To the shock of many, multi-awarded child actor Jiro Manio was seen roaming the Ninoy Aquino International Airport for food and clothes in late June. According to his relatives, the half-Japanese “Magnifico” star was in a seemingly depressed state after getting involved in a fight with his stepfather and wanted to go to Japan. He is now in a facility in Quezon City and is being assisted by actress-comedienne Ai-Ai delas Alas.
Sexy entertainment group “Playgirls” cost former Metro Manila Development Authority Chair Francis Tolentino his slot in the Liberal Party slate for the 2016 elections after the latter was heavily criticized for bringing girls clad in skimpy outfits to an oathtaking for new party members. A video shot by an INQUIRER reporter showed the Playgirls performing lewd dance moves on top of local officials.
The rise to fame of the “AlDub” tandem of Alden Richards and Maine “Yaya Dub” Mendoza and “Pastillas Girl” Angelica Yap has sparked a new rivalry between noontime shows GMA’s “Eat Bulaga” and ABS-CBN’s “It’s Showtime.” Aside from the ratings game, the tension between the two networks took on a whole new level in social media platforms, especially when vocal EB host Joey de Leon and Kapamilya comedian Vice Ganda indirectly fired tirades to each other over “originality,” “creativity,” and “organic likes.”
Ateneo Blue Eagles player John Apacible was in hot water over a drunk driving incident in October after a video of him cursing, picking a fight, and bragging his councilor protocol plate went viral. The university confirmed it was Apacible in the video and suspended him in the UAAP elimination round and the Blue Eagles’ practices for public misconduct.
“Pabebe,” perhaps one of the more popular expressions in 2015, has its roots on a viral video of two teenage girls telling people to don’t mind them for being “pabebe” or “pa-cute.” The video uploaded by Senyora Santibanez Facebook page was an instant hit, as celebrities themselves made their own versions of the “pabebe girls,” dubbed as “babaeng utal” and “babaeng walang kilay.”
Veteran broadcaster Noli de Castro earned the ire of netizens for his supposedly rude behavior toward seasoned reporter Winnie Cordero over the latter’s report on ABS-CBN’s flagship newscast “TV Patrol.” De Castro cut Cordero off in the middle of a banter regarding the city of Manila’s preparations for the Feast of the Black Nazarene.
In March, 16-year-old salutatorian Krisel Mallari became Internet for her graduation speech criticizing school officials for its process in ranking honor students. Her speech was cut but tension between the parties remains: the Mallaris even filed a case against the school, which refused to issue a certificate of good moral character to the student. Mallari is now a first-year accountancy student.