Why government needs to learn from Eat Bulaga instead of Showtime

Eat Bulaga is again trend-setting this time
 in the change business

There are always two fundamental things in the change business---the style of helping others in their individual predicaments and the long-term vision of changing things. 


In the first, there are essentially two styles: the "bunot" agad style, where the donor immediately gets cash out of his pockets and give it to the needy. And of course, the other is, the "when needed" style--one gives when he is asked or as the situation warrants it. 


The "bunot" style is exemplified by the Willie Revillames in our midsts. They have achieved financial stability already and since they came from the ranks, so to speak, they know the psychology of the needy, that's why they immediately give assistance. The rationale is simple--those who need money will not ask for it if they have options left. Commonly, those who do, they have nowhere else to go to.


The when needed style are those who work in charitable institutions or rescue organisations such as the Red Cross. They are always there whenever there is a calamity or whatever.  


Those in the business of long-term change management ideally, should actually be working in government. The problem is, the people whom we elected in local posts have this Willie Revillame thinking, while those in the national levels, they think like Red Cross does. They do not realize that what the People need of them is provide solutions so that these unfortunate incidents, like tragedies or the scourge of poverty will be effectively addressed. 


Yes, you're right---those in government have the wrong mindset. They think that needy people want more Revillames and more Red Crosses. 


Strategic thinking--that is what is needed, yet, government is incapable of thinking strategically because most of their lives serving government were wasted acting, and thinking like Willie. The years they spent in government service had convinced them that, for them to stay in power, they may have to be like Willie Revillame or the Red Cross. 


Whenever they think or act like that, they justify the corruption they are forced to do simply to fund all these Will time big time acts. 


It is very costly to be in power in the Philippines because of the sheer enormity of money you need in order to maintain the support of the people. 


Blame it to the mindset. Blame it to the lack of strategic thinking. Blame it to government who always think tactical or use tacticals just to prep itself up in power.


The solution is always simple--assume an Eat Bulaga thinking when in government service. True service is institutional. 


Eat Bulaga's "Juan for all, all for one" is not your ordinary public service program. It is innovative in the sense that it tries to give people not just money, but financial support for their future.


Eat Bulaga gives depressed families the hope they need. They usually give at least sixty thousand pesos for the lucky family picked in a barangay where they visited. Instead of just allowing the family to spend the money in reckless fashion, Eat Bulaga encourages the family to invest the money in business. With that, Eat Bulaga helped not just that family, but the entire community, what with another entrepreneur family created from the donation.


Eat Bulaga likewise encourage the communities and barangays to consider keeping a healthy and orderly environment. Eat Bulaga has a program where they collect plastic bottles. These bottles are in turn, converted into plastic chairs and donated to far-flung schools. Incentives are also given to barangays who take part in the program and members acted responsibly and in order. 


UNwittingly, Eat Bulaga is revolutionalizing the change business in the Philippines in such a way that is highly invasive without firing even a shot. 


Eat Bulaga's Juan for all, all for one is Bayanihan in action! They are doing things in their small ways, but effecting change in a big way. 

Willie Revillame and Willing Willi: What Really Offended Us Twitmocha!

Is Willie Revillame the kind who will successfully launch a class war? Yeah. His abundant belief in himself and his charisma makes him err on the side of unreasonableness. People like Adolf Hitler, Mussolini or PolPot waged class wars during their times.


For Willie, people who are "snooty" and socialite, they can't understand the language of the poor. Indeed, Lea Salongas will definitely not. They don't have to. The Lea Salongas and the Monique Wilsons of this world belong to a totally different genre, the kind that puts you back thousands of dollars for just one act. 


The Salongas and the Wilsons became rich not because of the poor--they became rich acting before the rich that rendered them excellent and gave them their monies in appreciation of their talents. 


But, we are not talking about Lea Salonga being offended--we are talking about an Aiza Seguerra, a former child superstar like Nino Muhlach. 


Aiza performed those Madonna dance-alike when she was very small, like Jan-Jan. Yet, she was competing in a contest of skills, that's why people accepted it. 


Seriously, had Jan-Jan danced like that in a kid's dancing contest, many would really mind this anyway. 


UNfortunately, this was not the case. 


When Jan-jan did that, he was just showing off his talent. Fact is, it is a requirement for every single contestant to at least show some talent. 


Revillame, honestly, is not a member of this class which he supposedly leads or represents. He has become, some say, another Bro. Mike Velarde, who, with just a sway of his hands, commands a response to his millions coming from the unwashed people. 


For Revillame, people of high society, those who criticize him, simply don't understand the meaning of "entertainment." Revillame thinks that he discovered a formula that worked for him and that put him in the billionaire's row. The formula is:

dancing half-naked women+mediocre but emotional singing+give cash to those who performs and extra to those who performs the best+ give cash when unexpected

Revillame always refer to Oprah Winfrey as the one who started this all. I disagreed.


Oprah never gave cash when someone performs rather poorly in public. She tells it like it is. She never tolerated any form of nudity nor exploitation of those with disabilities or the like. 


Revillame, seriously, is a class act. He is an act all by his lonesome. 


For Revillame, there was nothing wrong with that scene---they were just having a good time. He says that boy was never exploited. He was crying because he saw Bonel Balingit, the 7 footer giant lurking infront of him when he was dancing. 


But, that was just it. Surely, the boy was tormented still when he was dancing. His face says it all. 


The second video which TV5 used to deflect the effects of the first one, was even worse. It showed Willie asking the boy to rectify the public's impression and even used his parents to shield him from the controversy. What made it entirely unacceptable was when Willie asked the young sister of Jan-Jan to dance ala bar dancer.


We must ask ourselves---what was really offensive there--the age of the one dancing or the dance?


Some would say it was neither. The abuse was simply, Jan-Jan was coerced by Revillame to dance. 


Jan-jan, the alleged victim, already denied that in public. So, what's the beef?


We are all too familiar with young kids mimicking adults. It is not that surprising to see a 6-year old kid dancing a la macho dancer or a 5-year old dancing ala Madonna or Sex Bomb dancers.


What offended us was the perception that the kid was forced to dance. This was really all perception. 


Had Revillame quickly handled the issue and avoided being snooty or haughty like how he criticized Lea Salonga or Aiza Seguerra, this would not have become as offensive as this one.


What was soo offensive was when Revillame even lambasted the world--even his advertisers--even telling them that if they leave his show, those who love him would stop patronizing these products.


Really, superegos like Willie always gets it every single time.


Willie has himself to blame. He was so engrossed with himself, his new found popularity and his ever increasing flocks of cult followers that he still thinks nothing can harm him.


He mauled his wife before, his first wife, Princess Punzalan, and he escaped the fangs of the law. He remarried and did it again to his second wife.


And because he's a celebrity, the law was very kind with him. 


When that stampede happened he escaped that. He was never really jailed. 


Now, I believe that despite what the Commission on Human Rights say, there was nothing wrong with the Jan-Jan episode for two (2) reasons: (1) it is very hard to prove that the child was coerced by Willie or the show's producers to prove child abuse and (2) the crime is personal and is not a public one. Therefore, the only proper party to complain about against Willie would have to be the parents of the kid, who, again, saw nothing wrong with the act.


So there.

Willie Revillame, Lim Seng, the 2 OFWs in China and Thoughts of a Poor Pinoy

Dear Kuya Alex,


It was about noon when I heard about the execution of the three Filipinos in China. I cried. And the entire world fell silent. 


I was walking then when I saw several people watching the tele. Their gaunt faces betray the hurt and the sadness of seeing their fellow Filipinos, victims of a brutal and brutish system, getting this punishment. Then, I remember Lim Seng, the Chinese drug lord, falling after one of the bullets fired from the volley of shots of a firing squad of Filipino soldiers hit him in the body.


That scene happened in the seventies, when China was still economically backward and the Philippines in turmoil over what future holds for 30 million or so Filipinos. The Philippines was under Martial rule. The first casualty was Lim Seng. His execution was swift and lethal. That execution was shown over live television. After he fell, the entire country fell silent. My mother and grandmother said that drug pushers and drug syndicates were so afraid, drugs literally went invisible shortly after that live execution. 


I am not entirely sure if the Chinese people militated and prayed before Lim Seng was executed. I really don't remember what transpired shortly after the Philippine authorities wrapped the body of the criminal. And I was'nt able to read any news article that even intimated if Chinese officials went to Marcos and pleaded Lim Seng's case, or that the criminal's body was even transported back to China.


It was a long time ago, when the Pasig river was still clean and you can still swim at Manila bay. It was the time when the peso was still respected and you can even use those centavos.


Forty years past, and we see China become the third biggest economy in the world, while we sank to 126th. Forty years, and the drug problem in the Philippines has reached alarming proportions, with more than 7 million drug addicts and the number of drug syndicates rose from just two in the seventies to about 40 in the 21st century. 


Forty years, and we see China as a global player, while our country remains the sick man of Asia. Corrupt officials have spawn everywhere and even built their own clubs. Lawlessness became a fixture in Philippine society, with criminals and syndicates doing their thing here, even considered this country not just as a convenient transshipment point, but also as a rest and recreation center. 


Forty long years, and China recovered from a brutal civil war, while, the Philippines further slid down the prosperity avenue, not knowing what direction to take, clueless about the future, even more fearful of what that future meant or hold.


Forty years and we see Filipinos, all ten million of us, leaving our homes, looking for a better place to live and breed, like rats out of their holes. While most of China's sons and daughters who abandoned their country while in turmoil, are now back, ready to live in a more prosperous nation. 


China takes care of a billion people, while, us, the Philippines only has our ninety million. But things are getting worse, and people are clueless as to what the future holds, given the sorry state of our economy. Prices have gone up, while salaries remain as they are. More and more of us are being victimized by men exploiters of other men's miseries. Filipinos are looking outwardly, far as possible from here, unmindful of the risks, just to survive. 


Forty years ago, it was the Chinese man who did that. Now, the Chinese man stays contented in his house somewhere out there, while the Filipino scampers almost in all directions, trying desperately to escape the brutal and brutish system that not just enslaves people but alienates them.


Today, the execution of three innocent Filipinos remind us of reality, of the sorry state of our affairs. Had our leaders did their jobs right and prioritized country over self, this diaspora would not have happened. People like Sally Ordinario-Villanueva, Credo and Batain would have stayed and lived on as responsible parents to their kids. 


Kuya, if you hear me, listen closely.


I know that one of the little things that we're supposed to do is tell foreigners how lucky we are to live in a beautiful country such as the Philippines.


I know that it is the responsibility of ordinary Filipinos to tell these foreigners how fortunate we are that God placed us in this land, of many splendours and of amazing wonders.


But, I cannot bear and fool myself any longer.


Kuya, those Filipinos who were executed today and those who still languish in hundreds of jails not just in China but in other countries as well, most of them are just victims. 


Yes, Kuya, they are victims of cruel circumstances. They wanted to fight the inhumanity here, but were'nt able to. This brutal and brutish system is so strong that no man is capable enough of defeating this implosion. 


Kuya, how can I say that we are lucky, when we have government officials, even the Highest of those officials, who tell us to accept the verdict calmly because their innocence or guilt depended on the laws of other countries.


Kuya, there were pieces of evidence which proved their innocence, but the Courts of China closed their ears and eyes and handed down the verdict of death. 


How would I tell these foreigners that it is fortunate to live here, when prices of commodities have gone up, and standards of living here have become a hellish nightmare?


How will I tell my kids that their futures are secure here, when there are more than 35 million families unable to eat thrice a day and about 11 million fathers and mothers without jobs?


How will I be able to tell my kid to respect the laws of this country when these laws enable people to steal billions of pesos worth of our monies kept in Bangko Sentral vaults?


How will I tell my kid to respect the laws when the very people who are expected to implement them are the very ones who violate these laws with impunity?


How will I even share my pride as a Filipino when we allow foreign drug lords to escape jail time and those innocents kept in filthy barbaric prisons?


And how will I ever be so faithful with this government and pay my taxes when I see the roads they built, pot-marked by craters and the bridges they built fall by the weight of just 2o tons?


We, who were born poor and defenseless, we suffer the brutality of the system which our leaders asked us to respect.


We, who were born proletariats, we suffer the cruelty and the barbarity of a system partial to those who have and inhumane to those without.


We, who were born poor, can only cry as Willie Revillame ask us to make a fool out of ourselves in exchange for a few thousands of pesos.


We, who were born poor, have been asked by this government to persevere, be patient, and promised that prices of commodities would soon go South, while we slowly await our deaths.


We, who were born poor, can only grit our teeth and clench our fists, as capitalists and traders exploit our weaknesses and our native intelligence by raising the prices of goods while this government tells us to just grin and bear it.


And, we, who were born poor, are being accused of rebellion and of other crimes when we shout out our souls, our frustrations, our opposition against alienation.


The deaths of Ordinario, Credo and Batain have opened our minds to the truth--the reality that we are being exploited, the Truth that we are being made slaves and the Truth that we are being made zombies, programmed to believe the empty promises of change by someone who does not know even where to go while driving his Porsche.


We cling to the hopes that that day will come, when millions of us, would just rise up and demand that our voices be heard, that these promises be fulfilled and these publicly announced dreams be realized.


When that day comes, those who oppress us, those who mock us, like Willie Revillame, those who make fun of our miseries just to sell their products, they will get the brunt of our anger. Our anger will rise unto the heavens, and God, in His bountil mercies, will send His angels to avenge us. God, we always believe, is a God of Justice. This inhumane system will be crushed. This system which bred corrupt men will be stumped to the ground. This system, which many have exploited and fed with lies, and with bovine wealth, will be split in the middle. True change will come, I believe it will, tomorrow.

Willie Revillame to be charged for violation of RA 7610: Exploiting Jan-Jan

For Willie Revillame, host of the primetime evening show, Willing Willie, exploiting the weaknesses of people is ENTERTAINMENT. 


For Revillame, host of the primetime evening show, Willing Willie, being financed by PLDT's Manny Pangilinan and Viva Entertainment, exploiting old people, children and women is ENTERTAINMENT.


I am not surprised that another 6 year old child was exploited by the same man whom his former partner accused of wife beating. see link


I am not at all surprised that this same man caused the deaths of some people in that classic stampede at the ULTRA.


I am not at all surprised to see every single night, poor people flocking to his show for goodies in exchange for humiliating them in public. Our poor folks, sorry to say, are accustomed to being humiliated by the rich. They don't have any option. Rather than be hungry, they will do everything possible,just to win 1,000 or 10,000. 


What I am surprised about is that this man is being supported by big businessmen, like Manny Pangilinan and Manny Villar. These people are supposed to be the shakers and movers of this Nation. These men are supposed to be of high integrity.


Do these businessmen realize that their names are also being dragged as protectors of Mr. Revillame, every single time this man gets caught with a misdemeanor or a crime?


Both Villar and Pangilinan are known for their "rags-to-riches" stories. Why are they allowing Willie to exploit the very class which they claimed to have belonged in the past?


Villar is a member of the committee in the Senate on women and children. Will he file a case against Revillame, for child exploitation? This is clearly a case not of entertainment, but of a violation of the law,  Article V, Section 9 of Republic Act No. 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act:

“Obscene Publications and Indecent Shows. – Any person who shall hire, employ, use, persuade, induce or coerce a child to perform in obscene exhibitions and indecent shows, whether live or in video, or model in obscene publications or pornographic materials or to sell or distribute the said materials shall suffer the penalty of prison mayor in its medium period.  If the child used as a performer, subject or seller/distributor is below twelve (12) years of age, the penalty shall be imposed in its maximum period. Any ascendant, guardian, or person entrusted in any capacity with the care of a child who shall cause and/or allow such child to be employed or to participate in an obscene play, scene, act, movie or show or in any other acts covered by this section shall suffer the penalty of prison mayor in its medium period.”

Imagine, how crass and how inhumane Willie Revillame was, when he coerced this boy, all of six years old, to dance before a crowd lusty for cheap tricks and cheap thrills.


Probably, Willie experienced the same humiliation when he was a kid. Probably a group of school thugs forced Willie to dance before them, while they throw rotten tomatoes at him. That explains why Willie's face is all cratered. 


I will not be surprised if Willie will, again, escape the fangs of the law. The law here in this country recognizes only one thing, and that is money. Fact is, the laws here do not have fangs.


This person who was once charged with wife molestation, who was repeatedly sanctioned by MTRCB for his dirty jokes and toilet-humour, who nearly escaped imprisonment for causing the injury and deaths of several people and now, like a sad joker, exploiting a weak child. 


Don't tell me that Jan-Jan is a professional artist willing to do what Willie did to him. 


Will Senator Pia Cayetano file a resolution to investigate this matter, or will she just let this incident go unnoticed? 


I found this complaint to be filed against Willie and I support this 100%

Hon. Loretta Ann P. Rosales, Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights

Sen. Pia S. Cayetano, Committee Chair, Youth, Women and Family Affairs

Hon. Corazon "Dinky" Juliano-Soliman, Secretary, Department of Social Welfare and Development

Hon. Grace Poe Llamanzares, Chairman, Movies and Television Ratings and Classification Board

Mr. Manny Pangilinan, Chairman, TV5

Justice Santiago M. Kapunan, Officer in Charge, Integrated Bar of The Philippines

Mr. John Rojo, President, Philippine Association of National Advertisers

Ms. Charmaine Canillas, Chairman, Ad Standards Council

Ateneo Human Rights Center

Council for the Welfare of Children

SUBJECT:             CHILD ABUSE ON WILLING WILLIE SHOW OF TV5

We wish to bring to your attention a deplorable incident that occurred during the March 12, 2011 episode of Willing Willie, hosted by Mr. Willie Revillame which was aired during TV5's primetime block. In the said episode, also posted on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YRCxh9q64w, a six-year-old boy named Jan-jan was shown dancing “ala-macho dancer," much to the delight of the host and the studio audience. As seen in the video, however, the boy was clearly distressed and humiliated by the said experience as evidenced by his crying while supposedly “entertaining” Mr. Revillame and his audience.

Children should be at school studying or playing at home. They should not be used as cheap sources of entertainment. The act of making children work is already unfortunate; however, the said act is even more deplorablewhen they lose their dignity and self respect in the process.

If TV shows that employ child actors are required to secure the necessary permits from the DSWD, are reality shows like Willing Willie required to do the same? Are representatives from the DSWD present to monitor these activities, especially for shows that air live?

We quote Article V, Section 9 of Republic Act No. 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act:

“Obscene Publications and Indecent Shows. – Any person who shall hire, employ, use, persuade, induce or coerce a child to perform in obscene exhibitions and indecent shows, whether live or in video, or model in obscene publications or pornographic materials or to sell or distribute the said materials shall suffer the penalty of prison mayor in its medium period. 

If the child used as a performer, subject or seller/distributor is below twelve (12) years of age, the penalty shall be imposed in its maximum period.

Any ascendant, guardian, or person entrusted in any capacity with the care of a child who shall cause and/or allow such child to be employed or to participate in an obscene play, scene, act, movie or show or in any other acts covered by this section shall suffer the penalty of prison mayor in its medium period.”

Clearly, what transpired during this episode of Willing Willie was a violation of this provision of the law.

We condemn the blatant act of subjecting poor Filipinos -- especially minors, a group that history has shown to be one of the most vulnerable sectors of our society -- to humiliation in shows like these in exchange for some quick cash. Given the financial hardships that they have to endure, they often feel forced to do acts that violate their dignity as human beings in exchange for keeping body and soul together.

We condemn the host, not only for failing to stop the boy, who was clearly uncomfortable with what he had to do, but more importantly for milking similar situations for the sake of selling the show and increasing its ratings.

We condemn the producers of the show and the management of TV5 not only for failing to act appropriately on this incident, but also for tolerating these kinds of shows, as well as the host's tasteless and humiliating antics.

We express disappointment towards the parents of the boy for subjecting their child to this horrible experience.

We express concern for the studio audience and others at home who found this incident amusing and entertaining.

We express disappointment towards all the advertisers of the show for failing to consider the content and the values of the shows in which they advertise.

We challenge our government agencies, particularly the DSWD and the MTRCB, to act promptly on this and other similar incidents, and to institute measures to protect young children when they appear on Willing Willie and similar shows.

In this regard, we would like to request the following actions from your office:

1. For Mr. Manny Pangilinan and the management of TV5 to immediately implement a temporary moratorium on the guesting of children on Willing Willie and similar shows;

1. For Mr. Willie Revillame and the producers of the show to issue a public apology to Jan-jan and all their other guests whom they have humiliated in the past, and to promise never to commit the same acts in their future episodes;

1. For the MTRCB to conduct an investigation and  review of the said episode to determine the violations made by the host and the producers of the show of the standards and regulations set by law and the Board, and impose corresponding penalties on those found guilty;

1. For the DSWD and the CHR to conduct an investigation into the said incident to determine the violations of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act and Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004,  committed by the host, the producers and the management of TV5,  and initiate legal action against those who will be found responsible;

1. For the DSWD and the MTRCB, in partnership with the TV networks in the country, to formulate regulations that will cover the appearance of children on game shows and other reality-TV themed shows, especially those that are aired live;

1. For the Committee on Youth, Women and Family Affairs of the Senate to conduct an investigation, in aid of legislation, to institute amendments to Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act and Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 to protect children from similar violations;

1. For the DSWD to provide counselling to Janjan and to all other children who participated on the show in the past for possible trauma and other physiological distress, as well as to their parents who consider subjecting their children to such experience as acceptable;

1. For the Integrated Bar of the Philippines to provide legal support to the victims of these abuses who may want to pursue legal action against those who will be found responsible by the relevant government agencies; and

1. For the Philippine Association of National Advertisers and AdBoard to forward this complaint to all their members, especially those who advertise on Willing Willie, and to request their members to temporarily cease placing ads on the show until the host, the producer and the management have complied with this request and instituted reforms to avoid a repeat of this incident in the future. Otherwise, we will be constrained to start a call to boycott the products of those who will refuse to heed this request.

We are expecting a prompt reply and action on your part. We will be continuously monitoring this issue and will continue to gather support from the general public through a Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Para-kay-Jan-jan-Shame-on-you-Willie-Revillame/102087546543288) we have started, as well as the mainstream media.

Signed:

Willie Revillame's Challenge: News/Reality versus Surreal Entertainment

Whom will the Filipino People choose---watching painful reality as it unfolds or scantily-dressed girls with a wife beater as surreal host?


This is what the controversial host Willie Revillame wants us, televiewers, to decide when he unveiled his newest show, "Willing Willie" over at ABC 5.


The controversial host wants to defeat TV Patrol, the longest-running news and public affairs program in Philippine television and GMA Channel 7's " 24 Oras" in the ratings game. Revillame wants to prove to everybody that he has the star power to trounce a Ted Failon or a Mike Enriquez in the ratings game.


For more than two decades now, the Filipino primetime evening viewing habit has been news and public affairs. This is the only time when everybody runs home and tries to catch the latest news or gossip in town.


With Willie Revillame around, will Filipinos change their viewing habits? Will Revillame successfully redefine Philippine television?


And if Revillame succeeds, will he finally alter the very face and nature of Philippine journalism?


It will be bad news for the public and for the Philippine local media if Revillame succeeds in his dastardly plan. Why?


I am sure that both networks, ABS-CBN Channel 2 and GMA Channel 7 would find ways on how to adapt to a problem such as Willing Willie.


When ABS-CBN tried to defeat RPN 9 news programs (which were the no. 1 news programs during Martial Law), the news network of the Lopezes adopted the tabloid style of reportage. Many people at that time commented in the way ABS-CBN 2 presented the news. Yet, it clicked. The people responded with high approbation. Tabloidism replaced BBC.


Gone were the BBC or CNN type of reportage and was replaced by gory, often violent news. These sensational news stories found extreme support from a public deprived of such staple ware for more than 20 years and those stories resonated because people, for a very long time, were treated with sanitized news reports courtesy of a regime-controlled media. People desired to know what is really happening, and when they saw how gruesome life was, enjoyed it. 


Now, the threat comes from a very controversial host who wants to prove that entertainment, and not news, should be presented to a people, hungry not of information, but of something to uplift their tired spirits affected by much poverty and daily strife.


If Revillame's ratings improve, then, these two giant networks will definitely either replace their programs with entertainment shows or stay with their news and public affairs programs but will alter how news is presented.


The different twist will either be more celebrity or entertainment news to counter Revillame's or more gory and more sensational news stories to catch more attention and provide the "shock factor" which has been the success element these news programs used for decades.


News programs will definitely present more crime stories than before, more gory scenes, more sensational news topics and more "exclusive stories" to at least neutralize the Revillame threat. 


Reporters will either do more baring and daring stories, more exclusives that are below the gut or probably sing and dance while doing the news. News networks would probably recruit more beautiful or cute faces to try and counter Willie Revillame's dancers or bring back the "Voice" in Philippine journalism--Kabayan, to the fore. The only question is, is Kabayan more attractive than Revillame?


If Revillame succeeds, this will be the beginning of the end for local Philippine journalism. News and public affairs programs will again be pushed either prior or after the primetime evening slot, just like what happened in the middle of the 1990's. 


Really, Revillame is doing us, Filipinos, a great disservice. His slapstick comedy, his sarcasm and his bravado will find its target for sure, since Filipinos are tired of seeing the same old things under what is perceived to be a new road to change. 


If he wins, Revillame will set back years of effort trying to make the Filipino an intelligent and more informed member of the global community. If he succeeds, Revillame will again make the Filipino a star-struck, teary-eyed dreamer, dreaming of getting that fast buck from a miscreat and meeting that scantily-clad dancer somewhere, somehow. 


If Revillame succeeds, he will influence behavior and will bring us to a time when nothing is important anymore, nothing is relevant anymore, nothing is reality anymore, but surrealism. Yes, surrealism.


I am sure Revillame will succeed, the only question is, how fast will he do it or how slow will people adopt to the change in their viewing habits.


It has been proven that people preferred a Spanish telenovela before rather than TV Patrol. Filipinos have this tendency of choosing a beautiful artista and be entertained rather than see a girl stuffed in a drum somewhere in Tondo. Filipinos once swooned by the charms of an Argentinian soap opera star than the charms of a Korina Sanchez. Will history repeat itself?


Will Filipinos choose Revillame than a Kabayan or a Mike Enriquez? I am sure that Revillame will eventually succeed since our news programs are getting to be boring to the boorish and too scandalous to a perf. 


Aside from re-programming, networks will probably replace their news editorial teams with those whose experience is entertaining crowds rather than journalism. Maybe the solution is getting back to the BBC style rather than going to where Revillame wants news and public affairs teams to go--to the slack and the slapstick route. As they say, to catch attention, you need to be different. 

Robin Padilla wows the Wowowee crowd; Kudos to ABS-CBN!

I'm not a big fan of Wowowee and you know why? Despite being the no. 1 Noontime show on television today (TNS survey says Wowowee has 19% audience share---6 points ahead of Eat Bulaga, the show which lorded it over the surveys since the 80's), I don't watch it because of its obnoxious host, Willie Revillame. My wife, daughter and young kid watches it because of three (3) reasons: one, simple execution of the segments, two, scantily-clad beautiful women and three, beautiful women, period. 


They hate Willie Revillame when he disrespects women, disrespects gays and disrespects those with physical disabilities. How many times did Revillame utters such low regard against these people, not to mention, showing his crassness against his colleagues at ABS-CBN?


Nacionalista party standard bearer Manny Villar was wrong when he hired the services of Mr. Revillame as one of his endorsers. Revillame was loved by the people only because he gives them money during the show, period. Look at their faces. Most of the contestants just say what Willie Revillame wants them to, because they want money. Money, money, money. That's all there is to it, when Willie hosts the show. And really, if money is just the basis for watching the show, then, what's the use of having beautiful and highly talented show hosts like Pokwang or that Rodriguez lady. 

Robin Padilla is not your regular host and that's just IT. ABS-CBN just did something extraordinary--they hired Padilla actually as a counter-force against Willie. Padilla is the opposite of the obnoxious and overbearing former host. 


One, Padilla respects women so much, he's a ladies' man--in a positive way. Revillame is known throughout as a woman beater, a crass man, with a string of divorces tugged in his belt. He still has cases against him in court, the latest, that "beating" incident he did with his former wife. 


Two, Padilla is a very humble man. Robin is inherently humble unlike Revillame who pretends to be humble and respectful of old folks. 


And three, ABS-CBN did a wonderful job choosing Robin because he's so unlike the other hosts. Tradition says hire a comedian to handle noontime shows. Wrong. Hire somebody whom everybody likes and registers well on television. Revillame does not register well on TV. Fact is, Revillame accosts his guests to say that he's handsome when he's definitely not.


Robin Padilla as host is as good as ice cream. ABS-CBN is trying to disabuse the minds of its audience. Padilla's appearance is refreshing. It's not bastos, as what Revillame is. 


IN due time, Padilla will woo audiences to his side, as naturally as they like and love him. Better to be loved because of who you are than loved because you just give them money, like what Revillame always do. 


One advice to ABS-CBN---do not fear. Don't succumb to some "unfounded" fears that you'll lose the masa crowd with the absence of Willie Revillame. Let him move to TV5. Sooner or later, Padilla will bring in the crowds.