“We Are All Somehow Related to One Another”
The “Kapamilya” and “Kapuso” tags used by ABS-CBN and GMA networks best describe how we, Filipinos consider each other: we are all related! The words “close ba kayo?” comes to my mind as I was making a mental outline for this article.
Yes, indeed, we Filipinos are very clannish – and we always work hard to find out how we are related to someone. For instance, almost everyday, it is very common to hear someone would ask if somebody knows or is close to somebody in power, be he the big boss in a government office or simply if someone have a friend in a private office before transacting business with that office. The negative aspect of this is that this closeness to someone is being exploited by others to make transaction with that office easier. Thus, I am often being approached by office mates if I know someone who could help them watch the live telecast of “WOWOWEE”. Thanks God, my friends at ABS-CBN are mostly from the Production Staff of telenovelas and I really do not know someone from “WOWOWEE”. I would even stress that even myself has to go through the usual security procedure everytime that I would enter the ABS-CBN compound either to get my talent fee check from the cashier or for taping.
That is why when ABS-CBN top news reporter Ces Orena-Drilon was reported to have been kidnapped, my youngest daughter was very much affected because Ces is a sister in their University of the Philippines Sigma Delta Phi Sorority. The Sigma Deltans held a mass for Ces’ safety during her captivity at the Della Strada Church along Katipunan Avenue. And since I am a member of Upsilon Sigma Phi and the Sigma Delta Phi is our sister sorority, Ces is also a “sis”.
When Ces was finally freed by her captors, it was then reported that Ambassador Edgardo Espiritu is Ces’ uncle, the brother of her mother. Ambassador Ed Espiritu who was once the Secretary of Finance during the time of President Erap is also a fraternity brother in the Upsilon. I heard the interview of brod Ed by DZMM when he admitted that their family raised fund to form part of the ransom paid to Ces’ kidnappers.
Talking of how Filipino family relatives would unite and rally together for an important cause. During the time that Ces was held in captivity, the Miriam College community where she spent her grade school and high school, held a mass and vigil to pray for her safety. It was a joint effort with the Sigma Delta Phi Sorority held at the Rockwell. And since my daughters attended Miriam College too (my eldest finished her college while my youngest finished her high school) they are again related to Ces in another area!
