Inigo pinayuhan si Piolo na dedma na lang sa walang kamatayang tsismis ng ‘kabadingan’

WHILE gender issues have never escaped Piolo Pascual, one good thing about him is that he doesn’t let them affect his outlook in life.

Kamakailan ay may lumabas na litrato si Piolo sa social media with an anonymous American guy na inili-link sa kanya. Lumundag agad ang mga netizens into categorically referring to the latter as the actor’s jowa.

On his behalf, ang anak niyang si Inigo ang nagsalita. Albeit in general terms, ang mensahe ni Inigo sa kanyang ama is to keep his cool, pero tao lang din silang naaapektuhan sa mga ganitong baseless talks.

Parang sumakay kami bigla sa time machine, transporting us back during the mid-90s. Fledgling years ‘yon ng wala-na-sa-ereng Startalk.

May isang episode kasi noon (parts of which were teased in the plug) tungkol sa nakuha ring litrato ni Piolo with a Cuban guy. Nowhere in the accompanying script was there any slight insinuation na may kung anong namamagitan between Piolo and the Cuban.

Kung natatandaan pa namin, Startalk was “under duress” (read: pinagbantaan) ng mga tagapamuno ng career ni Piolo na kung ieere ng programa ang nasabing feature story ay magdudulot ‘yon ng legal implications to Startalk’s disadvantage, of course.

Ang ending: hindi na ‘yon ipinalabas ng Startalk. Taong 1995 pa ‘yon, ano na tayo ngayon? Marami nang naganap sa buhay at career ni Piolo, yet ang tsismis noon keeps haunting him.

Ewan nga lang if Piolo’s camp is contemplating of filing a case laban sa kung sinuman ang nagkakalat na may “something” sila ng Amerikanong kasama niya sa picture. Ang paglalarawan kasi’y hindi lang isa ang litratong ‘yon with the duo slipping into different clothes (mawindang kayo kung walang saplot, ‘no!).

We see a tinge of malice in the insinuation, kulang na lang ay graphic description of what two males likely engage in.

Yes, Inigo, tulad ng iyong ama and anyone else—regardless of gender, profession, race, etc.—ay tao rin kayong hindi lang basta naaapektuhan. You get hurt in the process. At nauunawaan namin that this is the price ng propesyong pinasok n’yo.

Public expectations — even pressures—are too high na kailangang mag-adjust sa kung ano lang ang gustong makita ng mga matang nakamasid sa inyo, and not the things you can freely do.

Ang hirap din kasi ng pagkakaroon ng mentalidad when there are precedents with respect to coming out.

Just because nagladlad na si ganito-ganyang aktor, we want other suspected gay celebrities to come out of their closet just as well.

Sige, Piolo, just continue to stir public curiosity. In the meantime, you don’t owe anyone anything kundi ang sarili mo lang. But be cautious.