Pinoys Remember Michael Jackson
By Rodney J. Jaleco for Pinoy Herald
He thrilled millions of Filipinos, young and old. And many wept at the shock of pop icon Michael Jackson’s sudden death.
Jackson, 50, died of an apparent cardiac arrest last Thursday. The exact cause of his death is the subject of intense scrutiny, perhaps adding one final controversy in the life of the enigmatic superstar.
Michael Jackson was a household name in the Philippines long before his two-night December 1996 concert in Manila.
Among his first hits, “Ben”, a theme song to a box-office movie about rats going amok, was an instant hit for the sentimental Filipinos.
Like much of the world, Jackson inspired countless aspiring musicians and performers – from Justin Timberlake to the Filipinos’ own Gary Valenciano, whose on-stage moves have been likened to his idol.
“In some ways it’s like part of me died too,” Valenciano said in a statement.
“He was an inspiration to me. I still wonder if he ever read the letter I wrote him when he performed here. It was the least I could do for all the years that he inspired me,” he added.
The loss has been felt everywhere.
President Obama, speaking through spokesman Robert Gibbs, paid tribute to Jackson as a “spectacular performer, a music icon”.
President Arroyo echoed essentially the same sentiments.
“Unlike most kids who grew up watching Sesame Street and listening to Barney songs, I would stay up late perfecting my moonwalk,” said 16-year-old Alex Valera of Arlington, VA.
“One of my first CD’s was Thriller which I got when I went the Philippines at age 7. I instantly fell in love with the upbeat rhythm and smooth ballads.
“At parties as a young kid, I would perform my Michael Jackson act for hundreds of people, dancing to “Beat it”, “Dangerous” and other songs,” Valera said.
MANILA VISIT
He was mobbed the moment he stepped down his plane at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Manila officials turned away concert organizers because of the controversy surrounding Jackson’s child molestation case. The Paranaque government came to their rescue, allowing Jackson to erect a massive stage in the still then undeveloped Asiaworld complex.
The Philippines was part of his third and final world tour as a solo artist.
This reporter was then with ABS-CBN News operations and was admittedly surprised at the intensity of adulation of Jackson fans.
The police threw a thick cordon around him, as fans crushed just to catch a glimpse of their idol.
Some of the 50,000 people who saw his Philippine concert flew from distant provinces, some more from neighboring Southeast Asian countries.
Zsa Zsa Padilla, a star in her own right, says she was fortunate to have watched Jackson’s concert.
He also visited young patients at a Paranaque hospital, offering his best wishes to those most seriously afflicted.
It was a gesture not lost among the masses who have rarely gotten the opportunity to see a star of Jackson’s caliber and stature in the flesh.
Jackson’s musical fame started in the late 1960s, playing frontman in the “Jackson 5”, the quintet of Jackson siblings. He was 11 years old at the time.
This allowed Filipino fans to follow his career through the years.
Over a thousand inmates in a Cebu City jail danced to Jackson’s all-time hit “Thriller” and it became an internet hit.
He released the album “Thriller” in 1982 and sold about 50 million copies worldwide.
SEX SCANDALS
Jackson started running afoul with the public in the 1990s when he was accused of inappropriate conduct with children at his Neverland ranch.
He was acquitted of the child abuse charges but the stigma appeared to linger. His planned series of concert in London was aimed at resurrecting the “King of Pop”.
The concert tour was sold out within hours after they started selling the tickets.
There are now speculations about the role of prescription drug abuse in Jackson’s death. The Los Angeles coroner’s office performed an autopsy last Friday but the results are not expected until two to three weeks.
Meanwhile, friends and colleagues focused on his musical legacy.
Philippine radio stations also played non-stop Jackson songs as tribute to the pop icon. They didn’t run out of songs to play. His music videos and songs earned him 13 Grammy awards.
“He continually brought people together, and he will continue to bring people together in the future,” Valera predicted.
