[Philippines] Revillame: We are not exploiting people’s poverty

from INQ7

By Bayani San Diego Jr.

Editor's Note: Published on page A6 of the Feb. 7, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

“I AM JUST A TV HOST.”

Thus spoke comedian Willie Revillame when asked about the government probe into last weekend’s deadly stampede that killed 74 people scrambling to get inside the PhilSports Arena (formerly ULTRA) to watch the popular game show “Wowowee.”

The probe team is expected to submit its findings to Malacañang today.

In phone interviews on Sunday and yesterday, Revillame said he could not understand the people who pinned the blame on him and ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.

“I don’t bother with criticisms,” he said in Filipino. “I want to give more importance to the people who were hurt or who lost loved ones. Nothing will happen if I listen to intrigues. I just wish these critics will think of the victims instead.”

He said he also couldn’t fathom comments that game shows encouraged a “culture of mendicancy” and made poor people dependent on dole-outs.

“We are not exploiting people’s poverty,” Revillame insisted. “This is reality. We cannot toy with people’s lives.

“What do they want us to do? Tell the country’s poor people to do drugs instead? To steal? In our own little way, we are helping the government. Every day, jobless Filipinos have made a career out of joining our game show. Is it a sin to give people hope? Is it a crime to give away P1 million? Is it wrong to raffle off a house and lot?”

He corrected conflicting reports on the prizes at stake for the show’s first anniversary.

“No, it’s not true that raffle tickets were to be given to the first 300 people,” he said. “But 300 contestants would be chosen that day, their names to be drawn that day. It’s just sad that they were in a rush to get tickets.”

The prizes

He admitted that he had worked hard to solicit the prizes: P1 million in cash and a house and lot for an audience member and a home partner, a jeepney and three taxi cabs.

“I approached different companies for the additional prizes like WL Foods (for the home partner’s cash prize and jeepney), Globe Asiatic (for the house and lot) and Black Beauty Shampoo (for the taxi cabs),” he said. “We also raised $17,000 from TFC (The Filipino Channel) subscribers, which was to be converted to pesos. We planned to raffle off P20,000 to different audience members that day.”

Revillame added: “It’s not true that the first 50 audience members were assured of P10,000. There would still be a raffle to be held throughout the show. Different people helped and pooled their resources to make this anniversary show a success.”

A devastated comedian

Instead of a celebration, the anniversary show turned into a nightmare, said Revillame.

“Devastated” was how friend and former manager Wyngard Tracy described Revillame.

When he guested on another ABS-CBN show, “The Buzz,” a day after the incident, the usually glib and gregarious Revillame had been turned into a sobbing figure.

He even hinted that he might not have the strength to continue hosting the game show.

He still sounded shaken when he spoke to the Inquirer.

“I am really depressed,” he said. “Until now, what happened has yet to sink in. I keep asking myself: Is this real? Why did it happen? I can’t face people. But life must go on. Right now, I want to concentrate on the victims. Not the show.”

74 dreamers

He said he was devoting the entire week to the victims’ families.

“I want to visit the families of the 74 people who died,” he said. “We now call them the 74 dreamers. I will try to go to all of them. I might even go to Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro and other provinces.”

That’s why he is taking a one-week leave from his hosting chores on the show, he said.

“I cannot block my feelings,” he said. “I cannot entertain people every day when, deep in my heart, I am not happy.”

No, he is not resigning from the show, he said.

“It’s just one week. But I might extend my vacation, depending on how I feel.”

He said his bosses at ABS-CBN assured him that he could take his time to recover.

“They told me we should talk first, that I might need counseling or whatever. I need to weigh everything carefully. But my priority right now is to spend time with the families.”