Oscar Wilde

"Drama is reality with the boring parts cut out" --Oscar Wilde

Dear Kids, I AM NOT AN ABS-CBN APOLOGIST. I don't really like that network but last week they featured a DRAMA special that became controversial because it seemed to malign the alumni of a certain university. Below is their official letter protest, I mean, Official Statement articulated by Prof. Ma. Stella Tirol, Office of Public Relations Director of UP Los Baños.

"Our attention has been called by constituents and alumni to an episode featured in Maala-ala Mo Kaya entitled "Blusa," which was aired on ABS-CBN on Feb. 28 and on TFC recently. Our constituents and alumni were concerned whether the episode was based on truth.

The story was of a woman who allegedly graduated BS AgriBusiness, summa cum laude, from the University of the Philippines Los Baños or UPLB, who could not find a job, and ended up a stripper. We tried to find out who the subject was by tracking all 27 of our summa cum laude graduates from the time the University was established in 1909. We could not find anyone matching the subject as portrayed in "Blusa."

Whether or not the subject was a UPLB graduate, we deeply sympathize with her and her family. However, in the interest of maintaining its reputation as a truthful storyteller, the MMK should have a mechanism to validate claims by letter senders especially those that require a stretch of imagination as to be believed.

While indeed touching and a perfect example of a human-interest story, "Blusa" regrettably affected the reputation of UPLB as an educational institution and its constituents and alumni. We therefore request ABS-CBN to set the record straight and correct the wrong impression that it created among its viewers. We also make an appeal to producers of similar programs to be more prudent in reporting stories with claims that would affect the reputation not only of a school but also of its alumni in the Philippines and abroad."

At press time, PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) is still waiting for the feedback of ABS-CBN corporate communications department regarding this matter."

Just a question. Who in his right mind would have wanted to watch Angel Locsin while wearing a BLUSA (the title)? Had the title been "BIKINI" or “BIRTHDAY SUIT” or “BOOBS” or "BOTTOMLESS" I would have watched it too with my mother-in-law.

Anyway.

My two cents' worth? Correct me if I'm wrong, but that letter above is a carefully crafted attempt to draw an apology from the writers of the TV network. And I think calling on ABS CBN to apologize for an obviously fictitious story featured in a DRAMA special is uncalled for.

The only ones dense enough to believe the fairy tale that a UP student who graduated with the highest honors ended up like Angel Locsin’s character are the same ones who still believe in Santa Claus. It’s the same group of people who believe that Harry Potter can actually fly and Edward Cullen is real flesh and blood.

For lack of a better word, or phrase, the only ones who believe every detail presented in any TV DRAMA as being faithful to real life... are the ones who need to get a life. In short, they are the ones who need to GROW UP!

Because ALL ADULTS know that DRAMA is not just "reality" with the boring parts cut out-- it is also "reality" where the vital parts are sexed up so that the advertisers can get off while fantasizing about the ratings. When I overheard somebody dropping UPLB's name as the alleged alma mater of Angel Locsin's character, I just sneered and thought to myself "who in his right mind would believe this crap?" Writers of that DRAMA series should have chosen a school with less prestige to make their fiction atleast plausible.

That's why I was at first shocked when I heard about this response from UP. Then I became really, really pissed when I realized the timing of their response:

We are in the middle of the fight against the Right to Reply Bill.

I don't think the prestigious university, and its alumni, realize that the proponents of the Right to Reply Bill (the politicians who are the targets of their protest rallies) can use their inappropriate response to argue for the signing of that abomination into law.

UPLB, in its haste to safeguard its image, can be used as a tool by its own sworn enemies to legitimize the argument FOR the Right to Reply Bill, a bill that curtails Free Speech and by extension, Artistic Freedom, one of our most basic RIGHTS.

Yes. The same RIGHT that Protects Artistic license as practiced by ABS CBN is also the same RIGHT that UP Students have DIED for in the streets and in the hills.

I can overlook the fact that UP has forgotten about Oscar Wilde. I can also forgive UP for forgetting about Armando Liwanag (he's a prick anyway) but how can that University forget about Lean Alejandro and the man from Atimonan, Melito Glor?

Nakalimutan nyo na ba si Ditto Sarmiento?

Wala na bang magtatanggol sa karapatan ng malayang pamamahayag?

Dahil kung hindi Kayo,

sino?


to be continued...