Filipino actor Dingdong Dantes aired his concerns and answered a public official’s post on social media regarding the issue of President Rodrigo Duterte kissing an overseas Filipino worker onstage.
In an interview with the press, Senator Sherwin ‘Win’ Gatchalian said that President Duterte’s kiss with the Filipina in South Korea is simply comparable to married actors who do kissing scenes for a film or TV show.
“Ako, I would like to compare this sa mga artista, dahil may mga artista na may asawa but they also have kissing scenes in their films and TV shows. I think as long as it is kept professional and there is an understanding between the partners, then siguro pwede nilang gawin ‘yon,” Gatchalian said.
When the reporters told him that the President is not an actor, Gatchalian responded, “Well, they are public officials and I think they are also there to somehow please the crowd. Doon sa background, sumisigaw ‘yung crowd. I think it is part of teasing the crowd.”
After Gatchalian’s interview, National Youth Commission (NYC) Commissioner Percival Cendaña took it to Twitter to question the Senator’s argument.
“Sir, sorry po. Hindi ko po talaga ma-gets. Paki-explain po, paano po yung kiss ‘done in a professional way’?” Cendaña said.
Sir, sorry po. Hindi ko po talaga ma-gets.
Paki-explain po, paano po yung kiss “done in a professional way”?
— Perci Cendana (@PerciCen) June 5, 2018
Former NYC Commissioner and actor Dingdong Dantes, who is married to actress Marian Rivera, came across Cendaña’s tweet and decided to give his two cents about the issue and Gatchalian’s statements.
“Ngayon ko lang nakita. Kaming mga artista ay gumaganap ng isang karakter. Minsan nga puwede kaming umayaw kung di namin trip dahil kani-kaniyang values at interpretation yan. Di porket sinabi ng direktor at script na talon ay tatalon ka na,” Dantes wrote on Twitter.
He went on by saying that it is unfair to compare actors with public officials.
“As actors, we are accountable to our viewers, our producers and the manner of delivering the story. Aba’y ibang usapan yan kapag public official ka. Kaya’t huwag dapat ihambing gamit ang ganiyang argumento,” Dantes added.
Ngayon ko lang nakita. Kaming mga artista ay gumaganap ng isang karakter. Minsan nga puwede kaming umayaw kung di namin trip dahil kani-kaniyang values at interpretation yan. Di porket sinabi ng direktor at script na talon ay tatalon ka na.
— Dingdong Dantes (@iamdongdantes) June 5, 2018
As actors, we are accountable to our viewers, our producers and the manner of delivering the story. Aba’y ibang usapan yan kapag public official ka. Kaya’t huwag dapat ihambing gamit ang ganiyang argumento.
— Dingdong Dantes (@iamdongdantes) June 5, 2018
On June 3, President Rodrigo Duterte has been the subject of yet another controversy after he kissed a Filipino woman during his official visit in Seoul, South Korea.
The President has widely received backlash and criticisms for his actions, with many saying that kissing a random woman on stage and in front of the public is “unbecoming of a president”.
