Having been in the showbiz writing business for far too long, Cristy Fermin cannot be tagged as an ultracrepidarian or someone who weighs in on topics she hardly knows.
Herself doing her own sleuthing, CSF — as I address her — humbly takes pride in being a walking showbiz authority. She is her own reservoir of information. Her online program “Showbiz Now Na” with co-host Romel Tsika recently touched on the professional falling-out between Aiko Melendez and Ogie Diaz.
The two have been friends since the ‘90s, until Aiko had Ogie manage her showbiz career. Theirs was more of a personal relationship than a professional one, as Aiko to this day affectionately calls Ogie “Mader” (gay speak for mother).
Truth be told, they’ve come a long way, with Ogie present even in Aiko’s most tempestuous seasons of life. Their motherly — or sisterly — bond has spilled into their respective families: Aiko is one of Ogie’s daughters’ godmothers, and Ogie is Aiko’s son Andre’s ninong (godfather).
Meanwhile, Cristy has a lot to share about some trivial stuff strangely unique--if appalling--to the Aiko-Ogie bond. According to the veteran writer, Ogie has been Aiko’s convenient go-to whenever she faced problems of whatever kind.
“As in pinupuntahan ni Aiko si Ogie sa bahay pag may problems siya. Mapa-career, love life, name it. Si Ogie Ang takbuhan niya!(Aiko goes to Ogie’s house whenever she has problems. Whether in her career, love life, name it. She runs to Ogie),” Cristy disclosed.
Apparently, what Cristy found awkward was Aiko’s disrespectful way of suddenly ending their manager-talent relationship.
“Hindi ba’t kawalan ng respeto ‘yung binitawan ni Aiko si Ogie bilang manager through Messenger? Nakukuha nga niyang sadyain si Ogie nang personal pag may problems siya noon, ‘no! (Wasn’t it disrespectful for Aiko to drop Ogie as her manager through Messenger? She could make the effort to see Ogie in person whenever she had problems before, couldn’t she?),” a somewhat riled-up Cristy said on air.
It was at this point Cristy reasserted the sleuth in her, dredging up unknown facts about Aiko’s gone by love life with Zambales Rep. Jay Khonghun: “Kanino ba galing ‘yung tinitirhang bahay ni Aiko ngayon? ‘Di ba, kay Jay (Who did the house Aiko is living in now come from? Wasn’t it from Jay)?”
Obviously to Ogie’s rescue, Cristy could just imagine Aiko’s dire helplessness in navigating showbiz intrigues without Ogie as her number one defender, shock absorber, ally all rolled into one.
Cristy further expressed: “Even I myself tried as much as I could, not to say anything bad or negative about Aiko for Ogie’s sake. And I’m sure every showbiz reporter felt the same way out of their love and respect for Ogie. Now, who’ll take a bullet for Aiko?”
Cristy feels anxious for Aiko amid swirling talk that Aiko’s gunning for a seat in Congress in the 2028 elections.
“With all the political mudslinging, all the more that Aiko needs to gather all her friends from the entertainment media. But the question is: how many does Aiko have? Doesn’t she rely only on her paid hacks?” Cristy said.
On the contrary, Aiko keeps an army of loyal media friends who survive without having to depend on her.