Netizens slammed investigative journalist Raissa Robles for critizing the opening ceremony of the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games held in the Philippine Arena on Saturday, November 30.
Expressing her “honest thoughts,” Robles said the opening ceremony was like a “perya sa probinsya.”
She said the government should have hired better choreographers.
She was also upset that there weren’t enough ballet dancers in the opening.
“We have very good choreographers – Steve Villaruz, Edna Vida, Nonoy Froilan. They could have been tapped for the #SeaGamesOpening,” she tweeted.
“Pucha. Parang nanunuod ka lang ng perya sa probinsiya nito. Why did they not use some of our ballet dancers??????” she added.
We havery good choreographers – Steve Villaruz, Edna Vida, Nonoy Ftoilan. They could have been tapped for the #SeaGamesOpening
Pucha. Parang nanunuod ka lang ng perya sa probinsiya nito.Why did they not use some of our ballet dancers??????
— Raissa Robles (@raissawriter) November 30, 2019
Robles stressed that the moves of the artist who performed the Sarimanok dance at the opening ceremony was “not native.”
“My Gahd. Im not criticizing the Sarimanok, but the dance moves the dancer was making,” the journalist said.
Those moves are not native. Those are ballet moves. If you are going to use ballet moves, you should get THE BEST dancers,” she added.
My Gahd. Im not criticizing the Sarimanok, but the dance moves the dancer was making. Those moves are not native. Those are ballet moves. If you are going to use ballet moves, you should get THE BEST dancers. 😎 https://t.co/5aZdrmKUMG
— Raissa Robles (@raissawriter) November 30, 2019
Robles also criticized the performance of theater actor and singer Robert Seña.
She said the song “Kay Ganda ng Pilipinas” should have been performed by other artists.
“Parang hindi bagay na si Robert Sena ang umawit ng kay ganda ng pilipinas. Ito kaya yung dapat nasi Lea Salonga? Sana kinuha nila baritone na lang,” Robles noted.
Parang hindi bagay na si Robert Sena ang umawit ng kay ganda ng pilipinas. Ito kaya yung dapat nasi Lea Salonga? Sana kinuha nila baritone na lang. #SEAGames2019Opening
— Raissa Robles (@raissawriter) November 30, 2019
She then said that other singers like Regine Velasquez, Jessica Sanchez, KZ Tandingan or Jake Zyrus (formerly known as Charice) could have replaced Seña to perform the said song.
“Singers who could have sung in place of robert sena – regine velasquez, jessica sanchez, kz tandingan, charice (or has she changed her name?),” she said.
Singers who could have sung in place of robert sena – regine velasquez, jessica sanchez, kz tandingan, charice (or has she changed her name?) . https://t.co/0oZCcrI8f0
— Raissa Robles (@raissawriter) November 30, 2019
When a netizen asked Robles if ballet was a national dance of the country, she countered with a question if artist apl.de.ap was a Filipino.
“Pilipino ba si Apl di Ap?” she asked.
Pilipino ba si Apl di Ap? 😎 https://t.co/Uczxy18xL3
— Raissa Robles (@raissawriter) November 30, 2019
Robles then pointed out that not all the artists who performed at the opening ceremony and the songs they sang were not “native” to the Philippines.
“Hindi Pinoy si Apl de Ap. Amerikano na sya. Pinoy pop – yung kinanta na Kay Ganda ng Lahing Pilipino – hindi native yan. Ginaya sa Amerika. Gaya ng ballet, banyaga pero nilagyan ng mga Pinoy elements. I’ve seen very good ballet dances w Phil. native dance movements,” she said.
Hindi Pinoy si Apl de Ap. Amerikano na sya. Pinoy pop – yung kinanta na Kay Ganda ng Lahing Pilipino – hindi native yan. Ginaya sa Amerika. Gaya ng ballet, banyaga pero nilagyan ng mga Pinoy elements. I've seen very good ballet dances w Phil. native dance movements. #JustSaying https://t.co/JzhiLR0Zoa
— Raissa Robles (@raissawriter) November 30, 2019
Robles quipped that apl.de.ap could have just sing “Where is the love.”
“You are a special man with a special message of hope and rage and grace. I wish, though, you had sung – where is the love,” she noted.
You are a special man with a special message of hope and rage and grace. I wish, though, you had sung – where is the love 😁 i would have wanted to hear it live. https://t.co/HYk49i0toO
— Raissa Robles (@raissawriter) December 1, 2019
To emphasize that she knows what she’s saying, Robles noted that she has experience in reviewing stage shows.
“Hijo, I used to do reviews of stage shows. And I was the stage manager of the stage play where Imee Marcos was the main actor. An adaptation of Animal Farm,” she said.
“And i took up scriptwriting under Orlando Nadres (w a grade of 1) and natl artist Amelia Bonifacio (also grade of 1),” she added.
Hijo, I used to do reviews of stage shows. And i was the stage manager of the stage play where Imee Marcos was the main actor. An adaptation of Animal Farm. And i took up scriptwriting under orlando nadres (w a grade of 1) and natl artist amelia bonifacio (also grade of 1). 😎 https://t.co/cSIhvKPZIQ
— Raissa Robles (@raissawriter) November 30, 2019
The journalist said that she was expecting more from the SEA Games opening.
“Look. Go ahead and be proud of #SEAGames2019 opening. But I expected more, after all that hype. And the Filipino talent that’s available. I expected the best, best, best,” she remarked.
Look. Go ahead and be proud of #SEAGames2019 opening. But I expected more, after all that hype. And the Filipino talent that's available. I expected the best, best, best. 😎
— Raissa Robles (@raissawriter) November 30, 2019
As expected, many netizens were outraged after viewing Robles’ tweets.
Here are the comments of some irate netizens:
“Nothing that the current admin does will ever be enough for you so why are we even wondering why you’re trolling extra hard today? Instead of ‘trying’ to find faults on the SEA Games opening, I wish you’d just be supportive of the participants’ efforts in making this happen.”
https://twitter.com/haberltweeeeets/status/1200788988530958336?s=20
“madam raissa ikaw na lng sana ang nag perform parang ang galing2 mo eeh.”
https://twitter.com/AnnHodini/status/1200782908962807810?s=19
“Sana po ma appreciate nyo nalang ang gawang filipino kesa kinicriticize nyo … ang perfect nyo po pramis.”
https://twitter.com/raymsocampo/status/1200784138434797571?s=19
“Bakit pa natin pinapansin ang ganitong klase ng tao. I pity you Madam! Di ka marunong makisama sa kasiyasan ng mga nakararaming Pilipino! Tsk tsk tsk!”
Bakit pa natin pinapansin ang ganitong klase ng tao. I pity you Madam! Di ka marunong makisama sa kasiyasan ng mga nakararaming Pilipino! Tsk tsk tsk!
— iKONIC- 🆔 (@xyphenesophia) November 30, 2019
“Nag suggest pa, as if naman may naambag. Dami mo palang idea ikaw nalang sana nag organize.”
https://twitter.com/aa_radzii/status/1200763503667077121?s=20
“Tbh, I didn’t know who Robert Sena is. But one thing is for sure, his voice is clear and good. Malinis yung pagkakakanta. Walang sabit. Pag ikaw ba kumanta, kamusta kaya?”
Tbh, I didn't know who Robert Sena is. But one thing is for sure, his voice is clear and good. Malinis yung pagkakakanta. Walang sabit. Pag ikaw ba kumanta, kamusta kaya?
— Jill 希~ 🐨 👑 (@MarryHee) November 30, 2019
“Mas pinoy pa si apl. De. Ap sayo sa paguugali.”
Mas pinoy pa si apl. De. Ap sayo sa paguugali.
— Noy pidHRow #SalamatPRRD (@pidHRow_talks) November 30, 2019
“Example of crab mentality. Grabe grabe.”
Example of crab mentality. Grabe grabe
— Namu (@sirenamu1693) November 30, 2019
Meanwhile, Robles denied that she’s looking down on the country just because she criticized the opening ceremony of the SEA Games.
“Critiquing the production of the opening ceremony is not looking down on the country. Please, use your coconut,” she stressed.
Critiquing the production of the opening ceremony is not looking down on the country. Please, use your coconut. https://t.co/dATsLeytPE
— Raissa Robles (@raissawriter) December 1, 2019
But a netizen said: “There’s a right time for everything, your criticisms included, even if you say it’s constructive.”
“Spirits are high, don’t dampen it. Ang KJ niyo naman po. Your tweets reek of so much negativity. I wish you happiness,” he added.
There’s a right time for everything, your criticisms included, even if you say it’s constructive. Spirits are high, don’t dampen it. Ang KJ niyo naman po. Your tweets reek of so much negativity. I wish you happiness.
— Doc HeartRob (@dreyesmd) December 1, 2019