(NI RONNIE CARRASCO III)

How do I love THE Gretchen Barretto? Let me count the ways.

Public knowledge has it na walang regular TV show ang tinagurian noong Sex Goddess. Wala rin siyang ginagawang pelikula. She’s not busy doing commercials either.

Kulang na lang sabihin that Gretchen has slipped into semi-retirement.

Irony of ironies, napakaaktibo niya sa social media. A case in point ay ang seeming unholy alliance nila ni Nicko Falcis, ang ngayo’y kaaway ni Kris Aquino.

Sa ginagawang pagtatanggol ni Gretchen kay Nicko—who she’s perceived to be using to get back at Kris — one couldn’t help but ask if in their past lives ay mag-BFF sila. Baka nga naman.

When the Makati Prosecutor’s Office recently junked Kris’ 44 counts of qualified theft na isinampa niya laban kay NIcko (dahil sa kawalan ng probable cause) ay agad nag-post ng congratulatory message si Gretchen kay Nicko even calling him “Nix.”

By her mere form of address ay mukha ngang Gretchen and Nicko have found friends in each other.

Pero mas makukumbinsi kami sa moral support na ibinibigay ni Gretchen kay Nicko kung bubuntutan niya ito saan mang korte ito dapat sumipot. Tutal naman, Gretchen has all the time in the world, while the world sadly doesn’t seem to have time for all her drama.

If any TV network out there man lang sana ang magkakainteres na kunin ang kanyang serbisyo, or even any indie producer willing enough to gamble on her ay hindi sana ganito kaaligaga si Gretchen para makisawsaw sa isyu which doesn’t concern her at all.

Good thing, nasagot na ni Kris ang dahilan sa likod ng pag-e-emote ni Gretchen, and never again (so we hope) would she dignify what the latter still has to say.

Marami ang nagsasabi na kulang sa self-reexamination si Gretchen as regards her list of priorities.

Na-resolve na niya ang isa roon: A major family issue involving her and sister Claudine. Another major concern should follow, at ito’y ang pakikipagkasundo na niya sa kanyang ina, si Mommy Inday.

Ilang Pasko at mga kaarawan nilang dalawa ang pinalampas ni Gretchen? Si Mommy Inday pa ba ang magri-reach out sa kanyang prodigal daughter?

Sa halip na nagbubunyi siya sa dismissal ng case ni Nicko (which is yet to be the latter’s ultimate legal victory) ay bakit hindi atupagin ni Gretchen ang makitang all’s well between her and her mother?

Bakit sa halip na “walisin” ni Gretchen ang mga kalat sa mismong bakuran niya, there she is sweeping clean somebody else’s backyard na hindi naman niya pag-aari?

This time, let me count the “waste.”