Ang pagbabalik ng...

DA WHO!

1. This recently-elected political hotshot certainly knows how to throw parties and give gifts to his supporters. After winning the recent elections, he threw a party at a 5-star hotel for his family and campaign volunteers. It's quite certain that he didn't pay a single centavo for the said party, as is his usual custom. Last Saturday, Mr. Hotshot hosted a birthday party of the spouse of one Presidential relative, who he gifted w/ a brand-new car. He also added to the merriment, held at a public university, by giving out expensive raffle prizes including trips abroad. Bingo!

2. Ms. Separada looks like she's depressed right now, but our sources have it, she is actually playing the romantic card w/ a very much married politician, said to have his sights on a higher political office in 2016. What she may not know is Mr. Married Politico has also been regularly seeing another woman (aside from her and his wife) who works in the hotel industry. We're pretty sure he's not just out to investigate the problems of the workers in her industry. Bam!

3. When a major scam hit the former occupant of Malacañang, this former head of a govt agency was said to have fled to country supposedly due to threats on his life, bec. of what he supposedly knew about said scam. The truth is, the scam became a convenient cover for his own personal scandal. Apparently, Mr. Ex-govt agency head was caught having an affair w/ a woman connected to a food testing lab.

Stumbling on the truth of her husband's les affaires, Mr. Ex-govt agency head's wife supposedly made sumbong to her cousin, a Senator who recently ran in the May elections, who promptly gave the ex-agency head a dressing down. Forced to see the error of his ways, Mr. Ex-govt agency head tried to woo his wife back by bringing her to the States. During their stay there, he privately told his close relatives and friends that he had been playing "driver" to his wife. Btw, there's no truth to the rumor that Mr. Ex-gov't agency head's favorite color is Pink.

On his own time daw

IT'S CHAKA-TIME!

1. Da who is this Cabinet Secretary running for an elective post in May 2010, who is rarely in his government agency these days? He claims that he is doing his campaigning on "my own time", and says the agency is not spending its funds for his visits to his home province. Hay naku, sino naman ang niloloko mo ateh? In fact, it's Friday today, still a working day, and he is already there in the province, accompanied by another govt official handling a major agency.

(Libre ba yang barong mo hijo? Of course the Cabinet Secretary in question is not this gwapo.)

Oh, and we are no longer surprised why he looks well-dressed all the time. Apparently his barongs are supplied free of charge by another govt agency. Employees of that agency mutter that they hardly have a decent budget to run their projects, and here they go having to finance the Cabinet Secretary's clothing needs. Yes, fellow taxpayers...we're paying for this guys' threads. As if he can't afford to buy his own clothes. Kakahiya! Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Clue: the Cabinet Secretary's home province is synonymous to kisses.

2. DA who is the head of this newly-formed regulatory agency who is said to have hired as many as 100 consultants, some of whom are even husbands and wives? Businessmen who have to deal w/ this agency complain that there's even more corruption there than in the previous agency it had superseded.

Its inspectors, for instance, who are tasked to oversee the safety of the equipment falling under the agency's purview don't even have the skills to check said equipment's standards. So those new businessmen who want to have their equipment checked and are not aware of this, can just pay off the inpspectors to give them a passing mark. And bec. licenses and safety permits are given annually, can you just imagine the humongous amounts of money coursing through that agency under the table?!?!

Clue: The head of the agency is said to be the alaga of an ageing senator, and also of a military persuasion.

3. As early as 2005, the presidentita and the head of her transportation agency was already told of the need for Caticlan's runway to be extended by at least 200 meters more. The presidentita said, however, Boracay was already "overcrowded" and overrun by resorts. What she failed to realize however, is that Boracay is the only island saving the tourism industry of the country as even during times of economic downturns, Pinoys who can no longer afford to go on vacations abroad just go to Boracay.

Because of the shortness of the runway, however, two planes of Zest Airways were involved in crashes in January and in June this year, leading to temporary closure of the airport. (Of course, it's also due to the fact that Zest Air's Chinese-made MA60 planes aren't exactly made for short takeoffs and landings.) This led to the govt deciding to only allow Seair and lately, PAL Express to use the Caticlan runway. All other airlines have to land and takeoff in Kalibo. Consequently, most resorts and restaurants on the island have complained of a 20% drop in business, as tourists don't want to pay a premium for the convenience of landing in Caticlan, just 15 mins away from the island resort, compared to Kalibo, which is an hour and a half away.

Although the airport has been privatized and supposed to be developed by a group led by George Yang of McDonalds Phils. (Golden Arches), on our recent visit to Boracay, we didn't see any construction activity ongoing at the terminal nor the runway at all. With the recession still ongoing, and tourists not wanting to shell out more money to pay to land in Caticlan, we doubt that it would be a Merry Christmas for Boracaynons this year.

More chakahans next week!

Thought for the day... (2nd update)

IF you look like a slut, and behave like a slut, you'll be treated like a slut.

Bato, bato sa langit...

* * * *
Of course I wrote the above in reference to someone else, but whaddya know? Here's one who's sold her soul to the devil: GMA to run for Congress.

(What she really is. Photo from the Manila Baywatch.)
I really hope someone files his/her own candidacy in the same district to fight this evil incarnate, and defeats her. She needs to be told she isn't wanted anywhere. I don't think Capampangans are suckers for pain to intentionally want this gloria madness inflicted on themselves. (A word from the Warrior Lawyer why UP professor Randy David backed out from his earlier planned candidacy vs. GMA.)

Wow, I actually thought she couldn't top herself, but this really takes the cake! She is sooooo in love with herself and so greedy she intends to perpetuate herself in power. Di na nahiya sa kapal ng balat at mukha. Nakakadiri!

Well it's up to the Capampangans now. I hope they wake up to the reality that GMA is no good for this country nor for their province.

Merry Christmas!

* * * *
(UPDATE 12/01/09, 3:16 pm) And in case you haven't heard, here's another one with the gall to run for public office after stealing taxpayers' money! Like master, like tuta.

Meanwhile, back in Lala-land...

MANILA, Philippines - Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando yesterday declared he would resign to pursue his bid for the presidency in the 2010 elections.

“There is no turning back. Definitely I’m resigning soon,” he said. (Click BF to pursue presidential bid.)

* * * *

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino boxing great Manny Pacquiao is bracing for two big battles in 2010 — a congressional bid and a possible fight against former pound-for-pound champ American boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Pacquiao told ABS-CBN’s “Umagang Kay Ganda” yesterday that he is bent on running for a seat in Congress in 2010. “Tuloy iyong pagtakbo ko next year (My plan to run in the elections next year is on),” Pacquiao said. (Click What's next for the Pacman?)

* * * *

(Photos from the Phil. Star)

MANILA, Philippines — Gina Alajar on Tuesday spoke about the controversy stirred up by a comment on her Facebook account on the alleged romance between Manny Pacquiao and Krista Ranillo.

The actress-filmmaker rued the implication that she confirmed the affair. What she wrote: “If I am Jinkee Pacquiao, I will not give up Manny... Krista... is not at all worth it!” (Click I stand by my post.)

Wake up, wake up! Wash your face! And make a bumble shake!

Da who?!

Guess who was seen buying liquor at Rustan's Supermarket along Katipunan Ave., QC on Sunday, while our kababayans were still stranded all over the metropolis, or up on the roofs of their flooded homes - cold, weary, and hungry - bec. gov't rescue teams were so slow in getting to them? (After all 13 lang nga ang rubber boats ng NDCC w/c were deployed only at 10 pm on Saturday evening! Galing mo Gibo!)

Click here to find out who da who is!

Da who?!?!

1. DA who is this senatoriable who eagerly accepted P2 million just to switch parties? Oh, that, plus all expenses to be paid by his new presidentiable bet said to be teeming w/ cash, courtesy of his ah, relative. Detractors of the senatoriable of course chide him for being "cheap" for accepting the P2M check, which is seen as a rather minimal amount. E kung kelangan ng tao noh?!

2. Da word is this sleepy vice presidentiable is now eagerly negotiating with the dark horse presidentiable bec. the former's backer in his party has now supposedly chosen to support a relative in the presidential race. Earlier the backer was said to be against his relative bec. of the rather offensive behavior of the relative's spouse. Well, blood is thicker than water, ika nga.


3. The real story behind the reported pullout by T.I.M. from its consortium w/ Smartmatic, the shady company awarded the contract to automate the 2010 polls, is that despite Smartmatic's 40-percent stake in the project, its executives wanted total control of management and the finances, including the signing of checks. Of course, considering that the background of Smartmatic isn't really credible, T.I.M. officials thought they could be liable for any issues and problems that arise from the project, especially if the gang from Barbados just disappears.

Of course, my own conspiracy theory is that this is all is in an elaborate setup to allow Smartmatic to implement its project in joint venture with the Comelec. There's a lot of moolah to be had in that project and someone is going to get mightily rich from allowing it to continue under that kind of partnership agreement. And no, I'm not talking about the gentleman from Malacañang. The person who will benefit from the Comelec-Smartmatic partnership has had questionable and profitable dealings in the past as well. Da who? Guess mo.

4. More on the poll automation project: one of the bidders disqualified from the bidding by Comelec, was said to have not complied w/ the terms of reference of the bid. But da word is, the company took a look at the list of equipment the Comelec wanted and ticked off a few off the list the company felt was not needed in the first place. Entonces, the company was going to save Comelec/we taxpayers a lot more money if the poll body just entertained the company's bid.

5. Da who is this well-known PR guy who has been hired by the embattled Doktora to handle the crisis PR needs of her erstwhile boytoy, who last we heard, now wants to study to be a lawyer? Truly love knows no bounds for the Doktora considering that the PR guy, famous for publishing a book on his former client, has an acceptance fee of not less than P1 million. Acceptance fee palang yan ha?

With the tri-media effort the PR guy is implementing to help portray Doktora's boytoy as a poor confused fella who was abused as a child, the tag price for the campaign has been estimated at no less than P5 million by other PR men in the industry. Ang saya naman!

More Chaka-han

ITEM 1: Word is this ranking officer of an international airline company is about to be unceremoniously "retired" after being caught in the middle of the airline owner's tiff with his own brother. (The brother recently was just stripped of his position in another firm of the airline owner.)

It seems the airline owner isn't pleased with what turned out to be the ranking officer's bets in the fuel market which has resulted in some losses to the airline. The fuel hedging measures apparently had the imprimatur of the airline owner's brother. The ranking officer's rumored impending departure was already preceded by the "retirement" of the carrier's chief financial officer.

ITEM 2: Who is this Treasurer of a very high-profile international bank in the Philippines who is facing charges of sexual harrassment by a female former bank officer? The banking grapevine has been on fire lately after the female bank officer unceremoniously resigned without warning.

According to those in the know, the issue stemmed from a recent team-building seminar the bank held out of town, but towards the evening, Mr. Treasurer, apparently having had too much to drink, suddenly grabbed the female officer's breasts from behind. The woman, described by her former colleagues as "hot", started screaming and cussing the Treasurer, and only then did the guy let go. Thing is, the female bank officer didn't even bother filing sexual harrassment charges against Mr. Treasurer and settled for just an apology in front of everyone who had witnessed the lascivious acts.

Part 2 of the story is when the female bank officer was requesting the bank's upper management to have her transferred to another department. Unfortunately, they didn't give in to her request. Silly girl, however, overestimated her value to the bank and told her bosses to choose between her and Mr. Treasurer. Well, guess who the bosses chose? Female bank officer resigned and is supposedly now filing belated charges of sexual harrassment against Mr. Treasurer.

Part 3 of the story (whew, ang daming updates kasi) is that since the female bank officer resigned, Mr. Treasurer has been posting photos of her on his Facebook profile, in what looks like lambing poses with him (although within a group). His FB pals think it's his way of proving that the female bank officer also had a thing for him, or had a history with him. Dreamer? Well, Mr. Treasurer isn't called FGLG for nothing.

I personally find it interesting that this international bank has consistently been embroiled in scandalous behavior among its bank officers, be it adulterous affairs, sexual harrassment, or financial mismanagement.

ITEM 3: Officials of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas are intent on pursuing their cases against Celso delos Angeles, discredited owner of the Legacy Group, even if he has been found to be sick with tonsil cancer. One official out of disgust was quoted as saying Delos Angeles should be jailed first even before receiving treatment for cancer. Good for them. The BSP shouldn't show any mercy to criminals who rob even the poor blind.

Chaka khan!

Since Chikkatime's real identity has been revealed, mag-chaka khan nalang tayo!

• LOTSA things are happening over in our favorite media outfit. We hear that the head of the lifestyle channel/publishing group was recently asked to go on a "sabbatical" because he did not meet the group's financial targets. This must really hit Mr. Sabbatical pretty hard. After all, this was the same issue he had raised against his predecessor, who by most accounts, was actually the one responsible for establishing the publishing group and expanding its titles.

After Ms. Predecessor's departure, Mr. Sabbatical implemented a lot of radical changes, among them fusing a cable TV endeavor with the publishing group. He reportedly caused the flight of several top editors from the publishing dept. who could not comprehend the changes in the editorial direction (e.g. advertising dictating editorial content). Also, he canned a few magazines one of which was the "baby" of the son of the media outfit's owner.

We hear Ms. Predecessor is extremely jubilant over the news though we dare not publish her juicy quote that puts Mr. Sabbatical in the same category as the media outfit's ex-PR gal who had unjustly fired two of her staff right before she decided to run for political office. Well, she lost. Long-time observers of the goings on in the media outfit were quick to conclude: "What goes around comes around." Arayko.

• Anent to the above, the one said to be replacing Mr. Sabbatical beginning tom, March 23, is the current marketing head of the media outfit's broadcasting department. The guy is said to be top notch and had been pirated from a very large advertising company which he was connected with for about 20 years before leaving as its managing director. While some publishing guys are wary if he has the smarts to oversee the editorial direction of the magazines, Mr. Replacement's fans say that one thing that he has going for him is that "he listens." We've heard about all the awards Mr. Replacement garnered while he was in the advertising biz, and how he was able to hit the financial targets of the broadcasting department last year. We await with bated breath if Mr. Replacement can weave his magic for the lifestyle channel/publishing group as well.

• But these economic times are just difficult for the publishing business. With too many titles out in the market and declining readership, as well as reductions in advertising budgets by many companies, expect more changes in store for several publishing companies. One of these companies, owned by Filipinos of Chinese descent, is said to be dropping two of their imported titles – one dealing with career women, and another, teen-agers. One editor of another giant publishing company told us that this will probably be the trend for most magazine publishers, i.e. to give up their franchised titles and focus more on the homegrown brands. It actually makes a lot of financial sense.

• Over in the art world, who's this well known Filipino artist reportedly charging over P50,000 just to conduct painting lessons for one day? A friend who attended Mr. Artist's workshop felt shortchanged bec. of the level of artistry of the students. Our friend, who's had advanced lessons in sketching, drawing and painting, was surprised to find himself in the same workshop with an eight-year-old who was just attending his first painting lesson. Perhaps finally realizing his other students were discomfited by the beginners in the group, Mr. Artist approached our friend and taught him a few 'advanced' techniques then hung around for some drinks after to talk about art. Referring to the workshop fee he paid, our friend says, "That was a really an expensive bottle of wine."

• The supposed latest wedding date of this newsgal to her politican beau is August. We don't know what year though. Well she's the one who keeps talking about it!

Yun na!

In the tradition of Chaka time...

SO about the Black Widow...after her lover passed away, this woman is once more on the prowl apparently, lately seen w/ another old older man in tow. Poor chap...he is clueless about the fate that will befall him. Many who have seen her lately comment about how she no longer looks fresh, but rather old and tired, despite her still lithe figure.

At the latest sighting of Black Widow, it was apparent that the alta de sociedad she used to rub elbows with, no longer consider her a member of their club. She was seen sadly moving about the crowd, with none of her old "friends" getting up to greet her nor to speak to her. They cannot say that they didn't see her because she had on a striking pink flirty frilly blouse on.

We're not surprised at their behavior towards her, however, because we're sure most of them probably heard of how she was still trying to put one over her lover at his death bed by making him turn over some of his other properties. (Or, put one over his lover's real family...the guy never having actually divorced his first wife.) We are happy to report, that she was unsucessful in this effort.

It was also amusing to see that even some of the journalists who once fawned over Black Widow and who had kept putting her and her lover in the society pages of their publication only years before, did not even recognize her existence. Not even when she approached their table to greet the gorgeous scion of this well-known business family did the journalists give her a second glance. Btw, it's been rumored that Black Widow's real father had actually belonged to said business family, so the gorgeous lady she had kissed was actually her "cousin."

Da who is the Black widow and the cousin she kissed?

* * * *
NOW it can be told...da who is this TV personality who was so kapal to actually approach the officials of this transportation firm so he could become its celebrity endorser? As in, when he met with the officials, may I project sha ng kanyang katalinuhan and mastery of the English language as he made a presentation of why he will be good for the image of that firm.

All he wanted in exchange for his appearance on all the firm's advertising (print and billboards) was free tickets to all the firm's destinations. Grabeh ha, this guy must've actually thought he looked better and sexier than the celebrity endorser of that transport firm's main rival. Hibang ka ba, boy?! Fez value palang, talo ka na noh?

But of course, since they weren't paying any cash to the guy, kumagat naman ang super-tipid executives of this transport firm and made Mr. TV Personality their celebrity endorser. But as fate would have it, those executives and that company are no more. And so even the celebrity endorser has no more contract. Obviously, the guy's status in the entertainment world didn't help one iota for the company to book more sales. Nalugi pa nga sila noh?

But many have observed how slick and smooth Mr. TV personality is underneath that nice guy demeanor. We're pretty sure he will land another victim in no time.

Yun lang pow!

But hus gona clean da toilet?!?!

IN the tradition of the now dead Chikkatime (sniff!), I leave you a couple of cute tidbits to tide you over the long weekend.

DA hu is this Senator who had an all-access pass to the Beijing Olympics, and who couldn't help but brandish his VIP ID to anyone who cared to talk to him or listen to him? Talk is this Senator – whose escapes from trouble are legendary – was able to secure the VIP pass from a colleague – an NPA (nonperforming asset) – who was originally assigned the ID but for some reason, didn't want to watch the Games. (Kasi siguro wala si Pac-man sa boxing team...sad.) Anyway, Mr. Senator Olympics seems to have no moral issues swiping the VIP ID from his colleague, even if he too is known as an NPA in the august body.

DA wat is this airline that is so cheap these days, it just uses only soap and water to clean its toilet bowls in its remaining planes that are flying (at the last count, it was just two), than the usual hygenic toilet duck-like chemical used by most airlines? Why only two planes? My little squirrels tell me that the rest of the fleet has been grounded, the planes cannibalized for spare parts, as the airline cuts down on its maintenance budget. Also, two of its jets have been pulled out by the lessors because airline management refuses to pay its debts owed to the leasing company. Speaking of maintenance, I also hear that the airline no longer has an experienced crew in the shop, disgusted with the way the management has been cutting corners. Most have left for Singapore for better-paying jobs. Also, its veteran pilots have flown the coop for more professionally-run airlines here and abroad. As a fellow journalist likes to remark: "But hus gona clean da toilet?!"


(Inside the NAIA-3. Photo from www.skyscrapercity.com)

DA hu is this Cabinet Secretary who was supposed to have said of his little colleague in the presidentita's family, reportedly also trying to cash in on the NAIA-3 terminal opening: "Ang tagal ko nang drinibble ito, ang lagay sya ang makikinabang?" Veterans of government contracts say that a lot of money is sure to be made from the approval of permits to concessionaires (stores, shops, boutiques, food stalls, etc.) who plan to set up in the terminal. Eased out of the NAIA-3 squeeze play, little colleague was not to be outdone. He instead got a very lucrative contract recently signed during the presidentita's recent trip to China. Aba, iba na pag paborit ni Ma'am noh?

Have a great weekend y'all!

La cage aux folles

TRUE story.

It takes place sometime 2003. Missus of a ranking government official goes to Pampanga to have some wooden furniture made. She orders furniture amounting to about P105,000. She tries to persuade shop owner to thrown in a freebie. Missus has her eye on a bird cage to keep her precious Brazilian birds. (Hwaw! Soozy! If I know, stone bird lang 'yan haha!)

Anyway, deal is closed, Missus hands over P50,000 to shop owner as downpayment for her merchandise. Soon has the furniture delivered to government official's house in Alabang. Government official was moving abroad, so Missus had the shop owners' delivery boys load up a container van the newly-delivered furniture, which include complete dining furniture and a living room set.

After the new furniture was loaded into the container, Missus asked same delivery boys to load other personal items from the family home into the container. (Ava ava ava gardner! ginawang utusan ang mga delivery boys!) The boys followed and loaded up the Missus' other family stuff into the container.

Tired and sweaty from all that heavy lifting, the delivery boys asked Missus if they could get a drink of water. Missus led them into the garden and told them to drink from the garden hose. (Josh! Wala man lang baso ateh? But why?) She didn't even bother to give the boys a tip for doing the work of movers.

Before the delivery boys left, they asked Missus for the rest of the payment. She had a balance of something like P55,000. Missus hands over a check for P50,000 instead, telling the delivery boys, "Sabihin nyo sa amo nyo tawad na yung P5,000 (tell your boss to give me a P5,000 discount)."

Since their instructions were to receive P55,000, one of the delivery boys called the shop owner, so she and Missus would talk. Shop owner pleads with Missus to give the full amount as the latter had promised, telling her: "Ma'am bakit naman ho kayo ganyan? Asawa pa naman kayo ng _____. Ako, maliit na tao lang po, binabayaran ko mga tao kada araw. Ang laki na po na discount binigay ko sa inyo. (Ma'am why are you behaving that way, you're the wife of ______. I'm just a small businesswoman, paying her people on daily basis. I already gave you a huge discount.)

More pleading and cajoling go back and forth over the phone until the shop owner so disgusted says, "di bale po, kahit lugi ako, balik nyo nalang po ang furniture (never mind, even if I'm not going to make a sale, it's better you just return the furniture)."

So Missus eventually pays the entire amount owed to the shop owner. But none too soon after, she blabs about the incident to the entire office of her husband but with a different twist. This time she says it's the shop owner who still owes her some goods despite the fact that she had already paid the shop owner the total cost of the furniture!

Someone from Missus' hubby's office eventually set out to talk with the shop owner and asked what happened. Shop owner said that yes, she still owes Missus a bird cage. But the shop owner said: "Oo nag-promise ako bibigyan ko sya ng bird cage pero yung gusto ho nya, yung magkakasya ang tao! E ang estimate ko dun, P35,000. Yung bibigay ko sa kanya bird cage na maliit lang. (Yes I promised her I'd give her a bird cage. But what she want is a bird cage large enough to fit people in! I estimate that that would cost P35,0000. I'm just going to give her a small bird cage.)"

* * * *
Sweeties, my source swears the shop owner was on the verge of tears when telling this story. She wasn't kidding about Missus wanting that large bird cage to put people in either. Graveh! Ano kaya ikukulong nya dun? Mga maids?! Ahem. Da who itong high-handed Missus na itoh?

If it's you they're talking about

Something Like Life
April 18, 2008

HOW many of us have been the subject of nasty rumors or malicious gossip? And how many of us knew what to do about it?

I must admit, I’ve been the subject of a few distasteful stories in my lifetime, touching on my personal life or my work, though none of them in the epic DJ Montano proportions. But then I don’t have a high-flying fast life which can open me and my actions to public scrutiny. Also, I don’t pretend to be something I’m not. (Like, I’m not above riding the MRT to Makati, but I will not shirk at an offer of a chauffeured ride home in a properly air-conditioned, luxuriously outfitted, leather-seated car.)

So what happens when you become the flavor of the month—or months—of your office or the society circle you move around in? Some of you may have been accused of sleeping your way to the top position of your company (or, worse, filching office supplies...how cheap naman!), or maybe having an affair with a married co-employee, or getting a job because of your familial connections?

Among your circle of friends, you suddenly hear that you’re supposedly a drug addict, an alcoholic, a sex pervert, are gay, or—worse—deep in debt! People begin talking about how much of a freeloader you are and how you attend events just to get hold of the goodie bag! Then your own so-called BFFs start turning on you. What to do?! What to do?!

In my own experience, I’ve realized that a lot of the gossip at work is primarily due to jealousy. Some people have a puffed-up opinion of themselves and basically think that they are better than you. And when they don’t get the promotion they’ve been secretly desiring and which was given to you instead, these losers can or will start rumors about you, or stir up critical talk about you.

Everything about you will be called into question. Nothing is safe. These inggiteros will discuss every single little detail of your life and joke about petty stuff, like the way you wear your pantyhose or that hideous dress you supposedly wore to the company cocktails last night.

But, seriously, the only way to quelch rumors of this nature is to basically shut up and continue doing your work well. True, it’s uncomfortable to be amid such unpleasantness day in and day out, especially when you’re trying to focus on doing a good job. But I am a stern believer that actions will always speak louder than words. And in the end, you will be vindicated.

The best thing to do is to play office politics. Try to get these losers on your side by involving them in projects. When they manage a good job or your projects are a success, recognize their efforts and watch them change their opinion about you. They will soon realize why the boss chose you and not them for that promotion.

I always tell my friends who are in such a bind that they are “celebrities,” and their underachieving colleagues at work will always envy them. I joke that it is a bane of their so-called celebrity status to be the subject of gossip all the time. The best thing to do is ignore the talk and just do the work.

But whether the negative issues about you are at work or touches your personal life, the best defense is really the truth. If you haven’t been seen stuffing your face with drugs or regularly beating up helpless people, then people won’t talk about it.

I remember one celebrity who was rumored to have made a punching bag of relatively unknown and basically defenseless kids, and had his friends gang up on them. I had firsthand knowledge of one of his victims as this kid was close to my friend’s daughter. My friend’s daughter told me the victim had already been beaten up by this neanderthal and his gang at school once before. And to think the goon had actually wanted to run for mayor! Ang kapal! So in his case, where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

(Funny, though, how rumors about the idiocies and odious habits of several celebrities and high-society flunkies center around just one club at The Fort. Hmmm...it must be the water.)

Now what if the gossip about you is actually true? What do you do?

Well, all you have to do is grin and bear it. Nothing will ever remain a secret in this society. People in these parts treat gossip as part and parcel of entertainment. Any rumor about someone popular and his secret life uncovered is much better than the whole of Marimar.

So whatever indecent acts you’ve been practicing, or whatever odious behavior you subscribe to, you will be found out. After all, we live in a small world where the next person ready to hear some juicy stories about you is just a text or e-mail away.

And if you don’t want to be talked about in a scandalous fashion, then behave. Keep a low profile. Stop acting so foolishly and calling attention to yourself. It’s really your fault for living so large and loudly.

I recall a friend being asked by a victim of some malicious gossip, advice about what to do to handle the nasty talk about him. One of the distasteful rumors being circulated about the victim was apparently the size of his, uhm, appendage. His text to my friend went something like, “By the way, the rumors are not true. I’m a medium.” To which my friend texted back, “But (guy's name), I told everyone you’re large!” Stop being defensive!

Okay, so what if the rumor about you is totally untrue and already destroying your reputation? Then go to the source of the gossip—if you know who it is—and talk to him or her about it. Find out why he or she started this rumor about you and see how you can settle things. Don’t be confrontational or threaten to sue every bone in his/her body.

You cannot underestimate the power of communication. Sometimes all it takes is an open channel between two people and a sincere effort to settle differences. Be honest, fortright and reconciliatory.

The best way to handle gossip of course, is to avoid it. Keep your nose clean and your feet firmly planted on the ground.