WE WILL never be able to listen to the words “Look, honey!” without cringing, no thanks to the Singapore Tourism Board ad which they have thankfully pulled out. What was wrong with it? What wasn’t? The actors were stiff, the concept lame, the editing sloppy (why did she give her husband that red box twice?) and yes, the garden is beautiful but Singapore has so much more to offer.

When we read that ABS-CBN had produced the ad for the tourism board, we all had one question: What happened? The network’s productions have been polished and glossy. Why did this one look like a bad school project?

Should foreign acts pay equity fees?

THUMBS DOWN

What was Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat Jr. thinking when he filed the OPM Development Act of 2014 or House Bill 4218? If passed, the bill requires foreign acts to pay Reciprocal Equity Fees if they wish to perform in the Philippines.

Musician Noel Cabangon supports the bill and said it was borne out of the need to address “the displacement of economic opportunity” caused by the arrival of foreign acts.

Do they think that if foreign acts do not hold shows in the country Filipinos will spend their ticket budgets on local shows instead? And is this what they really want? Support by default? Force people to go to a concert by limiting their options? It seems incredibly small-minded.

Last month, Parokya Ni Edgar frontman Chito Miranda ranted against the bill in a series of tweets: “Bakit kelangan magbayad ng equity ang foreign acts? We should welcome them! Not drive them off! Hindi yan ang sagot para umunlad ang OPM.”

“Sorry uminit ulo ko. Gusto singilin ang mga foreign acts ng mas malaking tax kasi nalulugi daw ang Pinoy acts. Hindi nila kasalanan yun!”

“As artists, all we have to do is make music worth listening to. Hindi kasalanan ng mga foreign acts ang lack of support ng mga Pinoy sa OPM.”