Pinoy soap operas a hit in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (via PLDT) — Soap opera stars Jericho Rosales and Kristine Hermosa are taking Malaysian television by storm, perhaps enough to relegate President Arroyo to a supporting role as she attends a series of regional summits here.

Filipino journalists covering the presidential visit were queried by Malaysians not on state matters, but on the latest developments in the soap opera of Rosales and Hermosa.

"They’re really popular here because they are good-looking," one Malaysian said.

Rosales and Hermosa are known by their names in their soap operas, like Christian and Ara in "Pangako Sa ‘Yo," a hit telenovela of ABS-CBN.

Reports said Rosales was here recently to shoot his scenes for the Malaysian movie titled "Bilut," according to his manager, Allan Real.

Rosales plays a Filipino who is studying documentary filmmaking in a university in Brussels, Belgium. His lines will be in English, Real said in the report.

Two other actors — a Thai and a Latin American — were considered for Jericho’s role in "Bilut," Real said. Jericho was picked, the manager said, "because he’s really popular in Malaysia."

It is on account of his soap operas, "Pangako sa ’Yo" and "Sana’y Wala ng Wakas" that the actor has a strong fan base in Malaysia, Real noted.

Rosales, Hermosa and several other Filipino stars are regarded by Malaysians as exceptionally good-looking.

"Bilut" is set for exhibition in Malaysia next year, and is intended for release in other Asian countries, Real said.

Though in a somewhat reduced billing as far as showbiz is concerned, Mrs. Arroyo has however endeared herself to the Malaysian public due to her decision to condole with Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi when his wife passed away last October.

Philippine Embassy charge d’ affaires Luis Cruz said that Malaysians and Badawi himself have expressed their appreciation for Mrs. Arroyo’s attendance in the funeral of the prime minister’s wife Endon Mahmood, who succumbed to breast cancer.

The President arrived here at noontime yesterday along with Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, Secretary Jesus Dureza, who is also chairman of the Mindanao Economic and Development Council (MEDCO), Cebu officials and other Philippine delegates to the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), the 11th Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the First East Asia and other summits here until Dec. 14.

"We realize the impact of her decision to fly here (for) the burial of the Prime Minister’s wife. He (Badawi) was talking about it on television after the burial," Cruz said.

He said Mrs. Arroyo was a "special mention" because unlike other neighbors, the Philippines was not exactly very near this country.

Cruz noted such gestures of the President could actually translate to better treatment of Filipinos here, aside from the long-time friendship shared by the two countries.

Cruz said there was no need for a separate bilateral talk between the President and Badawi on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit here because "they talk all the time" anyway.

It can be recalled the President immediately flew here late October after learning of the death of Badawi’s wife. She was accompanied only by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and Malacañang’s chief of protocol, Linglingay Lacanlale. Under Muslim custom, the dead must be buried within 24 hours from the time of death.

Malaysia is host to a total of 229,674 Filipinos, 106,000 of whom are undocumented as of June of this year. Kuala Lumpur has also been helping the Philippines’ peace initiative with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front by providing a venue for the talks.

The Embassy said working conditions for Filipino workers in Malaysia are generally fair and adequate, particularly for the documented ones.

"We ask even those in detention if they are treated well by Malaysian authorities and they say yes, unlike other nationalities in the jails here," Cruz said.

Filipino workers here, including domestic helpers, usually receive higher pay than their counterparts from Indonesia, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

A large number of Filipinos in jail were apprehended for immigration-related offenses. The rest were detained for offenses such as theft, robbery, drug trafficking and homicide. — Aurea Calica