PHILIPPINES – The Queen of all Media has left the building. Long-time ABS-CBN talent Kris Aquino has been in the spotlight not only as an actress and host, but as the most vocal member of a political family that has produced two presidents. Making good a promise to step away from the camera so as not to distract attention from her brother, newly elected President Noynoy Aquino, Kris ended her TV commitments last week.
In 2009, Kris campaigned heavily for her brother Noynoy, who was sworn in as president of the republic on June 30. During the election campaign, Kris made a promise that while her brother is president, she will not have TV shows to avoid her appearances affecting his ratings and performance as a public servant.
A few days before the inauguration, Kris Aquino bade the viewers of showbiz talk show "The Buzz" farewell after 10 years as one of its hosts. She also announced that she has initiated legal moves to separate from her basketball player husband James Yap, who is 10 years her junior. Yap, meanwhile, has vowed to save the marriage and not give up for the sake of their family. The press has been closely following the up and downs of their five-year marriage.
The couple have a three-year-old son, Baby James, who has also appeared on TV and in ads. Kris also has another son, Joshua, from a previous relationship. After the end of her primetime television drama series "Kung Tayo’y Magkakalayo" (KTM) on July 9, Kris flew to the United States with her children for a three-week vacation that will bring them to Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida.
For someone who has enjoyed constant media exposure and numerous product endorsements, the move for a more quiet private role will be a major change for Kris. However, as the nation has been gripped by her domestic saga, and given her record for speaking up about the issues in her life, it is unlikely that Kris will ever be unavailable for comment.
