Fresh from the success of "Rated Korina: Upuan Ng Katotohanan The 2022 Presidentiable Special," multi-awarded broadcast journalist Korina Sanchez-Roxas met the entertainment media and tackled her style of interviews that made her latest presidential special on national television another triumphant effort.
There were no debates in the special episode. Korina veered away from hard-hitting political issues and sailed into the storied lives of presidential aspirants led by Senator Ping Lacson, Vice-President Leni Robredo, former Senator Bongbong Marcos, Senator Manny Pacquiao, and former Manila Mayor Isko Moreno.
"If you will notice, bihira lang ang follow-up questions ko. Why? Lalabas ang bias mo sa follow-up questions mo. So for my format in the presidentiables, some people would ask me, 'Korina bakit kailangan nyo ang magpa cute? Bakit kailangan mo pang mamingwit ng isda with Ping? Bakit kailangan mo pang maglakad with Yorrne? Nakipagkantahan ka pa sa piano kay Pacman. Si Bong pinagluto mo ng pinakbet. You toured the house of Leni. Why?
"This is what I concluded in my so many years as a journalist: sila ay tao rin. Lahat sila, may nagmamahal sa kanila. Mga tatay, nanay din sila. So bakit natin sila gagawin mukhang halimaw? Kaya ginawa ko yung format na hindi pa ginawa ng kahit sino. They have snapshots that they are also human beings. It's a way for me to make them feel relaxed before the hot seat, para sa 'upuan ng katotohanan.' And it worked because they were candid, they aimed to be honest, they were relaxed," said Korina during a Zoom conference on Tuesday, Feb. 8
For a refreshing change of pace, Korina gave a rare, armchair glimpse into the storied lives of the fascinating personalities.
“By design, I really wanted all the candidates to be known, not just for their political platforms or the usual issues, but for their rarely-seen human side as well. After all, they all have families, they all have their favorite pastimes, and most definitely, they know how to laugh and have fun.”
“Ang isang president ay tao rin. At tayong lahat ay tumataya sa kabuuan ng tao at hindi lang sa isang seryosong lider na nakaupo at sumasagot ng de kahon ng tanong. Sabi nga nila, tipo-tipo ‘yan sa pagpili,” Korina added.
She also said that it's not her style to offend guests during her program. "Ayoko magpahiya because hindi ko style yun. Para sa akin, kung inimbita ko yan, he's my guest. Hindi mo naman babastusin ang guest mo kapag pinapunta mo sa bahay mo. Lalo na pinapunta pa nila ako sa bahay nila. But it doesn't mean I didn't ask the tough questions."
Of the five presidential candidates, Korina believes she asked the toughest questions for Bongbong.
"Being the frontrunner, I asked Bongbong the toughest questions of all. Bakit? Ang layo niya sa survey. Nangunguna s'ya, so dapat lang talagang tanunging siya ng mga mababagsik na tanong. And I was very happy that he was game in answering the questions. I'm not saying na pinaniniwalaan kong lahat ng sinabi niya or pinaniniwalaan ako ng lahat ng nakausap ko. Bahala na ang mga manonood na humusga," she said.
Some of the questions for Bongbong were: you may swear to the 1987 constitution if you win, a departure from your father’s 1973 Constitution. Mag charter change ka ba? Are you a dictator? Will your wife Lisa be anything like Imelda Marcos? Was history revised because of your trolls? More than one Marcos in government. Will you support anti-dynasty bills? Do you do drugs? What will be your policy on drugs and on corruption?
Korina also shared a one-line summary for each of the five candidates she interviewed in her top-rating lifestyle magazine TV show.
Pacquiao: "Ang bentahe niya ay hindi ang diploma kundi ang kabutihan ng kanyang puso."
Marcos: "Ang nagawa ng tatay n'ya ay ginawa ng tatay niya. Iba ang gagaiwn niya at iba sya."
Robredo: "Kaya ko ito kasi babae ako."
Lacson: "He's the most qualified because he has seen it all, he has done it all. At alam niya ang gagawin niya."
Moreno: "Tignan n'yo ang ginawa ko sa Maynila. 'Yan din ang gagawin ko sa buong Pilipinas."
Now that she met and talked to the five presidentiables, Korina said she's ready to vote in May. "Yes, boboto ako pero hindi ko puwede sabihin kung sino."
Through all the freewheeling Fast Talk interviews, Korina also clarifies that, unlike most presidential debates or interviews, “Upuan ng Katotohanan” presented a non-opinionated dialogue with the five candidates.
“I have opinions about how and what they answered, but I’m not editorializing here. I hardly did follow-up questions, simply because we didn’t have that much time with each. You’ll just have to watch and judge for yourselves,” she said.
"Rated Korina: Upuan Ng Katohohanan" premiered on A2Z Channel 11, Kapamilya Channel and TV5 on Feb. 5. and OnePH, Feb. 6. The longer versions of the interviews were uploaded to the Rated Korina official YouTube channel last Feb. 7