(NI BEN BAÑARES)

JUST last month, I was wondering: Bakit kaya parang tahimik ngayon si Kris Aquino? Bakit tila wala yatang pasabog lately? Natabunan tuloy siya ng BFF, you know, the Barretto Family Feud. O ayaw niya lang sumabay dito dahil tiyak na malulunod kung ano man ang “pasabog” niya?

Then, before November ended, I got my answer.

Sa isang Instagram post kasi ni Kris, may isa siyang follower na nag-comment ng, “I hope you can still gain your former status as the country’s premiere endorser. It seems like you are slowly fading into the shadow of irrelevance. Don’t get me wrong. Magpasabog ka ulit.”

Sinagot ito ni Kris na siya ay “pretty chill about becoming ‘irrelevant’ because the price to pay fighting to stay relevant wasn’t worth my health or my peace of mind.”

Shocking ba? Parang nag-mellow bigla? Siguro ay dahil na rin ito sa kanyang sakit na sinasabing “form of lupus” at ang kakatapos lang na legal bakbakan nila ng dating business manager niya na si Nicko Falcis

At tila may realization din siya: “So many have told me, ‘You have enough’ (in the material sense), and my sons are in no danger of going hungry. So I was working hard because I was protecting something that now seems much less important: my ego.”

At mukhang napagod na rin talaga siya: “I worked too many days when I should’ve actually been listening to my body all because of the mistaken notion that protecting work commitments meant more than prioritizing my wellness.”

So, wala na kaya talagang pasabog?

“Sorry, walang ‘pasabog’ coming soon — I have outgrown that. It took so much prayer for me to be at peace with who I am and where I am.”

Pero, huwag ka! Hindi pa rin nawawala ang katarayan, pagkapranka – at pagkataklesa – ni Kris! Kinuwestiyon niya ang motibo ng follower at ang “concern” kuno nito sa kanya: “I realized you wanted to upset me but graduate na ako sa ganitong klaseng pailalim na ‘bullying.’ I hope before you ‘worry’ about my professional standing, you’ll ask yourself why there seems to be little of interest in your life that you’re making mine your problem?”

O, di ba? Eh, di hindi na nakasagot pa ang “concerned” follower! Haha!

So, totoo kayang graduate na si Kris sa mga pasabog? Totoo kayang “tamed” na siya? Well, only time can tell. Hindi niya naman sinabing “no pasabog ever,” ‘di ba? Sabi niya lang, walang pasabog coming soon  –  so, knowing Kris, meron pa rin ‘yan. Hindi lang nga soon.

Let’s wait and see.

ANGEL NAMED ‘HERO OF PHILANTHROPY’ BY FORBES

 Wow. Isa na namang karangalan ang ibinigay sa aktres na si Angel Locsin, pero this time ay hindi acting award kundi mas prestigious pa roon. Nakasali ang Pinay aktres sa taunang listahan ng Forbes magazine na Heroes of Philanthropy.

Sa December 2 issue ng naturang magazine, na-feature ang listahan ng “billionaires, entrepreneurs, and celebrities across the region who are committed to solving some of the most pressing issues facing the Asia-Pacific.”

Sinabi sa isang article sa isyu na iyon na nakasama si Angel sa listahan dahil sa pag-donate niya ng P1 million sa mga biktima ng sunud-sunod na lindol sa Mindanao kamakailan lang, at sa pagtulong din sa mga nag-evacuate dahil sa laban ng gobyerno at mga terorista sa naturang lugar.

Sabi sa article: “Over the past decade, Locsin has donated as much as P15 million to causes such as educational scholarships for students, supporting the economic and political rights of indigenous people, and ending violence against women and children.”

Pati ang mga pagtulong niya sa mga biktima ng mga bagyo ay binanggit sa nasabing article: “Her donations have also helped roughly 500 families hit by some of the country’s largest disasters: Tropical Storm Ondoy in 2009, Typhoon Habagat in 2012 and Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, one of the deadliest storms on record, leaving 6,300 dead.”

Dalawang Pinoy lang ang nakasama sa listahan. Ang isa ay si Hans Sy ng SM Prime, dahil naman ito sa kanyang mga donasyon sa Child Haus na tumutulong sa mga batang may cancer at sa kanilang caregivers.

Kamakalawa lang, December 4, nag-tweet na si Angel ng pasasalamat sa karangalan.

“Filipinos have always been known for ‘bayanihan.’ I’m nowhere near from being a billionaire, but I try my best to do my part in my own little way. I hope this would inspire other people to help as well,” sabi ni Angel sa tweet.

Well, congrats sa prestihiyosong award na ito, Angel! You deserve it.