If we assume Eden to be the Biblical/mythical birthplace of mankind, then my career, my life, as a writer/columnist would have the The Philippine Star as my Eden. And it was in this broadsheet, its Lifestyle and Entertainment pages, that the proverbial yeast of my punning Wry Bread column would rise, and my 15 minutes of fame (yes, I refuse to use a capital letter f) would come to be. On this illustrious day, when we celebrate the quarter century mark of this newspaper, I’ve been asked to reflect on what it means to be, what it’s like to be, a Star columnist; and truth be told, it’s difficult to separate the sublime and uplifting, from the mundane and trivial. They’re all part and parcel of the “magic” that’s conjured up — perception and fact being a regular writer in this celestial firmament of the Printed Word. And yes, I may be taking the “Star” analogy too far, but that’s part of the wonder of being a columnist; as long as I stay within the bounds of decency, the right and bright side of censorship, my opinions and verbosity actually see the light of day!
Ask me to reflect, and first, I have to give credit where credit is due: if Millet Mananquil did not take me aside one dinner a decade ago, and asked if I could do more than “talk the talk” and actually write, if Miguel Belmonte and Joanne Rae Ramirez didn’t have the faith that I could meet regular deadlines and produce this Allure column, and if Ricky Lo did not possess the misguided belief that my opinion on films, theater, concerts and music could actually be worth printing, you wouldn’t be reading this, or any of my contributions to The Star at all. Look for blame, and I happily submit their names!
As for what it’s like to be a Star columnist, I first asked my three sons, who I’ve featured/exploited with regularity in my column. For Matteo and Luca, it meant opportunities to meet and greet Tracy McGrady and Gilbert Arenas when they visited the Philippines. Asked to write about their visits, I suggested that the added element of my sons interacting with the two hoop stars would give “texture” to what I could write, and when that suggestion “took flight,” I became the coolest Dad. When I take the boys out for dinner and we go to the mall; without fail, a number of people will greet me, and that amazes them, that I’m so Mr. Popular. And they’re doubly amazed because they know what a curmudgeon and grouch I really am!
My sales team at ABS’ Cable Channels and Print Media Group (CCPMG) played a trick on me earlier this year by creating, without my knowledge, my own Facebook account. They accepted some 20 people as “Friends” and withheld the password until a few days after my birthday, believing that those friends and their greetings would force me to maintain the page. They were right! And after all the years of proclaiming how I would be the last one to FB or tweet, I got indigestion from eating “humble pie” as I would be mercilessly teased by those who knew my sentiments of yesteryear. Quintin, my eldest, after a lot of wrangling about privacy issues, finally accepted me in June, and he laughed about how after only a month and a half on FB, I had over a thousand “friends.” So much for the reluctant, drag me kicking and screaming FB-er! And for that I point my accusing finger at my Star column. A good number of my friend requests come with messages about how they came across my name, and whether I’m the same Philip Cu-Unjieng who writes for The Philippine Star. With me, flattery will get you everywhere. Mention or recognize my efforts to write and put out this column, and you’re a best friend for life.
Levity aside, there are those instances when being a Star columnist really brings a smile to my face, and makes it all-rewarding. When I wrote about the noble, volunteer-driven organization PAWS (who tirelessly work to stop cruelty to animals), and subsequently got a thank-you text, saying my article helped expand awareness of their efforts and that they had new volunteers, I couldn’t stop grinning. When a young entrepreneur like Xandra Rocha and her gourmet ice cream line Pinkerton was featured, and she texted a week later saying numerous calls and orders came in after my column came out, it felt good playing a small part in her growing success. And the people you meet! I count Dioceldo Sy of Ever Bilena a good friend, and when he took me along to Samar last December for the 100th birthday of his grandmother, here was a woman truly worth meeting. Unassuming and completely disarming, she called me to her side, and joked about I was her newfound apo.
Moments like these bring home just how far the reach of being a Star columnist can be; and with that comes the sense of responsibility. My words can influence and affect; and that makes me doubly conscious about fact-checking, getting the quotes right, and knowing that while I do write in my own voice and can be opinionated, they should be educated and informed opinions. It’s been a wonderful, exhilarating ride, and I thank my lucky “Star,” to have been given the opportunity to have this column.