Janella Salvador, Failipino First Policy, And Saying That It's Too Much To Say One Doesn't Have Time For Philippine Cinema

 

A few days ago, a news I missed was that Janella Salvador called out the dismissive attitude of Filipinos towards Filipino films. Here's her statement that may make one wary: 

"There’s nothing wrong naman with having a preference. Kumbaga, you can watch the films you want, there’s no problem with that. Pero, I think just saying that you have no time for Philippine cinema is too much. 

I'd look at this and it seems that Janella herself is actually calling for FILIPINO FIRST POLICY. Better call it FAILIPINO FIRST POLICY. I'm not going to mince words here like she didn't mince words. Sure, she did say that there's nothing wrong with having a preference. However, the part where she says that it's too much to say that one doesn't have time for Philippine cinema. This is where things can be very alarming. I'm reminded of the article by Get Real Support called "Filipinos are not obliged to support local media". I even wrote an article where I asked if leftist lawmakers will soon pass laws to force Filipinos to support lousy local media. 

Whether Janella wants to admit it or not - we're living in a VERY BUSY WORLD. Time for leisure can be rather scarce. People who are parents (and note that she's ALSO a parent) would have less time for leisure. That means they need to spend their leisure time WISELY. People can have the choice not to have time for Philippine cinema. It's no different like if I say that I have no time for Thai cinema. It's almost like she wants to force Filipinos to watch Philippine cinema OR ELSE. 

This could even be a red flag that Janella may want to run for a legislative position AND pass a law mandating Filipinos to support the lousy local media. She may even propose really stiff penalties. She may even declare it illegal to write bad reviews against Filipino movies. This also reminds me of what's the use of making fun of Robin Padilla as a senator. However, I feel the same people that are mocking Robin's call for constitutional reform might back her 100% at the same time!

Again, who can forget this backlash and Janella's statement may fire back at her EVEN MORE

Unfortunately, it seems too late for damage control. Who can EVER FORGET the behavior that ABiaS-CBN showed during the Legacy Virus Pandemic? Think about the difference in attitude between the Kapamilya Stars vs. the ABiaS-CBN stars. I wonder if the MAJORITY of Filipinos saying that they have no time for Philippine cinema are all TOO AWARE or STILL REMEMBER the attitude that ABiaS-CBN celebrities showed last 2020. Take note that it was a double whammy since both the late Noynoy Aquino and former president Rodrigo R. Duterte DENIED the franchise. Why Noynoy never gave ABiaS-CBN a franchise is something. 

The attitude of the ABiaS-CBN stars shouldn't be forgotten. Instead of banding together to fight against COVID-19 - they instead worsened it. Rigoberto Tiglao and Maria Ressa might be playing a Spy vs. Spy game against each other. However, I don't deny that Tiglao was RIGHT to blame the rallies for the increase in COVID-19. I'd like to share this excerpt by Tiglao which may have already done SEVERE DAMAGE on the face of Filipino entertainment: 

think of a more perfect distribution center for epidemics.

Rally participants are forced to violate either all at the same time or consecutively the four things Covid-19 experts say are absolutely necessary to contain the epidemic: 1) wear face masks in public; 2) physically distance yourself from others by at least 1 meter; 3) avoid crowds; and 4) wash your hands vigorously and avoid touching your face. One can’t help touching each other somehow in such crowds.

Do you think the rallyists never took off or lowered from their noses the masks after an hour or two under the hot sun? They wear masks, they touch each other so often in such crowds. Would anyone really be able to tell a fellow rallyist to stay away from him by 1 meter? How on earth could they have washed their hands during the rally?

As epidemiologists have also emphasized, a scenario that spreads the disease is one in which there is a lot of shouting, as droplets containing the virus are projected much further when these come from someone hollering, especially with passion, “Oust Duterte!” which is done not just by the speakers, but also by the rallyists.

Worse, after the rally, many of them —now infected — would have of course used public transport, where they infected helpless commuters coming from a hard day’s work.

Full-time activists, especially communist urban cadres, would be super-spreaders of the diseases. As “NPAs” (no permanent addresses), they move and sleep from one safehouse to another to meet with comrades indoors to do their DGs (discussion groups) or to hand down the orders from the “nakatataas.” As full-timers living frugally, as Mao’s Little Red Book enjoins them, they have the minimum hygienic standards, and are forced by circumstances to wear the same clothes (or the de rigueur jacket) for days and even weeks.

If the virus was attached to their jacket from a rally, that would be Covid-19’s base of operations for days, one that moves from place to place, even all over metropolitan Manila.

Government should implement the IATF-EID ban on public gatherings, even if the demonstrators claim these are political assemblies guaranteed by the Constitution. Better martial law than dead or sick people under a lively democracy.

With that in mind, I wonder if Janella still remembers the damage ABiaS-CBN did during COVID-19? If so, their behavior may have tarnished the image of cinema done by ABiaS-CBN. Filipinos who did their part during COVID-19 may be FED UP TO THE MAX. If so, there's the possible boycott. She needs to look at why Filipino cinema is failing before saying what she said.