Country’s hot topics
-A A +AFriday, March 22, 2013
AFTER the intrusion into Sabah, Malaysia of a group from the Sultanate of Sulu and the election and installation of Pope Francis, what is dominating the front pages of national newspapers and television primetime news programs is the personal life of showbiz personalities.
Hot topics now are the issues involving actress Heart Evangelista and her boyfriend, Sen. Chiz Escudero, and the controversy involving TV host/actress and presidential sister, Kris Aquino and her ex-husband, Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) cager James Yap.
Heart's parents exposed the “bad side” of Escudero by saying he is ill-mannered and has no respect for them. He also smells alcohol every time he visits the actress in her home.
Heart's parents castigated her for engaging in a relationship with Chiz. They are contemplating filing a libel case against Escudero, whose previous marriage has been annulled.
Showbiz tidbits said that Chiz and Heart are already living together, which caused the “violent reaction” of the actress's parents.
I don't know how this issue will affect Escudero’s reelection bid. He is running under Team PNoy of the Liberal Party. Chiz usually tops the senatorial surveys together with Loren Legarda.
On the other hand, Kris shed tears again before TV cameras. She had asked the court to issue a temporary protection order against her ex-husband for allegedly seducing her during one of his visits to their son, Bimby.
But Yap denied Kris’s allegation. But as someone joked, “napaka-suwerte ni Kris, na sini-seduce siya ng ex-husband na mas bata sa kanya.”
Are these issues worth extensive media coverage?
Last Thursday, a national newspaper bannered the Kris/James story. Others carried it in the front pages. TV Patrol of ABS-CBN, Kris’s home studio, consumed almost half of its hour-and-a-half news program interviewing Kris and her three sisters. GMA News TV's State of the Nation anchored by Jessica Soho did the same.
Media conservatives say there are more pressing issues that we should give attention to instead of these stories involving the personal lives of movie personalities and entertainers. Some said media may treat these issues as news but these should not be given prominence. I agree. Way labot ang lungsod ani.
Well, we cannot read the minds and wisdom of our colleagues in the media. “To each his own.” Maybe they gave prominence to these issues for ratings purposes. One of the ingredients of news is the personality or names of the people involved.
Nindot man gyud nang naay intriga usahay. Ang mga pulitiko bitaw, mag-entertainer na man sa ilang pagpangampaniya aron dali mahinumduman sa katawhan.
***
Cebu City north district congressional bet and talent manager Annabelle Rama denied insinuations that she was the source of the black propaganda about the deteriorating health condition of her opponent, former deputy House speaker Raul del Mar.
Although, I did not mention the name of my source of the rumor, Annabelle felt alluded to because she is a strong contender against del Mar. This was relayed to me by my fellow Dipolognon and relative, Ms. Chacha Rama, wife of former vice Gov. Enrick Rama, who is also Annabelle's cousin.
Well, rumors are rumors.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on March 23, 2013.
Opinion
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