Image: Instagram/@cathygonzaga
Actress and singer Alex Gonzaga recently drew mixed reactions from netizens after she posted about her latest endorsement with sweet chili sauce Jufran, under the condiments lineup of NutriAsia Inc.
Gonzaga took to social media on Oct. 7 where she shared about her commercial for the condiment. In the video, Gonzaga can be seen pairing the sweet and chili sauce with a myriad of food such as lumpiang shanghai, squidballs and fried chicken.
“My favorite sawsawan!!!” Gonzaga shared on Twitter. “JUFRAN sweet and chilli sauce for all my pritos!! Ang sarap!!! #JUFRANtheWORLD.”
https://twitter.com/Mscathygonzaga/status/1049174403278229504
Gonzaga’s announcement of her latest endorsement garnered differing takes from netizens who came upon it.
It was last June when workers of NutriAsia conducted a strike in the company’s plant in Marilao, Bulacan — an act that slammed NutriAsia’s alleged violation of workers’ rights. The workers were violently dispersed by Bulacan police officers on June 15.
NutriAsia has since accused the workers of allegedly misrepresenting themselves as employees of the company, claiming that they were employees of its contractor, B-Mirk Enterprises Corporation. NutriAsia also said in an earlier statement that they do not practice labor contractualization or “endo” (end of contract) in their plant.
“Na-regularize na po ba workers nila?” one netizen (@yogeemann) asked Gonzaga last Oct. 9.
https://twitter.com/yogeemann/status/1049567981569630209
Another (@skullohmania) wondered what it would be like if Gonzaga had a dream about the condiment, but instead of eating the sweet and chili sauce, it would be the blood of NutriAsia’s workers.
“Ano kaya managinip siya ‘no na ‘yong sauce na kinakain niya, dugo pala ng mga manggagawa.”
Ano kaya managinip siya 'no na 'yong sauce na kinakain niya, dugo pala ng mga manggagawa.
— skullohmania 💀 (@skullohmania) October 9, 2018
Meanwhile, a certain Cheche (@steadybeers), tweeted to Gonzaga yesterday, Oct. 10, and expressed her disappointment over artists who endorse products just for the money.
“Not NutriAsia Cathy! So disappointed how artists endorse products for the [money],” the netizen wrote. “This makes me sad. Ayaw kong maniwala na you trust NutriAsia. Sana nagresearch muna ang team mo. God bless you, Cathy. More endorsements to come. #BoycottNutriAsia.”
https://twitter.com/steadybeers/status/1049979266316652544
Others saw nothing wrong with Gonzaga’s post and expressed that they cannot wait to buy the condiment.
“Tamang tama at timing talaga sa chicken namin,” wrote one Gab (@iamgabriel). “Gusto ko na bumili!!!”
https://twitter.com/iamgabriel/status/1049249753328803841
Another also supported Gonzaga and congratulated her on her latest endorsement.
“Diba, dami pa rin blessings!!” wrote a certain KJ (@kyhmjdrp). “Congrats sa new endorsement ate. We love you!!”
Diba, dami pa rin blessings!! Congrats sa new endorsement ate. We love you!! 💜💕
— kj. ☪️ (@kjinhobiii) October 8, 2018
Thus far, Gonzaga has stayed mum and refused to regale the netizens amid their questions and mixed reactions. She, however, replied to one netizen who expressed that they got hungry because of her commercial.
“Hahaha totoo!” Gonzaga said on Oct. 8. “Ako rin nga kaya pinost ko para it’s a tie tayo.”
([Laughs] True! Me too! That’s why I posted, so it would be a tie!)
Hahaha totoo! Ako rin nga kaya pinost ko para it’s a tie tayo 😂
— Alex Gonzaga-Morada (@Mscathygonzaga) October 8, 2018
Contractualization is a plight that continues to persist and pervade the lives of many Filipino workers. Apart from NutriAsia workers, regular employees of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. threatened to go on strike last September if the firm refuses to grant regular employment to its 12,000-strong contractual workers.
In the same month, President Rodrigo Duterte certified the anti-contractualization bill (also known as the Security of Tenure Bill) as urgent. Duterte said that if passed, the bill would solidify workers’ security of tenure by “prohibiting prevalent practices of contractualization and labor-only contracting, which continues to immerse workers in a quagmire of poverty and underemployment.” JB
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