Kris Aquino

The raging issue today about the domestic squabble of husband and wife Kris Aquino and James Yap is a sad thing.

When it should have been a private matter, the public feasts on every detail of the controversy, as always, inevitably plunging private individuals (however guilty or innocent they may be) into the monstrosity of public scrutiny and ridicule.

Although everyone knows that discretion is not exactly a trait of Kris, it shouldn’t be discounted that whatever action she undertakes has a bearing and repercussion on the people around her, especially those she professes to love and protect.

In this particular issue, she should have thought that going personally to the house of the woman she suspects of ill motive on her husband, being the very public figure that she is, will not go quietly.

Even in the most passionate of negative emotions, she should have thought of her responsibility to show her husband respect (because that is what all husbands want from their wives, regardless if they deserve it or not) being a prayerful and highly devout Catholic wife that she professes to be; and how the issue will again be hurled against the candidacy of her brother, Sen. Noynoy Aquino as a presidentiable (which she is working hard for).

What Kris conveniently forgets is that, in the same way that her “popularity” (read: Campaigning) greatly helps the candidacy of her brother, so will the “notoriety” (read: Controversies) of her actions will have an adverse effect on the same.

It is so easy to say that her issues are domestic and are not at all political. But who draws the line, may I ask, about what is personal and professional in a career that is highly public such as what she and Noynoy have?

After much hullabaloo, there is a fact that can be derived from the incident. Kris’s decision tends to “emasculate” the men in her life. If you ask us, to go to the house of a girl fan and advise her to stay away from her husband (or to that effect), against the advice of her husband, her family and her closest friends, did more harm than protect the people she says she loves. It shows that she doesn’t give a cent about what her husband thinks, and two, her brother’s political concerns come only second to her emotions.

And as far as her making public again, the fact that she and James are again on a “temporary separation because she doesn’t want to fool the public,” this is another wrong choice. Kris should start thinking that the public does not live with James. The public is not married to James. They don’t sleep with him. So, to make public all those wrongdoings of her husband are not forgivable to them.

They cannot just forget and decide to live with him again when the “space” has already given them enough air to breathe. And these are the choices that a wife should be making under the circumstances, no matter how hard.

That is precisely the reason for the great wisdom behind “keeping things private in a marriage” whether you are a public figure or not.

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Why Charice is the biggest singer of international caliber today

Charice continues to make waves in the international music scene and inevitably, she is now being regarded as one who brings world-class honor to our country.

Recently, she also appeared in the Hollywood flick “Alvin and the Chipmunks 2: The Squeakwel,” where she appeared as herself and sang Alicia Keys’ “No One” in the official film soundtrack.

This February, it will be the turn of thousands of Pinoy fans to watch her up close and personal when she performs at a Valentine’s Day concert on Feb. 14 at the Plenary Hall of the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).

In “Charice in Concert! by Ryan Cayabyab” to be produced by Xclusive Hits & Events, Inc., the young diva will lead a powerhouse ensemble composed of Erik Santos, George Yang and the RCS (Ryan Cayabyab Singers), with the special participation of Ogie Alcasid.

To be directed by Ryan Cayabyab, the concert will feature the 17-year-old singing wonder as she performs a repertoire of pop, R&B and soul hits popularized by Whitney Houston, Celine Dion and Mariah Carey, among many others.

Charice has indeed come a long way. Remember she was only seven when she started doing the rounds of amateur singing competitions. She gained worldwide attention in 2007 after videos of her live performances were posted on the YouTube and caught the attention of Ellen DeGeneres, who invited her to appear in the Dec. 19, 2007 episode of her show. Charice became an instant hit with her performance of “I Will Always Love You” and “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going.”

Five months later, she appeared in the May 12, 2008 edition of “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” where her performance of Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” greatly impressed Oprah that she subsequently recommended Charice to be under the wings of music producer David Foster.

She performed with Foster for the first time during the May 17 opening of MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, Connecticut, followed by her debut on the international concert stage in Foster’s May 23 tribute concert, “Hitman: David Foster and Friends,” at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Charice also went on to perform with Andrea Bocelli during her birthday concert on Sept. 26, 2008 in his hometown of Lajatico, Tuscany, Italy, where, aside from her solo numbers, she also did a duet of “The Prayer” with the famous tenor in front of more than 8,000 people.

She also sang a duet of “Because You Loved Me” with Celine Dion on Sept. 15, 2008 at the Madison Square Garden in New York City, which earned rave reviews in The New York Post and The New York Times. The performance was eventually featured on the Sept. 19, 2008 episode of “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” She made her second appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” on Sept. 9, 2008, during which the celebrated host described her at “the most talented girl in the world” after hearing her perform Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” with Foster on the piano.

During her most recent appearance on the same program, Charice elicited the ultimate tribute from Oprah: “You are a force to be reckoned with. That voice comes from something bigger than yourself. You’re pulling it up out of some place deeper than your little body.”

The singer’s outstanding vocal quality likewise prompted a chorus of praises from other musical and entertainment celebrities, such as David Foster and Josh Groban. She also received a compliment from The New York Post, which once called her a vocal prodigy for being able to sing “big songs” even in her tender age.

As 2009 was about to end, the singer added another feather to her cap when she topped an online poll by the Oprah Winfrey show, beating seven international singing superstars: Whitney Houston, James Taylor, Michael Bublé, Rascal Flatts, Jennifer Hudson, Journey and Black Eyed Peas.

Charice emerged as the winner of the “Best Oprah Show Musical Performance” award after receiving 70 percent of total votes for her performance of “Note To God,” her debut international single launched on the show last May 18.

Her Valentine show brings her back to the local concert scene eight months after her first major solo concert last June 27 at the SMX Convention Center at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. Tickets to “Charice In Concert! by Ryan Cayabyab” are available at Ticketnet outlets located at all SM Department Stores (customer service area) and at the Araneta Coliseum ticket booths. Tickets are also available at Xclusive Hits & Events, Inc.