Willie Revillame and the Philippine Variety Show

The Jan-Jan incident on Willing Willie is not the first of its kind. As Atty. Ted Te puts it on his Facebook note -- the discovering of talented kids who would dress up like adults and would sing and dance like adults didn't start with Revillame. Likewise, Atty. Te points out that the formula of showing scantily-clad women gyrating their hips in unison for no discernible purpose didn't start with Revillame.

He couldn't have said it any better.

The Philippine variety show indeed lives up to its name. It's a show of all sorts. We see men and women spilling their sad stories on national TV and forcing themselves to cry in exchange of a few thousand pesos. We watch albeit, helplessly, those who sing, dance and make a fool of themselves again, for a few thousand pesos and with some luck, maybe a Kabuhayan Showcase. Of course, we hear about those who shamelessly borrow money from their neighbors and relatives just to be seen on TV as well as to catch a glimpse and chance a whiff of their dear idol, whoever he is.

My take on this is that our variety shows are glaring manifestations of how our society falsely associates poverty with indecency. At the same time, these shows perpetuate and worsen the dilemma as they have the power to influence personal values and behavior. People start to think that winning on games in such shows are their only way out of poverty. At some point, violence against women and children continue because these shows promote false machismo and dangerous perceptions.

Crying women, gyrating children, jeering audience, crude hosts and indifferent citizens -- are these what we'd like to eat with at noon or in the case of Willing Willie, at supper?

(Nonetheless, wholesome entertainment shows are worth the cheers.)


Links:
1. Complaint Letter filed by concerned citizens
2. Press Statement, DSWD
3. Willie, TV5 Apology

Of dreams and means . . . and EDSA

Former US Senator John Kerry referred to the EDSA Revolution as an “event … [that] reminded us all of dreams which can be achieved by peaceful means” in his note to our late former President Cory Aquino.

Although written 25 years ago, the line fittingly reverberates today the message of the EDSA Revolution. This is a good reminder not just to public servants but more importantly, to each and everyone of us who dream, that we must not succumb to selfish and harmful ways.

Earlier in the afternoon, Ayala Foundation EVP Bill Luz shared how things have significantly changed for some and remained the same for others decades after the revolution. He recounted the story of a ten-year old girl whose photo was taken by Pulitzer Price-winning photographer Kim Komenich in a farm in Negros back in '86. He finds her 25 years later in the same farm under similar conditions but already with a number of kids.

Now I ask, what does this say of our dreams and the means we use to reach them?

From how I see it, our triumph in EDSA should have brought us closer to achieving social justice – democracy's fringe benefit. And while I understand that attaining a state of equality is purely utopian, I can't help but ask, how come the rich find themselves richer and the poor even poorer?

There are other ways, you know, like roads that lead to bridges between the rich and the poor, allowing both to mutually grow.

It is my fervent wish that all of us find the way to these roads.

* * *

I made a quick viewing of the "Revolution Revisited" exhibit that's currently on display at the Ayala Museum and couldn't resist viewing the documentaries one more time.

Thank you, Ninoy. Thank you, Cory. And thank you to all of you nameless folks who strove to give me the opportunity to speak my mind freely.

This is the dress worn

by former President Aquino

during her oathtaking. Love it! ♥

A Prelude to the End

This is a quaint attempt at definitions.

You go to a party and meet a man who's demeanor you find appealing – that's attraction. He asks your number, calls you on your lunch breaks and sends you random text messages for the rest of the day. If you blush and get giddy all the time, then most likely, that's infatuation.

Fast forward to a few days, weeks or months, the two of you are seen together holding hands in the movies or gazing dreamily at each other at the far corner of a nearly empty resto. Well, if it ain't official yet, then you call that MU or “It's Complicated." A simple profession of love makes it official and gives you authority to update your Facebook status to “In a Relationship” right on the very next day.

Subsequently, it takes a grande profession to move on to the next level. Engagement. The big day makes the two of you married and ready to live in your own fairytale called “Happily Ever After...” Until one day, after having tried a many million times over, you realized that there couldn't be such thing.

What do you do?