You see, I am an audio-visual practitioner as well.
Aside from writing entertainment news in print and online media, I am also a broadcaster not only on digital platforms such as YouTube or Facebook or what have you, I also dig radio and TV.
For a refresher, I was already guesting in the early '80s on television shows like Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation's Channel 13's "See True," Radio Philippines Network's Channel 9's "Let's Talk Movies," Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation's Channel 2's (which was still sequestered at the time) "Vilma in Person" etc.
In 1986, right after the EDSA People Power Revolution, I was already absorbed by ABS-CBN to do entertainment news for its primetime news program "Balita Ngayon" until I jumpstarted "TV Patrol"'s "Star News."
After "TV Patrol," I was hired by RPN,'s blocktimer's public affairs show " Action 9," again to cover showbiz news.
Then I also did "Arangkada Extra Balita," again for Channel 9 with Angelique Lazo.
Wherever Angelique was, I was also around.
But when Daniel Razon got me to host a daily entertainment talk show for UNTV, I launched my "Barangay Showbiz," a one-man show.
I was and still is into filmmaking.
How could one easily let go of my TV or audio-visual sense?
I was also a radio broadcaster for DZMM, DWIZ, DZXQ, DZME, Radyo Natin, among others.
After my invaluable experiences as a radio-TV man, I want to pursue my broadcast career so I dipped my fingers to AV work, however short-lived.
But then again, I am part of Agos Media of visual artist and polymath Bon Labora and my own BVV8 Media Productions.
TV, film and other audio-visual ventures are in the pipeline.
Primarily, we are preparing for an entertainment talk show to be signed up with Cignal TV (through Bon's connections).
And to go on cam is another thing with traditional viewership.
I have to refine my looks—removal of rough skin tones, melasma, for instance, improve vision and restructure dentures etc.
I don't have enough money to do all these so I need support like reasonable pricing.
Things are falling in the right places, though, when I saw my neighbor at Villa Castillo in Pacita 2 wearing a new pair iof eyeglasses.
He told me he consulted with an eye specialist for free at the San Pedro District Hospital.
Where the hell is San Pedro District Hospital?
I only knew Amante Hospital, among the public health centers in San Pedro.
Greg Balmadrid directed the way to SPDH which was near Holiday Homes going up from the United San Pedro subdivision.
I was amazed that a medical facility existed on this side of the city.
I was scheduled for a free eye checkup which hopefully would just spend less than the ordinary EENT requirements and treatment.
The other thing I am busy with is being a character, setting, time, narrative navigating in the movies is my settling the hospital bills of my departed sis at the Lung Center of the Philippines.
The family had incurred millions and to unburden our budgetary constraints I had to depend on Guarantee Letters (GLs) from government personnel like politicians.
As Ann Matibag is our district's congresswoman, I asked around her regional office and I found it in Pacita Avenue.
The place is shared with Tingog party-list San Pedro HQ.
At the doorsteps, I gladly announced that I want to avail of the office's medical assistance and the guy fixing papers on the long table said, "Ano pong medical assistance, 'Tay (Father or a term of respect to an older man)?"
I charmingly defied. "Don't call me 'Tay. I don't have kids," I said.
"Sign of respect lang po 'yon (only)," he retorted.
"I know but there are other words that could be used like Kuya (a term of endearment to an older brother or man by blood or affinity), Sir," I suggested.
The guy added insult to injury by saying "Lolo (Grandfather)."
My dead malice.
Meanwhile, the lady staff on the other table would playfully blurt out softly, "Ate (a term of endearment to a sister by blood or an older woman by affinity!" which I would again, defy. "Please, don't say that! We don't know each other yet," I stressed with an irritable friendly tone.
Instead of making fun of the situation, I lectured on these pathetic souls.
“I want to be youthful all the time because I still have many things to do for the society which the guy also assumed.
“I am a writer. I write for OpinYon Laguna," an attribution I shouldn't have dropped instead I should have played it cool and commonplace.
But the situation called for the assertion of my human rights not to be condescended by the usual treatment on gays.
I was advised to submit all the docs for my sister's promissory notes in another office after I insisted on some feudal arrangements in this contemporary socio-political landscape.
Then I left the office thanking the staff but no response at all, only silence.
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