What scares Jessica Soho the most?
MANILA, Philippines — In her 40 years as a journalist, Jessica Soho has braved conflict zones, natural disasters, corruption scandals, and even the eerie and supernatural.
But what would scare her the most?
The STAR had to ask her this question during the mediacon for the big-screen edition of her popular “KMJS” Halloween special, “Gabi ng Lagim.”
The film, which premieres today in cinemas as an anthology, draws from the Sunday magazine show’s collection of true-to-life chilling tales of paranormal encounters, demonic possessions and urban legends. The segments include “Pocong” (written by Onay Camero, directed by Yam Laranas), where a Filipino seafarer’s first voyage turns into a terrifying trip with onboard hauntings by Indonesian ghosts. Another is “Berbalang” (written and directed by Dodo Dayao), which is about a flesh-eating creature that terrorizes a small town. The last one, “Sanib” (directed by King Mark Baco, written by Anton Santamaria and Onay Sales-Camero), is a story of evil spirit possession.
Going by the veteran anchor-host’s stories, Jessica strongly believes in the supernatural. She recounted seeing the ghost of a dead colleague passing through her cubicle. “Maybe it was his way of saying, ‘Uy, why didn’t you visit me?’ because it was sudden. I was on vacation when he died of a heart attack. It’s okay na rin that he made his presence felt to me, but that’s when I proved that ghosts are real.”
However, both the paranormal and the current state of the country scare her just as much today.
“Of course, I’m afraid of ghosts — anytime. But this downward spiral is scary, I hope it stops. It’s like every day there’s new information coming out that’s disturbing. And in the movie, the more maligalig ka (restless you are), the more vulnerable you become to terrifying entities.”
She further pointed out that there are real issues behind the horror stories in “KMJS’ Gabi ng Lagim,” from the OFW situation, abuse of power to mental health.
“So, it’s connected,” Jessica added, referring to the film’s themes and the current problems in the society.
But when asked by this paper about her biggest fear nowadays, she reiterated the “downward spiral,” explaining, “Kung magtuloy-tuloy itong masamang sitwasyon sa ating lipunan, hindi tayo makaahon. Nakakatakot siya. (If this bad situation in our society continues, we won’t be able to recover. That’s frightening.)”
She continued, “Yung mga kurakot (the corrupt), they’re already okay, they can leave anytime. Malamang ang dami na nilang nakurakot na yaman, ‘di ba (They’ve probably pocketed so much wealth already, right)?”
It’s the ordinary people, she added, who face daily struggles to survive, who worry her the most. “Paano naman tayo, paano naman yung mga araw-araw nagsisikap na mabuhay dito sa ating bansa? Yun ang nakakatakot,” she added.
Jessica recalled the economic crises of the ‘80s when the country suffered capital flight and investors pulled out due to its “very negative reputation,” leaving the economy in tatters.
“Bumagsak yung ekonomiya, na-survive naman natin (we were able to survive that). But I hope there won’t be a Round 2. Tama na.”
Responding to a light question from the media in relation to “Sanib,” Jessica joked about wanting someone like the late Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago to “possess” her, “Gusto ko si Miriam Defensor Santiago, kailangan natin yung ganun ngayon, naga-galit, nag-bi-beast mode at walang sina-santo. Gusto kong saniban niya ako pero wag ho Ma’am, sinasagot ko lang yung tanong.”
While said in jest, Jessica’s frustration wasn’t lost on us, and netizens had sensed it from her recent string of reports about ghost projects that continue to haunt the country.
“May mga buntong-hininga ako, ‘di ba? Because I’m already 61, and I’m still covering the same issues. Sana naman nagbago, parang na-recycle lang lahat nung mga issue noong 1980s hanggang ngayon. Yun pa rin, pahirap pa ng pahirap yung buhay, ‘di ba?”
Nevertheless, if there’s one takeaway from the film that Jessica wants viewers to carry with them, it is: “The most important takeaway there is — magpakatatag tayo, laban lang (stay strong, just keep fighting).”
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