Korina is '09 'Most Trusted Personality'

Take a bow, Korina Sanchez!

I’m sure her husband, Sen./Vice Presidentiable Mar Roxas, is mighty proud of his Koring who has been ranked 2009’s No. 1 Most Trusted Personality by a series of Social Weather Stations (SWS) surveys.

Korina got a rating of +60% (Very good), followed by Ted Failon with +40% (Good) and Willie Revillame with +20% (Moderate).

The surveys on the net trust ratings of selected personalities were included in the SWS quarterly surveys conducted every February, June, September and December.

“The personalities were randomly included in the surveys,” said SWS president Mahar Mangahas, adding, “they’re not higher because they are media, it just so happened.”

In the June and September 2009 surveys, Korina got more than +50% rating. In March last year, she went on leave from her work as anchor lady of the ABS-CBN late-night newscast Bandila but she continues to host the Sunday show Rated K. She and Mar got married in October also last year.

“She was in there (in the survey) because she was a political figure,” said Mangahas.

In the same surveys, Dr. Hayden Kho, former Dept. of Agriculture Sec. Jocelyn “Joc-Joc” Bolante and First Gentleman Mike Arroyo emerged as “the most distrusted personalities,” all of them with -60% (Very bad) ratings.

Katrina Halili, one of the girls in the Hayden sex videos, got a trust rating of lower than -20%.

“The trust rating is not about a person’s job performance, according to Mangahas.

“Rather,” he explained, “it talks about being involved in something controversial.”

What Kris has to say

The incident involving Kris Aquino and one Mayen Austria has taken on a political color. It happened last Wednesday afternoon after Kris heard “a girl” sobbing during a celfon call to her husband, James Yap.

I got the following text message (quoted verbatim) presumably from Mayen Austria:

To everyone. Kris Aquino passed by house to make me sugod. She spoke to my mom. Very mad, berating us saying I always text and call James. That my mom didn’t bring me up right. That we shouldn’t be talking to married men. She said she’s leaving James and to know that I am the last straw and the reason for their break-up. My family has great respect for Teopacos who are our family friend. Mrs. Teopaco is Cory’s youngest sister. My mom raised us right. My mom didn’t deserve all that. James missed called and texted na he warned me pupunta siya sa house. He called to tell me to apologize and say sorry. Kris said we had something going on. I don’t deserve this. Most especially my mom. I have chemical depression and could have easily taken an overdose of pills because of the incident. With the hugs and love of my mom and sisters and tranquilizers, I’m okay. Do you want Kris to be in Malacañang.

And here’s the official statement from Kris, also quoted verbatim:

In my 25 years of being in the public eye nobody can ever say that it is in my nature na magmura or gumawa ng skandalo. I didn’t shout or create a commotion. The mother of the woman sited in an article (Not in STAR. — RFL) graciously came to their gate and we had a peaceful conversation. I simply made my discomfort known about her daughter’s actuations towards my husband. My family received the text that Mayen Austria sent around. In it she admitted to having “chemical depression and could easily take an overdose of pills.” My brother & sisters advised me to not speak further about the issue because it would not be compassionate to dwell further on the issue.

There’s a lesson to be learned from this incident. As Funfare DPA Jumpy Kangaroo said, reminding (especially) women married or single, “Huwag po magti-text or tatawag sa lalaking may asawa.” To that, I add: “Igalang ang damdamin ni misis...at para maiwasan ang gulo.”

Will Avatar overtake Titanic as No. 1 all-time highest-grossing Hollywood film?

Sigourney Weaver predicted right. She said that Sam Worthington, her Australian co-star playing the title role in Avatar, is “The Next Action Hero,” which was quoted in the title of an exclusive Conversation I did with Sam in Sydney late last year.

During that press junket, the invited Asian journalists and I had a preview of the movie, which cost millions of dollars, it being James Cameron’s first big project after Titanic (1997) which is the current No. 1 all-time moneymaker. I knew there and then that Avatar would be a huge hit. And it has made Sam, as Sigourney said, “The Next Action Hero.” Sam was with Cesar Montano in The Great Raid in which Cesar played a bigger role. “I wish I had his role,” said Sam during our interview.

Anyway, as of Jan. 11, as reported by USA Today, Avatar has earned more than $429 million — “and counting.” It beat out Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen, which made $402 million. Avatar shattered the record for highest fourth-weekend ticket sales, with $48.5 million. The previous title-holder was Titanic with $28.7 million in 1997. Titanic at No. 1 has so far earned $601 million to be the highest-grossing film of all time, followed at No. 2 by The Dark Knight with $533 million.

There’s a possibility that Avatar might overtake The Dark Knight and Titanic to be the all-time highest-grossing Hollywood movie.

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