Faces of the News: April 14, 2024
Chavit Singson
Former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson quickly admitted he was at fault after traffic enforcers of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) flagged down his two-vehicle convoy that illegally used the northbound lane of the Edsa-Cubao busway on the morning of April 8. He was on his way to a TV interview, he said, when his driver made a turn and entered the busway to overtake another vehicle. Cameras recorded at least one enforcer looking surprised and repeatedly apologizing to Singson as he opened the door of the politician’s customized armored vehicle. Singson no longer protested or questioned the flag-down, and even asked for the traffic violation tickets that imposed a fine of P5,000 each on his drivers. He even congratulated the MMDA enforcers “for doing a great job and treating everyone equally.” Singson promised to give away P100,000 to be shared by the MMDA men who stopped his convoy for the lane violation. Still, netizens pointed out that the enforcers apparently failed to take note of his vehicle’s unauthorized blinkers and lack of a license plate.
Romando Artes
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) acting Chair Romando Artes announced on April 3 that all offices and agencies of local government units (LGUs) in the National Capital Region will adopt a modified working schedule from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Artes made the disclosure during a televised town hall meeting on traffic concerns that President Marcos attended. The Metro Manila Council (MMC) adopted the new schedule embodied in MMDA Resolution No. 24-08 on Feb. 28 as part of the agency’s “innovative solutions” to improve commuting conditions amid the “persistent” traffic congestion in Metro Manila. The modified working schedule for Metro Manila LGUs was supposed to take effect on April 15, but Artes later said the MMC had decided to postpone it to May 2 to give local governments more time to prepare for the transition. The official also explained that while the MMDA central office would observe the new schedule, the agency’s front-liners—including traffic enforcers and road emergency responders—would not be covered by the modified work shift. —Jerome Aning
Vice Ganda
TV host and actor Vice Ganda described the move of “It’s Showtime” to GMA 7 as the “plot twist of the decade.” The daily noontime show that used to air on rival network ABS-CBN—before it lost its franchise—made its debut on GMA 7 on April 6. “We found a new home, so to the GMA Network, we are truly thankful to you for giving us a chance to reach our many viewers,” Vice said in a statement. The inaugural broadcast made history as the most watched noontime show on TV and online with a fused rating of 11.3 percent across GMA, GTV, A2Z and the Kapamilya Channel, versus the 3.6-percent viewership of “Eat Bulaga” based on Kantar Media Total Individual Ratings. On April 8, the “Showtime” hosts guested on the GMA 7 game show “Family Feud” where host Dingdong Dantes gave Vice a surprise birthday greeting and a cake. Dantes also personally handed Vice a bouquet as an added welcoming gesture. Vice thanked Dantes and the show, and aired a birthday wish for “a good and sustained relationship with GMA.” —Raoul J. Chee Kee
Fumio Kishida
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida embodied Tokyo’s growing importance on the world stage in a meeting with US President Joe Biden in Washington, and later in a trilateral summit joined by President Marcos also at the White House on April 11. In the historic meetings, Biden reiterated America’s “ironclad” commitment to the defense of the Philippines and Japan amid China’s growing assertiveness in the South China and the East China seas. Biden also announced the “most significant upgrade” in the US-Japan alliance since their establishment of diplomatic relations. Kishida told the media that he and Biden also discussed the tense relations between Taiwan and China, adding that Japan would join the United States in responding to threats. “Unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion is absolutely unacceptable,” the prime minister said. Addressing the US Congress, Kishida said the world needs the United States for its “pivotal role in the affairs of nations” and that Americans should not have any “self-doubt … about what your role in the world should be.”
Jontay Porter
National Basketball Association (NBA) commissioner Adam Silver is taking seriously the gambling accusations made against Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter, warning of a hefty punishment should proof surface that the player is involved in betting. Silver called it a “cardinal sin” in remarks made on Wednesday during the league’s owners meeting in New York City. The allegations came out in an ESPN report that told of an ongoing investigation of Porter for “multiple instances of betting irregularities over the past several months.” Porter has not seen court action since March 22 or shortly before the ESPN story broke. He is the younger brother of Denver Nuggets mainstay and 2023 NBA champion Michael Porter Jr. The Raptor’s case is one of the two betting controversies to erupt in the North American sports scene of late. Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese hitting and pitching star of Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers, has denied any wrongdoing after his former interpreter, Ippeh Mizuhara, was accused of paying off gambling debts using money from Ohtani’s bank accounts. —Jonas Terrado
