.

"The camps of my opponents are spreading lies and black propaganda that I will withdraw from the race, which is far from the truth. I will not and will never withdraw especially so if the interests of the Filipino people are at stake," he said.

Binay said that with the Comelec giving Estrada the green light, he expected Estrada's ratings to surge.

"We will win," he said.

Various surveys show Estrada running third behind Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, the standard bearer of the Liberal Party, and Villar.