Prinsipyo hindi presyo dapat ang umiral

With the return of Gabby Concepcion, still hovering the air of uncertainty kung saan nga bang TV/film outfit siya pupulutin, will his comeback spring from the shores of GMA 7, or has Gabby finally plunged into the depths of the ABS-CBN sea?

Ayon kasi sa kaniyang manager, si Rose Flaminiano, masusi raw nilang pinag-aaralan ang mga options whichever network stands to give a much bigger offer. Hindi raw nangangahulugan na porke’t inayawan nila ang GMA movie (for which Gabby had already received a downpayment), yun na ’yon, in the same breadth that not because Gabby is now doing business with ABS-CBN ay yun na rin ’yon.

Caught in the sea of two equally tempting options, hindi maliwanag which direction Gabby wishes to take. With a disturbingly vacillating attitude of his manager, most surely, naguguluhan din si Gabby. Worse, this career dilemma transports him back to year 1994, right after the MMFF scam at the city hall session inquiry – kung saan his sense of loyalty (or lack of it) was put to a crucial test.

Sa totoo lang, William Shakespeare would love to do a local showbiz version based on his comedy: Much Ado About Gabby.

His return made news, yes.

But it wasn’t exactly good news.

Tumango sa project, tinanggap ang paunang bayad, may dumating na mas malaking offer, sinunggaban at tinalikuran ang naunang tinanguan.

And knowing showbiz, it’s an endlessly vast expanse of opportunities. Kinontak for a high-end soap, umoo sa deal, only to grab an offer from a competitor with a much higher paying fee.

Much has been said and written: Pera-pera lang iyan. Sa showbiz, hindi sa lahat ng pagkakataon. If this is the universal truth, winasak ito mismo ng ex-wife ni Gabby, si Sharon Cuneta, who would never seize a multi-million peso movie deal with the actor as talent fee.

We see that the principle is greater than the price. Sorry, Rose F., that cannot be said of your alaga. In at least two transactions that Gabby has entered into upon his return, it seems quite obvious na mas matimbang ang presyo kesa sa prinsipyo.

But who knows?

Gabby may well turn himself a prize… a premyo for his still-surviving fans from the depth of the murky waters.