May 15, 2019 - Wednesday
"Wow ibang-iba naman pala talaga." Sabi ni Catt sa group-chat naming tatlo nila Kori.
Kasunod ng chat niyang 'yan ang interview video ni... Jace???
"Ay ang taray may pa exposure na si Prof!" Sabi naman ni Kori.
"Mr. Gosingtian, with all due respect beshie HAHAHAHA" Panggagago naman ni Catt.
"Parang kdrama na talaga ang buhay ng beshie natin! Ang taray! Pa hard to get pa rin kahit si Mr. Gosingtian the 3rd na ang naghahabol!!!" Sabi naman ni Korri.
Nanginginig ang aking mga kamay nang kinuha ko ang earphone ko at agad na pinanuod ang "exclusive one-on-one interview" ng isang news media outlet kay Jace.
"So Mr. Gosingtian, how do you feel for being here today?" Tanong sakanya ng interviewer, napataas na lang ang kilay ko nang marinig ko ang "Mr. Gosingtian", pero halatang-halata naman ang pagkailang ni Jace nang i-address siyang Mr. Gosingtian.
"Please don't call me Mr. Gosingtian, medyo hindi pa ako sanay. Jace will do." Hiyang-hiya na sabi ni Jace habang nakahawak ang kanyang kanang kamay sa kanyang batok at halos mawala na ang mga mata niya dahil sa hiya.
Napa-iling naman ako, "Bobo. Sana Mr. Rivas na lang kung hindi ka sanay sa Gosingtian para pormal. Amputa. Introductory interview tapos first name basis, gago ka ba???"Bulong ko.
"Oh sorry, so how do you feel for being here today, Jace?" Pag-ulit ng interviewer.
First name basis talaga??? Ano siya nasa Tonight With Boy Abunda??????
"Of course I feel really good to be here today. Uhhm, it's a privilege for me since it's my first time to be interviewed like this, I mean about myself and my families and this is also my first ever exposure as a Yucaico-Gosingtian. Actually even my close friends, hindi pa sila aware that I just changed my legal name." Tugon naman ni Jace na napakapormal ng composure.
"Ohhhh so you just changed your name nga 'no? Can we know what your present legal full name is? Kasi medyo nagiging magulo lalo na sa surname mo. And can we know too why is it like that?"
Nakita ko na medyo napatigil si Jace pero agad din namang nakabawi.
"Oh, my name... What a simple yet complicated question..." Natatawang sabi niya.
"My birth name is Yuan Zhi Sheng. That's my Chinese name which I used until I turned 3 years old, and then my mom changed my legal name to Niccolo Jace Hee Rivas, and then 2 months ago my legal name was changed to Niccolo Jace Yucaico Gosingtian."
Wait...
'Yan na talaga ang legal name niya?
"So bakit Hee-Rivas 'yung former name mo?" Tanong nitong interviewer.
Ay alam ko sagot dyan! Napangiti na lang ako.
Habang sinasagot ni Jace ang tanong, pinagmamasdan ko siya...
The old Jace is back...
He's now well...
Wala na masyadong bakas ng pagiging miserable pero medyo kulang pa sa ayos.
"It's from the maiden name of my mom since my parents are not married. And instead of Yucaico, my mom used Rivas. It's a surname she purchased a long time ago for security purposes." Sagot niya.
"So why did you suddenly changed your name to Yucaico-Gosingtian?"
Kitang-kita ko ang pagkatulala ni Jace sa kawalan at medyo natagalan pang makabawi.
I know how much he hates personal questions. Lalo na kapag sa family. Kaya damang-dama ko ang pagiging tensyonado niya sa interview na 'to.
"Ano... Actually it's not my choice kasi I was enjoying living a normal life. Yung hindi alam ng karamihan na galing ako sa dalawang kilalang pamilya. But my dad convinced me before to use Gosingtian. Kasi ano, actually dati pa kasi 'to like noong 18 years old pa ako, when my mom passed away. Kaso matagal pala ang process ng pag change ng surname. Uhmmm, ano, my dad asked me to use Gosingtian since I was supposedly the heir and I should bear the surname of Gosingtian as the 3rd generation heir." Tugon ni Jace na halatang-halata ang pag-aalinlangan.
"What do you mean by living a normal life?" Tanong sakanya.
"A normal life... Like yung araw-araw na nag co-commute, jeeps, buses, LRTs and MRTs, lakad. Nakakakain sa tabi-tabi, fishball, taho, fast-foods and such. Hindi pinagtitinginan, o pinagbubulungan. By normal life, I also mean being as someone unrecognized. Kasi as much as possible ayokong malagay sa spotlight, or magkaroon ng special treatment saakin because my mother raised me in the most simplest and humblest way. Kaya ngayon I live alone. Walang driver, walang maids or what." Tugon niya.
"How old are you when your mom passed away? And can you tell us what happened?" Tanong sakanya.
"I was 18 when she passed away. And her cause of death is brain aneurysm."
"You were so young pa pala when she died. So paano mo naman na overcome? Kasi you're still a minor noon e. So bumalik ka sa dad mo?" Tanong sakanya, umiling naman siya.
"No. My mother's brother took care of me for a couple of years and then I leaved alone na noong sigurado akong kaya ko nang mag-isa besides I have different sources of income naman na noon kaso limited capability lang kasi nga minor pa." Tugon niya.
"How old are you when your parents got separated naman? And do you have any idea why they got separated?"
Umiling si Jace, "Sorry but I am not in the position to answer that question. It's best to ask my dad." Medyo supladong tugon niya.
Sabagay. Kung sasagutin niya 'yung tanong, pwedeng ikasira ng image ng dad niya 'yun.
"E how are you with the Gosingtians and Yucaicos naman? Saang side ka mas close?"
Medyo napatigil si Jace, "Actually hindi naman ganun ka-close ang family ties sa father side ko. My 2 siblings are in China pero 'yung youngest naman we're so close actually muntik ko pa nga maging student 'yun when she was about to graduate. Sa Yucaico naman, I see each one of them as my family. Kasi parang mas ina-adapt nila yung Filipino family culture kesa sa Chinese na mostly business minded. Mas may care sila sa isa't-isa ganun. So I guess sa Yucaico." Tugon niya naman.
"I'm sorry but what do you do for a living now? Like are you working with Yucaicos or Gosingtians?"
Umiling si Jace, "I'm a stockholder of both companies, major stockholder ako sa Gosingtian. Pero I'm not employed by either. I'm actually a professor right now."
"Ohhhh, you're a professor? What subjects are you teaching?"
"Uhmm, Sociology, Anthropology, History, Politics and Governance, Contemporary World, and other subjects related to Foreign or International Relations. Basically Social Sciences ang subjects ko because my course way-back college is Foreign Service major in Diplomacy and then I have a masters degree in Foreign Service too."
"Why are you the heir? E diba, if I'm not mistaken, you have an older brother? Bakit hindi siya? E it's a Chinese business rule that the eldest son will be the heir diba?" Tanong sakanya.
Napairap na lang ako sa nag i-interview kasi parang hindi marunong. Tanong nang tanong lang tapos hindi related 'yung pagkakasunod-sunod ng mga tanong niya.
"My brother has different dreams and I think being in the corporate world is the least thing he wants. He's into medical field kasi." Sabi niya.
"And you, how do you feel that your the heir? I mean you're like a combination of two richest families here in the Philippines. How do you feel about that? Like hindi ka ba torn sa dalawa? Kasi Yucaico Group of Companies and Gosingtian Corporation are in the same industry, therefore they are competing with each other, right?" Tanong ng interviewer.
"Actually...." Sabi ni Jace at huminga ng malalim.
"I declined being the 3rd generation heir... The 3rd generation heir now is my youngest sister." Seryosong sabi ni Jace.
Napatigil 'yung babaeng nag i-interview sakanya...
Ganun din ako...
Gulat na gulat...
Si Irene na???
"Again, to our viewers, Mr. Niccolo Jace Gosingtian declined his throne in Gosingtian Corporation." Ulit ng interviewer.
Jace... Bakit???
"May I know why you declined being the heir?" Tanong sakanya.
"Because... Just like my brother, the corporate world is not my interest... I am more interested in teaching, or serving the Filipino people abroad. I actually worked for DFA for a few years before I started teaching. And a year from now I will take the Foreign Service Officer exam to become a diplomat as it is my goal ever since."
"How do you feel in declining that golden opportunity naman? Kasi, isn't sayang because GC is a very huge conglomerate company which gain billions of pesos per month?"
Nag kibit-balikat si Jace, "To be honest I feel relieved because you know, happiness depends in oneself. Siguro sa iba, money, a luxurious life means a happy life. Pero for me, being able to do what you really want to do in life, and achieving the goals you set in your own life is happiness. Yes, it may be a wasted opportunity but that's not everything. Hindi lang 'yun ang opportunity sa buhay ko. And besides, who needs billions of wealth kung sa huli, hindi naman natin madadala sa hukay 'yan?"
"Is that really the reason why you declined the opportunity or may iba pa?" Tanong sakanya.
Umiling naman si Jace, "That's the only exact reason."
"Is it not because Gosingtian Corporation is involved with the drug syndicate of the family of your ex-girlfriend? The Tuandos?"
Shit?????
Napatingin nang diretso si Jace sa interviewer, halatang hindi inaasahan ang ganyang tanong.
Pero agad na nakabawi sa pamamagitan ng pagtawa.
"What? Seriously?" Natatawang tanong niya.
"It's senseless to accuse Gosingtian Corporation to be involved with any drug syndicate. Walang grounds to say that GC is involved in any illegal activities. I deny these malicious rumors and allegations." Dugtong niya.
"And did you really declined your throne or your grandfather and/or your father took it back because you broke up with the daughter of their business partner?" Tanong sakanya.
Bakit biglang naging ganyan ang mga tanong???
"No. That is not true. Haha seriously? Saan niyo nakuha 'yang mga 'yan?" Tanong ni Jace na unti-unti nang nawawala ang composure.
"Anyways, I am certain that these rumors are not true. Authorities may conduct investigations anytime, go lang. As I am confident that Gosingtian Corporation, or we, are not hiding anything." Tugon niya.
Pinag-patuloy ko ang panunuod sa interview habang nag s-stalk sa Twitter ni Jace gamit ang aking dummy Twitter account.
"Lol at those people who hires a news media outlet just to interview someone for the sake of lowkey accusing that person of something illegal."
"How fucking unprofessional. The agreement was already clear..."
"How I hate capitalists... I hope I can just use Rivas-Yucaico instead of Yucaico-Gosingtian. Lol previous legal name is still better than my present legal name tho."
"Sorry, I will never accept any interviews and/or exposures anymore. I am no longer affiliated with Gosingtians and the Gosingtian Corporation."
"I am now happy and free. Isa na lang ang importanteng bagay ang kulang... Siya..."
Tinignan ko si Jace na nagpapaliwanag sa interview tungkol sakanyang political perspective...
"Miss na talaga kita.." Bulong ko bago ko i-unblock ang lahat ng social media accounts niya pati na rin ang number niya...