Did ABS-CBN RUIN this year's DINAGYANG?

THE NO-BRAINER QUESTION
By Reymundo Salao
Oftentimes Disturbing

The PNP had an extremely excellent performance making this year's Dinagyang probably the most peaceful ever since the festival came into existence (Congrats, men, everybody salutes you!). There were also parties and concert gigs here and there, almost every street had its own party band keeping the festival more than alive. The Ilonggos themselves were in active cooperation keeping the event true to its essence of religion and revelry. The organizers also had a fairly good game-plan for this year's event. But it seems that ABS-CBN tricked them in their claim to bring in "just a short musical ethnic number".

In a radio interview, the Dinagyang organizers revealed that the ABS-CBN "dance" number and/or interruption was expected. But what was indeed UNEXPECTED was that this interruption lasted 30 minutes, and what did happen in that 30 minutes was a dance number that seemed to be outside the agreement, for the interview revealed that ABS-CBN was supposed to present an ethnic number. But what was presented was a variety-show-pa-sexy-dance number that DESTROYED THE REPUTATION OF THE DINAGYANG FESTIVAL. But let us spare the local members of ABS-CBN for they are only members of this giant institution. And who does deserve our harsh and acid criticism are the bosses of the ABS-CBN network who did this INSULT to us Ilonggos. Is this the METRO MANILA attitude of trying to undermine probinsyanos? They would always seem to underestimate Ilonggos of being "probinsyano" or baduy… But who's the baduy now? Who's the BUKI and MANUL now? In addition to it, is this artista (I think his name is Danilo Barrios) who was intentionally trying to greet in Ilonggo dialect, but instead greeted in a different dialect "Maayung Buntag!" The entire ABS-CBN cast of clowns were trying to put on their own show (AS IF WE NEEDED TO BE TAUGHT WHAT OUR FESTIVAL'S FORMAT SHOULD BE!) and was booed for it, which they really deserve. Do the executives of ABS-CBN think of us as artista-starved buffoons whom they can fool with their superstar minions? Are they too arrogant to rely on the fact that they're "hooking us up worldwide" via their global television network power, and that they are said to have sponsored millions for the festival? The Idiots! If this is what they want in return, their BS (Bullsh1#), well they can have their satellite-coverage up their a$$. If they want to cover and feature the event, they go cover and feature the event…NOT TRY TO CHANGE IT OR REFORMAT IT INTO THEIR OWN CRAPPY STYLE-OF-A-SHOW!

What is also eyebrow-raising is that there has not been (as of this writing) the slightest sound of apology coming from ABS-CBN. The Dinagyang (organizers) executive director did manage to apologize, but from my point of view, they are also victims of this ABS-CBN stunt. For what was expected was a short ETHNIC performance. NOT A LAME CIRCUS. ABS-CBN seemed to stray from the agreement. OTSO-OTSO, (the ever-corny) Bayani Agbayani, and hotbabe-type girls… Those obviously ARE NOT ETHNIC PERFORMANCES!

A short performance may have been not only forgivable but allowable. There are so many manners of little distractive shows that come with the parade all the time, but what always remains is that the focus should be with the main event: the Dinagyang ati-ati performances. People have come for that, tourists have come for that, patrons of the art have come for that, NOBODY CAME IN THE VENUE FOR A BADUY VARIETY SHOW! The distraction of ABS-CBN was upsetting even to those crowds who are usually fans of artista variety shows. Why? Because they know fully well of how DISGUSTINGLY INAPPROPRIATE this stunt of ABS-CBN was. There was also the idea of extending and adding up more ABS-CBN musical numbers to what was already damaging delay. But it was cut, of course, due to the angered majority. The nerve of ABS-CBN! Was this the reason why ABS-CBN cut their coverage and never managed to finish covering the event on TV, by showing "everybody's favorite" Koreanovela? If so; The Sneaky Bastards! No wonder everybody seems to hate ABS-CBN; they've been lambasted by "masa-queen" Susan Roces in front of National TV, and much later, one of their vans was torched. They really haven't been having the best of seasons lately, and now this.

What ABS-CBN did last Dinagyang is an example of how the quality of Filipino media entertainment has always been down below the baduy line; it is because of practices like this-The maintenance of a really bad sense of culture and arts. ABS-CBN is undeniably the biggest company controlling television and movie entertainment, and they have the dominating power. And in their strength, all that they ever seem to deliver, in my opinion, is garbage. Comes now our local prestigious event… and ABS-CBN comes along bringing in their garbage, staining our Dinagyang in the process.
(tripxyde@hotmail.com)