Joy Adalia
Cancer patient Jam, one half of YouTube sensation ‘Jamich’, looks forward to the release of Apple’s latest gadget, the iPhone 6. In a Facebook status posted last September 10, Jam could not contain his excitement.
He shouted out to the whole world how he’s always been a loyal iPhone user, how he doesn’t like Samsung, and how he’s always waited for Apple to release a phone with a larger screen.
Jam is just one of the millions of Apple fans who await the market release of the new gadgets announced last September 10. Who wouldn’t be excited, anyway? Just as Jam’s status indicated, the new iPhone is much larger than its predecessors. In fact, Apple released 2 of them; with the iPhone 6 Plus already delving into the phablet category.
Read Take a Bite of Bigger Apples | The Newly Released iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and Apple Watch
On Jamich’s Facebook page, Jam posted the following:
So, what’s wrong with that status, anyway? Why is the pair being bashed online?
Let’s look at the positive side, first.
When Apple announced the new phones and the Apple Watch, millions of loyal fans expressed their excitement and hopes of getting these latest gadgets the moment these hit the stores sometime this month. So, we could understand why self-confessed loyal iPhone user Jam would be excited, too.
Also, Jam’s condition is terminal. In layman’s euphemism, he is really just ‘waiting for his time’. Why not give him the thing that could make him happy in his last days? Surely, any person who has seen the suffering of a cancer patient would understand why he wishes to forget about his struggle for a while, and just enjoy something he’s always wanted – whether it was an exotic food, the vacation of a lifetime, a visit from a favorite actor, or even something as material as buying a new iPhone.
A number of fans are sticking with Jamich’s side in this issue, saying we should just let the issue rest and give a dying man his last wishes.
Now, why did the ‘iPon para sa iPhone’ anger thousands of netizens?
Well, many of them felt cheated because they had given donations for Jam’s cancer treatment because the pair had been actively requesting for kind-hearted donors to share what they can to help their battle.
In short, Jamich has been asking for donations for cancer treatment yet Jam is sharing his excitement over the newly released iPhone 6. Local prices are yet to be released but are believed to be at least P35,000 for the 16GB version – that money could already cover a portion of his treatment.
Even the pair’s poor fans, people who didn’t have enough money for an iPhone, had given donations for the cancer treatment. Thus, many netizens believe that Jamich shouldn’t have made the post. Even if he was so excited about the new gadget, is it really necessary to post that on Facebook?
One person put it this way:
Yes, it is alright for a cancer patient to express excitement in owning the latest iPhone – but only if he did not ask donations from people for his treatment.
Mom defends Jam
With hundreds of bashers posting hate comments on the FB status, a user who appears to be Jam’s mother has begun replying in his defense. According to Maricar Fernando Sebastian, Globe is one of Jamich’s sponsors, so her son would be receiving an iPhone 6 for free. Jam couldn’t contain his excitement over Apple’s announcement, knowing he would soon get his hands on the new phone from Globe.
Jam’s use of the ‘iPon para sa iPhone’ phrase contradicts the woman’s statement, however. It gives the wrong impression because people are led to believe that he would try his best to ‘ipon’ (save money) so he could get the new iPhone.
If Globe would give him a new phone, he shouldn’t be hinting that he’s going to save up money for the gadget, right? It should have included indications that Globe would be giving him the gadget [tag Globe in the post, use a hashtag, etc.] because in reality, his original post was sending out the wrong impressions.
Judging from the hate comments Jamich is getting these past days, netizens are clearly not pleased.
So, what’s your take on this?
quoted from her mother fb “were looking for a brand new house at pilar village” (https://www.facebook.com/maricar.fernandosebastian?fref=ts&ref=br_tf). y asking for a donation when her can afford to buy a new house?
This whole jamich thing is a scam, and people are falling for it. That people actually believe he has cancer says a lot about how philippine society has devolved and dumbed down.
well, at least you now know that he indeed has a cancer. He just died today as far as I know. I agree their love team is a scam though.
Yeah, right the comments of his mother was contradict to Jamich statement. He said ‘iPon sa IPhone” means he is trying to save money for the gadget but in the other hand, his mother claimed that Globe will be the sponsor. Jamich statement is so disrespect as the netizens quoted because beforehand he didn’t mention that Globe will give him freely. His mother came out clueless. The netizen has the right to comment on the above issue, biruin mo heartfully magdodonate ka for compassion to this guy and malalaman mo na lang para ginawa pang hanapbuhay yung sakit nya.dapat sinarili na lang nya or di nya n lng sinabi na ‘iPon……”
cguro “ipon para sa iphone” was just used kz nga rhyming, jam was talking to his friends(tags) sometimes idioms are used para mkipag-usap sa mga kaibigan at kadalasan wala namang ibig sabihin. malamang totoo yong globe sponsor at yang “ipon” na ginamit is for his friends to do so. naging sensetive lang ang mga tao because of the donation tingy. and for sure yong mga nagcomment dyan ay di nman tlga nagdonate. ang pananaw ko lang kung may ibinigay kang tulong sa kapwa mo ng bukal sa loob kahit san pa nya gamitin ang pera bsta sa ikakaligaya at ikakagaan ng kalooban nya magiging masaya ka d2, ibinigay mo na eh. at malamang yong mga naidonate dati is nagamit na din sa pagpapagamot nya, ngayon na umaasenso ang kuya ni jam malamang kahit walang donation kaya na nyang ishoulder ang gastos sa pagpapagamot ng kanyang kapatid. wag po tayong masyadong nega.
This is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever read. That couple is a joke. Please don’t let this “JAMICH” trend infest our country. IMO, almost all their fans come from a low socio-economic class and I think those two know that. Those two should be grateful that their fans “DONATED” even if the fans themselves are not that fortunate. Don’t they have the sensitivity for their fans about that post? That’s a bad sign for a public figure.
I’m putting an emphasis on DONATE here. Does that Jam guy really have cancer? Or just a gimmick that these celebrity wannabes are trying to pull? I pity those who donated and those who still support this fiasco. I respect your choice of supporting this fandom; but people who goes this far to defend someone that’s insensitive to their fans is dumb.
Very, well, said. 🙂
Sabi ng mother ni Jam. Bobo daw yung nag comment. Hahahahaha. Nakakahiya para sa nanay ni Jam nagsasalita ng ganyan. Isa ring BOBO. Tanga tanga putangina mo Maricar Sebastian. Iphone6 pa.
trashtalk on agad ung nanay nya eh
ang bobo ninyo talaga!!
Hayaan na nating bumili ng iphone 6. GrABE. Mamamatay na nga yung tao . O cge… sino ang gsto ng iphone 6 tapos mamamatay afer a year?
This is so true! My last wish If I know that Iam going to die is to spend my whole time with my family. Not to have a new gadget. He is so crazy. They always want to get attention from public. What ever he’s gone now. These couple is so boastful. They kept on posting unnecessary status etc. I cant imagine that she took photos when JAM died and everything is so detailed. Every people know that your in mourning. You dont need to broadcast!