Celine Pialago seems to be getting the wrong notion that careless statements and emotional outbursts could gain her popularity points. That’s how she got to be known anyway.
Remember her “she passed away” gaffe in a chance interview by a television news crew after her roommate and fellow Miss Philippines Earth contestant collapsed during the bikini competition? That was her few-second claim to fame because the brief interview became a hot trending topic on the internet.
A graduate of AB Mass Communications, major in broadcasting, from Miriam College and a master’s degree from the Ateneo de Manila, Pialago landed a job as spokesperson of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) in September 2016 and was later promoted to the rank of assistant secretary. Her appointment came as a surprise to many who knew her for having worked for the Liberal Party (LP) in 2015 as media relations officer, and as a member of the staff of then Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.
Last October, Pialago provoked the ire of activists and netizens when she described the public support for a grieving Reina Mae Nasino as a “drama serye.” Nasino’s three-month-old daughter died while she was in detention for her alleged links to the communist movement.
The issue was way out of her job as spokesperson of MMDA. While she certainly has all the right to express her opinion on it, Pialago nonetheless dragged her office into the fray and, in the course of discussions on social media, she came out with a few revelations such as having her brothers and some MMDA staff manage her social media account, something that elicited more criticisms about possible abuse of government resources.
Over the weekend, Pialago was at it again, calling attention to herself by threatening ABS-CBN reporter Doris Bigornia with a legal complaint as she called out Bigornia’s out-of-context reporting on a traffic situation in a portion of EDSA in Quezon City.
Bigornia’s personality may come across as arrogant to some, or she may have missed important details in her reporting, but calling her “demonyo kang reporter ka” (you’re a devil reporter) on a public social media account is certainly out of place and uncalled for, particularly because it came from the spokesperson of a frontline government agency.
Pialago must be forgetting that her job demands utmost patience and courtesy to the public she is serving, including journalists whose reports delve into basic public services such as traffic situation and, in Bigornia’s case, the apparent confusion among motorists over a change in the U-turn slots near the Quezon City Academy and Dario Bridge on EDSA.
It was not the first time that Pialago, who briefly worked as a reporter for government TV stations RPN-9 and PTV-4, has complained about Bigornia’s reporting and character. In August last year, Pialago lodged a formal complaint with ABS-CBN News executives against Bigornia for allegedly assaulting her physically and spreading rumors about her. They had settled the issue until Pialago brought it back as she lashed out at Bigornia’s “incomplete” reporting last Friday.
Both ladies are known public personalities, and they should realize that their unpleasant behavior and personal outbursts reflect badly on their jobs. They should spare the public from their bitter exchange of words, especially during the Christmas season and in these trying times.
Pialago, as a public official, should refrain from using her office to exact personal vengeance. She should review Republic Act 6713, or the “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees,” so she will know how to behave properly in dealing with problems involving her job.
Being in a frontline government agency, she should not be onion-skinned to criticisms, even if those come from persons she does not like.
It’s unfortunate if she behaves that way because she looks up to some people in high offices who have apparently thrown good values, respect for others, and courtesy to the dust bin when criticized.
Some people admire the 28-year-old Pialago for her beauty and charm; why not use it to her advantage instead of showing her short temper over Bigornia’s “incomplete” reporting and doing so in social media? That’s not the way to project an image of being fierce, Pircelyn!
Although she has worked as a public relations officer for a few politicians, Pialago needs to learn some lessons in media relations, and refrain from feeding her ego, more so if it’s true that she’s eyeing an elective post in the near future.
The views in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of VERA Files.
This column also appeared in The Manila Times.