Her notable achievement in business became the prime factor in her appointment as municipal councilor of Calamba by President Corazon C. Aquino in 1986.

“Shooting like a bright star” in the 1992 elections, she was voted overwhelmingly as member of the Laguna Provincial Board representing the 2nd district of Laguna, comprising the municipalities of Calamba, Los Baños, Bay, and Cabuyao.

In 1994, she was suspended by Sandiganbayan for three months for violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act by converting agricultural land into a residential area, allegedly for personal gain.

She ran for her first full term as governor in the 2001 elections, but was once disqualified over allegations of using government funds to promote her candidacy.

[3] Thus, she was officially declared as the winner in the Laguna gubernatorial race during the election, where she won by a landslide.