The children have spoken

No, this isn’t a vote for candidates for the upcoming 2010 elections. This is a yearly vote of youth representatives nationwide for their most preferred personalities in show business, news, politics, sports, etc. for the year 2009. Thousands of respondents gave both their thumbs up and thumbs down on personalities who either inspire them or irritate them. But MTRCB chairperson Consoliza Laguardia said at yesterday’s annual Anak TV Awards that she promised not to announce the names of personalities who made it to the horror roll. Instead, these names were submitted to the various network heads concerned. Some names are constants in the yearly lineup while others dropped out this year to be replaced by new names. 

The Funfare “roving eye” noticed that during last night’s awards, Ted Failon and Korina Sanchez, the popular radio/TV tandem of 20 years, must have missed each other so much because they chatted non-stop in their seats during the ceremony. 

“Basta Tambalang Failon at Sanchez kami forever,” Korina was overheard joking. Asked about the prospects of returning to their No. 1 radio program over DZMM Ted quickly said, “She is just on-leave,” and to which Korina added, “Miss na namin ang isa’t-isa, hahaha! I really miss radio the most. I’m just totally myself in radio. It is freedom.”

In a brief phone chat, I asked Korina how she’s adjusting to her life as Mrs. Mar Roxas. She gave a sweeping answer.

“Many times it is so funny. My concerns are now more about the frisky rat in the ceiling than what Malacañang is up to. I’m Mrs. Santa more than Mrs. Roxas. I hardly see Mar who is parati nasa out-of-town. In between shooting for Rated K, I’m at home hurrying up my Christmas wrapping. Aalis kasi kami ni Mar for honeymoon Part 2! I’m officially on leave from all my platforms that have something to do with news and political commentary. Tama lang naman ‘yun.  After May and depending on the outcome of the elections, I will be discussing with station management about what’s next. For now, I welcome the break from that daily pace. They think it’s about getting married. Actually, malinaw ang kutis ko ngayon because I get eight hours of sleep everyday, hahaha!”  

Is she campaigning with Sen./Vice Presidentiable Mar? 

“Nag-usap na kami tungkol d’yan.  I am not a politician, I cannot be one even if I tried. I am a newsman and a commentator. Mahirap na tanggalin ‘yun after more than two decades training. So, I’m very choosy where I go, what I do. Kayang-kaya naman ni Mar ‘yan.  Andun na lang ako sa bahay, hihintayin ko siya...kung hindi din ako nagtatrabaho.”

Meanwhile, Ted Failon is happy with his new baby Failon Ngayon aired Saturday evenings on ABS-CBN. 

“I’m enjoying the format,” Ted was heard saying. “It’s very flexible. This is exactly the show I’d been wanting to do and it is doing happily well,” says Ted who also anchors the same station’s early-evening newscast TV Patrol World.

Ted and his children are spending Christmas abroad. 

Incidentally, both Korina and Ted are included in the youth vote for Most Preferred Male and Female Personalities, the fourth for Korina and the second for Ted. Korina’s Rated K also received two other awards.

The Anak TV Seal Award is conferred by the Southeast Asian Foundation for Children and Television on all the kid-friendly TV personalities and programs which are best examples for kiddie televiewers. The respondents in the survey are all children.

The Honor Roll:

Most-Admired Male TV Personalities:

• Zaijian Jaranilla

• Ryan Agoncillo

• Gerald Anderson

• Kim Atienza

• Julius Babao

• John Lloyd Cruz

• Coco Martin

• Mike Enriquez

• Ted Failon

• Edu Manzano

• Cesar Montano

• Piolo Pascual

• Vic Sotto

• Gary Valenciano

*   *   *

Most-Admired Female TV Personalities

• Kris Aquino

• Kim Chiu

• Sharon Cuneta

• Anne Curtis

• Karen Davila

• Sarah Geronimo

• Toni Gonzaga

• Angel Locsin

• Maja Salvador

• Korina Sanchez

• Jessica Soho

• Mel Tiangco

• Vilma Santos

*   *   *

Most Well-Liked TV Programs

— NBN:

• Abante Pilipinas

• Biz News

• Code Red

• Damayan

• Equilibrium

• Heart to Heart

• Komentaryo

• Money Matters

• Negosyo, Atbp.

• Neighbors

• Oras ng Himala

• Power to Unite

• Republic Service

• The Young Once

— ABS-CBN 2:

• Kabuhayang Swak na Swak

• Matanglawin

• May Bukas Pa

• Pilipinas, GKNB?

• Rated K

• Salamat Dok!

• Sineskwela

• Wonder Mom

— Net 25:

• Convergence

• Homepage

• In Good Shape

• I-News

• Landmarks

• Moments

• Spoon

• Tomorrow Today

— UNTV:

• Bread ‘n’ Butter

• Doc on TV

• Good Morning Kuya

• Istorya

• Kaagapay

• Munting Pangarap

• Serbisyo Publiko

• Sports 37

— GMA 7:

• Art Angel

• Batang Bibbo

• Happy Land

• Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho

• Kay Susan Tayo

• Lovely Day

• Wish Ko Lang

— Q-11:

• Ang Pinaka

• Balitanghali

• Day-Off

• Kids on Q

— IBC:

• Asin at Ilaw

• Buhay Pinoy

• Gabay at Aksyon

—Studio 23:

• Gourmet Everyday

• Y Speak

Mike’s heart is on the art scene, not on showbiz scene

Last seen in the Star Cinema romance-drama And I Love You So starring Bea Alonzo and Sam Milby, Mike Austria admits that his heart belongs more to the art scene than to the showbiz scene.

“I want to banish that episode of my life if only because it gets in the way of establishing myself firmly in the art scene,” said Mike who used to be a dashing actor often seen in Regal movies.

At 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 11, Mike will open his 12th solo exhibition of oil paintings at the Art Space, third floor, Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Makati.

Mike says that he draws from the childhood memories of the lakeshore and rice field town of Tanay, Rizal, to paint his canvases. He wandered and played around the fields. Local folks would grill some of their catch and invite to their humble meal the vagrant kid they had taken to be one of their own. Then Mike would be scolded by his mother when he came home for being away without her permission. At one time, he rode a carabao and grovelled in the mud.

Added Mike, “Environment and family are my favorite subjects. Nature is being exploited and disregarded by man. Science and social development have gained in the last century. Electricity has dramatically changed life on our planet. The massive use of cars and airplanes has changed the transportation of the world. Technology breaks boundaries; cultures mix and lead us to rootlessness, loss of identity and widespread moral decline.

“The family is important, too, because everything starts there. First, education then moral values and character development. The family is worth more than anything else.

“After the tragedy of Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, I realized that amidst all the wealth and success in the world, nothing else is more important than my family. Ito ang aking ‘tanging yaman’.”

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