Corporate Social Responsibility goes beyond charity and requires that a responsible company take into full account its impact on all stakeholders and on the environment when making decisions. This requires the company to balance the needs of all stakeholders with its need to make a profit and reward shareholders adequately…. This holistic approach to business regards organizations as (for example) being full partners in their communities, rather than seeing them more narrowly as being primarily in business to make profits and serve the needs of their shareholders. [source]

And more: Corporations that create the appearance of acting responsibly just for its public relations value are said to be “greenwashing.”

The Issue at Hand
Did GMA-7 calculate the risk and by finding the clause any resemblance to real persons or groups in fiction is purely coincidental as a sufficient safety net, proceeded to shoot and show a script depicting an ‘undocumented Cordilleran tribe’ as an object of ridicule? Did they consider that the Igorot market is negligible when it comes to affecting the bottom line so it was OK to make fun of them?

Context
Let us put this into context. I will speak of Marky Cielo and StarStruck, Asian Treasures and stereotypes or TV representations.

Marky Cielo and StarStruck:
The Quest for New Markets and Cheap Talent

StarStruck 3 was a reality show that got its contestants from around the country. Reality shows have become vogue because they are comparatively cheap to produce and some of the contestants become instant celebrities. Since these raw talents cannot command a high talent fee at the start, they are a bargain. Marky Cielo became the Ultimate Survivor of this reality show and part of the prize that he got was a contract with GMA-7 stipulating that he will be part of some of the network’s shows. Cielo is now part of the currently showing Asian Treasures.

Since each StarStruck 3 contender represented a region of the Philippines, the show was an opportunity to attract new viewers from these identified markets. Viewers were encouraged to support the contenders that represent there respective hometowns. Cielo represented Mountain Province and was vocal about his being an Igorot.

So after the show, GMA-7 was able to capture a small percentage of Igorot viewers who would understandably be watching shows where Marky Cielo would be part of the cast.

Asian Treasures:
Problematizing History

Asian Treasures is a TV show that pretends to be historical. It is a localized version of National Treasure and the Da Vinci Code. The mythical treasure amulets of the equally mythical 10 datus were scattered everywhere and the lead characters were tasked to find these treasures. According to the story, the KKK, Rizal and Bonifacio were involved in hiding these treasures.

One of the amulets were entrusted to an undocumented Cordilleran tribe. See screen capture by Jeffer.

This episode was the same one where the character played by Marky Cielo was introduced.

So the small group of viewers who were eager to watch Marky Cielo got to watch the ax- and spear-wielding war- and soot-painted warriors, too.

Fact, Fiction and Stereotypes

Betrayal

THIS MAY BE THE CAMPAIGN SEASON but nobody can stop me from writing about every Filipino’s favorite pastime: Kris Aquino.

An overly-distressed Kris Aquino was rushed to the hospital after having a series of “false labor.” The stress was caused by rumors of her husband James Yap’s infidelity and her recent spat with gossip columnist Cristy Fermin. Whenever Kris is near Yap or Fermin, the baby just starts kicking.

A former female employee at the Belo Medical Clinic has surfaced and revealed sordid details of her 10-month illicit sexual affair with Kris Aquino’s husband, cager James Yap. The affair reportedly started in March 2006 when Yap visited the clinic. He asked for a facial; she gave him a head.

“Hope,” a former employee of Dr. Vicky Belo, confirmed that she had an affair with James Yap. Whenever her boss is out of the clinic, “lumuluhod siya nang walang Belo.”

In her phonebook, according to Hope, she uses the code name “Big Bird” for James Yap. When she’s naked, he becomes Sesame Straight!

Asked how she and James managed to have sex inside a small cubicle at the Belo Medical Clinic, Hope replied, “Dog style.” When the sexual act is over, Big Bird becomes Snoopy.

James Yap’s camp has reportedly appealed to GMA 7’s showbiz-oriented show Startalk not to air its exclusive interview with “Hope” tomorrow, Saturday. If the show decides to cancel the interview, Hope considers asking the network to air her story on “Wish Ko Lang.”

Top 5 Tell-Tale Signs that James Yap Is Indeed Cheating on Kris Aquino

5: From Marlboro, he suddenly switched to Hope.

4: Going out alone becomes too often. And whenever a very pregnant Kris asks him where he is going, he would always reply, “May practice.”

3: Kris would always receive a call from a Belo Medical Clinic staff saying, “Ma’am, naiwan na naman po ni Sir James ang brief niya dito. Pa-pick up na lang po.”

2: Whenever he makes love with Kris, James doesn’t moan. He chirps.

1: Whenever he sees a dog, he tells Kris: “Baby, pa-facial muna ako. Bye!”

from PEx

Anyway, for James Yap, there’s always hope. I mean Hope. Di pa sila ni Kris may Hope na eh. Kaya araw-araw siyang nagpapa-facial sa Belo Medical kasi ayaw niyang mawalan ng Hope. They say it’s the reason why Kris and Vicki aren’t in speaking terms with each other.

Teka, buntis din daw si Hope Centeno?

Hopia and Big Bird

Dug from the Buzz (last Sunday: James Yap was interviewed. Di sila nagpansinan ni Kris), 24 Oras (last night: Kris was interviewed) and this Saturday on StarTalk (the alleged relationship between the Purefoods basketball player and the Belo Medical employee).

Lito Camo gave a warning in TV Patrol: He said he has given only one politician (Zubiri) the “exclusive rights” to use “his” song as campaign jingle and will sue anyone else who uses it without his permission.

But is Boom Tarat Tarat just his song? Check the tune of The Farmer in the Dell and A Hunting We Will Go, both traditional children’s songs. Lito Camo had always been borrowing from pop and folk culture. Bulaklak’s chorus borrowed heavily from an action song that kids play on the streets, for one. And the phrase “boom tarat tarat” is from a Boy Scout chant / camp fire song.

Topic Name: Boy Scout chant “Boom Tarat”
Topic Description: Just want to inquire if it is correct to say that the popular Willie Revillame (Lito Camo) song “Boom Tarat” was taken from one of the camping chants of the boy scouts. I believe I have had heard and chanted this before during my scouting years.

Read the replies here:

Sampling is a common thing nowadays. But claiming that you what you don’t is a different thing.

sampling is the act of taking a portion of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or element of a new recording.

The funny thing is, the politicians believed him. Kasi si Zubiri nga lang ang nag-bu-boom-tarat-tarat!

Zubiri campaign video at YouTube

And here’s more:

Padyak sa kanan,
Padyak sa kaliwa
Umikot ng umikot at humanap ng iba.

By the way, whatever happened to the case of Chandeliers and Pinoy Ako?

Eliminated

• Lizzy Pecson, Condom Model
• Oh, what a (Chad) Burden you are!
• Chariz Solomon, FHM + Japayuki to be

First Sunday: Down to 40

Other Articles:

“STARSTRUCK,” GMA 7’s ORIGINAL reality-based artista search that made stars out of Jennylyn Mercado, Mark Herras and Katrina Halili, is back.

And if last year Marky Cielo was declared the lone ultimate survivor, “Starstruck, The Next Level” will proclaim four winners: the “Ultimate Hunk,” the “Ultimate Sweetheart,” and a tandem that will comprise the “Ultimate Loveteam.”

The network also extended the age limit from 19 to 21.

….

Out of the more than 10,000 who auditioned all over the country, 80 remain in contention. Only 12 contestants—six males and six females—will take part in a series of grueling tests and activities that will mold them to be the industry’s next gems.

Each of the four ultimate survivors will receive P1 million in cash, a P2-million exclusive management contract from GMA and other prizes. [source]

Eight weeks. Almost 9,500 artista hopefuls aged 16 to 21 nationwide. More than 5,400 rejects in Metro Manila alone. A few more call backs will decide on their fate.

StarStruck season 4 wasn’t called “The Next Level” for nothing. With a wider age range used and tougher standards underway, expect even more drama and excitement that could top the previous seasons of the prestigious competition. After eight grueling weeks of auditions all over the country, StarStruck The Next Level, the fourth wave of GMA Network’s pioneering reality-based artista search, has started the tedious task of trimming down the number of applicants to come up with the select group who will comprise the next batch of GMA stars.

Only 94 applicants were selected from the combined Metro Manila and provincial screenings, and the number was narrowed down to 80 artista wannabes. On December 10, 2006, the top 40 contenders will be announced on national television.

As in the past auditions, all the applicants had to introduce themselves, answer questions, and show their respective talents. But this time, the questions were more intriguing and situational, ultimately drawing out each applicant’s wit and character. The 20-second limit for the talent portion pushed the contestants to think of creative and striking numbers.

While there were a lot of potential talents, a few stood out due to their attitude, appearance, or quirkiness. For instance, some tried to get away with celebrity names such as “Magdangal” while others already had showbiz in their blood, like Charlene Gonzales’s half sister and Jordan Herrera’s brother.

There were also applicants who were not new to the StarStruck tension. Jay-L Dizon, the rosary-ripping boy who was in StarStruck season 3’s Top 16 but did not make it to the Final 14, auditioned again for this season and passed the second screening so far. Other returnees from StarStruck’s third season were Jomar Gonzales (who made it to last year’s Top 20) and Adriane Natividad (Top 60).

Some StarStruck talents from the previous batches even came to the studio to watch the screenings, possibly adding to the applicants’ tension. For instance, Marky Cielo and Gian Carlos stayed the whole day and even participated in some of the talent portions!

StarStruck has become a great vehicle for discovering young talent in the Philippines. And even for those who don’t make the it to the top four slots, the television exposure alone serves as a springboard for better things to come.

A classic example is Katrina Halili’s (StarStruck 1’s Top rising fame in showbiz today. “Advice ko sa inyo, umuwi na lang kayo!” she jokes. “Hindi, joke lang! Magpakatotoo ka lang, hindi mo kailangan magpretend na matapang ka, or astig ka, para (magustuhan) ka ng tao. Kung ano ka, ipakita mo kung ano ka. Tapos kung ano ‘yung mga challenge na pinapagawa sa inyo, kailangan gawin niyo ‘yun, at saka parang workshop na rin kasi ‘yung StarStruck, e. Para kang nag-aaral. Kapag kunwari, may acting workshop, dancing, (or) singing, para ka na nilang in-enroll doon, e, so pagbutihan mo.”

StarStruck The Next Level premieres tonight, December 4 and will still be hosted by Dingdong Dantes and Jolina Magdangal with Raymond Gutierrez, under the direction of Rommel Gacho.

This fourth and most intensified StarStruck season will not only be looking for a pair of Ultimate Survivors but for an Ultimate Hunk and Ultimate Sweetheart as well. Each of the four winners will bag P1 M cash and a P 2 M management contract plus other special prizes. [source]

A US military serviceman implicated in the Subic rape case was found guilty by the Makati Regional Trial Court more than a year after the rape took place, ABS-CBN News reported.

Makati RTC Judge Benjamin Pozon of Branch 139, however, acquitted respondents Chad Carpentier, Dominic Duplantis, and Keith Silkwood of the rape of the complainant “Nicole.”

Pozon said respondent Daniel Smith is proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt for raping Nicole while she was dead drunk at the back of a Starex van. The rape took place during a short ride inside Subic Bay Freeport on the night of November 1 last year. [source]

Which one is fake, photoshopped, salamat po doktor?

And by the way, the calendars aren’t released yet. According to the news, Ginebra had been circulating Angelica’s calendar’s with her body cropped off. That resulted in people thinking everything was a Photoshop job.

As for Katrina, it seems, no photo of her calendar is out yet. But her new fantasy video has been screen captured a lot of times already.

Angelica Panganiban vs. Katrina Halili
Ginebra San Miguel vs. Tanduay Rhum

Katrina Halili Tanduay Rhum
Angelica Panganiban Ginebra 2007 Calendar