Of PPR and Discrimination

So it’s not only the Cebu Entertainment Group (E-Group) that has concerns and expressed disappointment about how bad the Corporate Communications Department of ABS-CBN Manila is. It seems that the Davao press has the same feeling. I know about this, because when my column about Personalized Public Relations (PPR) was uploaded on Facebook, Chris Fabian of Davao press aired the same concern and agreed to my points, through the same social networking site. If that is the case, then clearly, there is really a problem and the department concerned is indeed a failure. What then is ABS-CBN’s Corpcom doing about this in black and white, one that is not just lip service? As far as I know, none, nothing at all.

A colleague and my “sister” Niza Marinas of Cebu Daily News was invited to speak before production people of ABS-CBN Cebu last Tuesday about feature writing and she wasted no time in airing her concerns about how disappointing the network’s central Corpcom is. Niza has the same concern as mine, and Chris too. Actually this is the same concern I had when I started in the local entertainment circuit in 2004. Up until now, the regional press is still being confronted with the same issue. Is this another case of Manila feeling superior over the other regions? Is this that Imperial Manila thingy again which I hate so much? Is this your way of telling us, we don’t need you regional press, because we have the national press within our reach? Don’t be too sure then, because that Tagalog saying “Bilog ang mundo” will always be right.

Interestingly, within the week, I’ve read StarsStudio and Yes! magazines respectively and the features there about Coco Martin are very telling and should serve a lesson to everybody. In Starstudio Martin shared, that after winning awards for his breakthrough movie Masahista in 2006, they have received inquiries for him to be part of an ABS-CBN teleseries but when he was face to face with the production people of that project, he was told they are not getting him because he is from indie movies and they did not have high respects for such projects before, as this was associated with sex and homosexuality. It was veteran actress Jacklyn Jose, who Martin looked up to, who was able to convince him to give it a try via ‘Ligaw Na Bulaklak.’ When he relayed to her his experience, she told him, the project was different because the director was Andoy Ranay, who also did indie movies and who understood how independent production works. She even told him, that if he will get the role, she will no longer insist that he give mainstream TV a try.

But he did get the role, but was again discriminated on his first taping day. Young-looking that he is, the production people doubted if he could pull off the scene where he was to shoot the policeman friend of Sid Lucero’s character in a certain scene. Challenged, Martin, improvised on what was asked of him in the script. Instead of walking away right after pulling the trigger, he pointed his gun to Sid and gave him a sharp look before eventually leaving the area. It turned out to be a very powerful scene and the director was very impressed and Martin’s participation in the series was extended.

In the Yes! July issue, featuring the prime talents of Star Magic which is celebrating its 20th year in the industry, Martin, being co-managed by the talent arm of ABS-CBN and Biboy Arboleda, is among those featured. In page 82, the magazine mentioned about “a powerful female network executive” who wondered if Martin can get rid of his “indie tag.” That for me was another form of discrimination.

Just because one is a product of indie cinema, should he or she be discriminated upon by the mainstream TV or movie producers? Just because we are regional press, don’t we deserve the same treatment as the Manila entertainment media? With Martin’s experience before he made it this big, and how you made us feel like we are second-class citizens, does that mean that discrimination is indeed a staple in the ABS-CBN compound?

Oh well, bilog ang mundo. You don’t need us that much now because your primetime shows, movies and stars are doing well, ABS-CBN. But never be complacent, because it might be very different tomorrow, next month or next year. In fact, you lost the daytime race already for almost two years now. Showtime and your soaps cannot match those of GMA-7 stable in the ratings game. Nothing is permanent really, except change.

Speaking of discrimination, I wonder why GMA-7’s Party Pilipinas is treating Cebuana Diva Montelaba indifferently every Sunday. I thought it’s only me, but known photo-journalist, columnist and educator Gerard Pareja has the same concern. It seems that every time Diva is part of a production number in Party P, she is not given a close up shot. This has been happening for months now. GMA, you focus on the other performers but when it comes to Diva you just pan the cameras.

Diva can act, dance and sing, yet you rob her of that brief moment to shine even through Party P every Sunday. That is the only regular show that she has, despite her potentials, yet you are not treating her well. Why?

You give Diva and Boholana lass Rich Asuncion a chance to show what they’ve got as villains in “Kokak” and “Biritera” respectively, and I’m sure they delivered because viewers talked about how effective they are while those shows were still running. But how come, they have no follow-up projects yet? Please, they are too beautiful and talented to end up in the freezer.

If you really want to be superior in the country, GMA-7, please give Diva and the other bisdak talents in your stable the right push and the chance to prove what they got, instead of making them as props and backdrops in your respective shows. If you’ll give them the chance, the bisdaks will surely return the favor by watching your shows.