On Target : ABS-CBN to blame for the tragedy
By Ramon Tulfo, Inquirer
NOBODY wanted Saturday’s tragedy to happen. Neither ABS-CBN, nor the huge crowd outside the Ultra in Pasig, wanted it.
But the tragedy could have been prevented had the country’s biggest radio-TV network taken steps to manage the crowd.
In its eagerness to overtake rival network GMA 7 in the ratings game, ABS-CBN tried to bite more than it could chew. It got gagged as a consequence.
For example, the Wowowee organizers knew that only a certain number of people could be accommodated at the Ultra. But why didn’t they turn away the excess crowd after the full-capacity number was reached?
Why didn’t they tell the people who could no longer be taken in, “Sorry, but the place can take in only such-and-such a number of people. Better luck next time.”
The show’s organizers should be held accountable for negligence.
* * *
Some people blame show host Willie Revillame for the tragedy.
Hello! Revillame is only a talent. He runs the show before the camera. Off camera, he doesn’t have any say on how the show should be managed.
I sympathize with Willie. He had given everything to make the show a success—and it is—but the tragedy happened.
In fact, he loves his job so much he was willing to go on with the show even after the tragedy just so he would not disappoint the crowd already inside the Ultra.
Not that Willie should be blamed for being callous. He typifies the attitude of show biz people whose slogan is that no matter what happens, the show must go on.
* * *
When I switched on the TV set to watch the aftermath of the tragedy at the Ultra, I was not surprised to see Sen. Dick Gordon at the scene helping out.
It was typical of Dick, who is chair of the Philippine National Red Cross, to be at the scene of a calamity.
In 1990, Dick was in Cabanatuan City when a school building collapsed, trapping many students and killing scores of them. Dick was not supposed to be there since he was then mayor of Olongapo City, but he went there just the same to help in the rescue operations.
During the fluvial parade tragedy in Bocaue, Bulacan, on July 2, 1993, Dick sent divers to retrieve bodies in the murky river. At that time he was chair of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.
While he was campaigning in a Nueva Ecija town, the market burned. Senatorial candidate Dick Gordon got down from his vehicle and managed the firefighting operations.
Giving a helping hand to victims of tragedy is second nature to Dick.
I remember an anecdote about Dick in the aftermath of the Mt. Pinatubo eruption. A civic group from Manila went to Olongapo to hand over food and used clothing to Dick for victims of the disaster.
The group brought along a TV crew and news photographers for the occasion. The group wanted their generosity published in the national papers and seen on TV.
Dick Gordon didn’t attend the ceremony highlighting the donations received from the civic group. He said later he believed generosity should never be made public.
“If you give financial help to the least of your brethren, why make a public show of it?” he said.
NOBODY wanted Saturday’s tragedy to happen. Neither ABS-CBN, nor the huge crowd outside the Ultra in Pasig, wanted it.
But the tragedy could have been prevented had the country’s biggest radio-TV network taken steps to manage the crowd.
In its eagerness to overtake rival network GMA 7 in the ratings game, ABS-CBN tried to bite more than it could chew. It got gagged as a consequence.
For example, the Wowowee organizers knew that only a certain number of people could be accommodated at the Ultra. But why didn’t they turn away the excess crowd after the full-capacity number was reached?
Why didn’t they tell the people who could no longer be taken in, “Sorry, but the place can take in only such-and-such a number of people. Better luck next time.”
The show’s organizers should be held accountable for negligence.
* * *
Some people blame show host Willie Revillame for the tragedy.
Hello! Revillame is only a talent. He runs the show before the camera. Off camera, he doesn’t have any say on how the show should be managed.
I sympathize with Willie. He had given everything to make the show a success—and it is—but the tragedy happened.
In fact, he loves his job so much he was willing to go on with the show even after the tragedy just so he would not disappoint the crowd already inside the Ultra.
Not that Willie should be blamed for being callous. He typifies the attitude of show biz people whose slogan is that no matter what happens, the show must go on.
* * *
When I switched on the TV set to watch the aftermath of the tragedy at the Ultra, I was not surprised to see Sen. Dick Gordon at the scene helping out.
It was typical of Dick, who is chair of the Philippine National Red Cross, to be at the scene of a calamity.
In 1990, Dick was in Cabanatuan City when a school building collapsed, trapping many students and killing scores of them. Dick was not supposed to be there since he was then mayor of Olongapo City, but he went there just the same to help in the rescue operations.
During the fluvial parade tragedy in Bocaue, Bulacan, on July 2, 1993, Dick sent divers to retrieve bodies in the murky river. At that time he was chair of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.
While he was campaigning in a Nueva Ecija town, the market burned. Senatorial candidate Dick Gordon got down from his vehicle and managed the firefighting operations.
Giving a helping hand to victims of tragedy is second nature to Dick.
I remember an anecdote about Dick in the aftermath of the Mt. Pinatubo eruption. A civic group from Manila went to Olongapo to hand over food and used clothing to Dick for victims of the disaster.
The group brought along a TV crew and news photographers for the occasion. The group wanted their generosity published in the national papers and seen on TV.
Dick Gordon didn’t attend the ceremony highlighting the donations received from the civic group. He said later he believed generosity should never be made public.
“If you give financial help to the least of your brethren, why make a public show of it?” he said.
= = = = =
I hope the Ultra tragedy will serve as a lesson to all the networks. All of you guys only care about ratings...at all expense! Gosh, you're colder than the coldest businessman. Poor Filipino masses. They deserve something better to watch! The Philippine image is already bad. Please don't make it worse.
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
9:42 AM
1 Comments:
I hope the Ultra tragedy will serve as a lesson to all the networks. All of you guys only care about ratings...at all expense! Gosh, you're colder than the coldest businessman. Poor Filipino masses. They deserve something better to watch! The Philippine image is already bad. Please don't make it worse.
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Anonymous, at 2/07/2006 1:33 PM
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