- MMDA said Asst. Sec. Celine Pialago’s complaint against Doris Bigornia is a personal matter.
The Metro Manila Development Authority through its General Manager has distanced itself from the rift between its Spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Celine Pialago and ABS-CBN reporter Doris Bigornia.
In a letter dated August 8, 2019, General Manager Jose Arturo Garcia Jr said Pialago’s complaint against Bigornia is personal in nature.
Garcia detached the agency from the complaint saying Pialago’s letter to ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs Head Ging Reyes was at her own behest. He also added that although the letter bears the agency’s official letterhead, it was not sanctioned by the MMDA.
“We would like to inform you that Asec. Pialago’s letter is personal in nature. It does not reflect or represent the MMDA as an institution despite the said letter being printed on the official letterhead. We did not sanction the same as was done for her personal behest.”
MMDA also reiterated its good working relationship with Bigornia citing her effectiveness in reporting their projects in traffic management and flood control. The letter also said that it will be beneficial if Bigornia will be retained as ABS-CBN reporter assigned to the agency.
“We have a very good working relationship and your person [Doris Bigornia] has been very helpful in conveying MMDA’s message to the public.
“We will be very pleased if you will be retained as ABS-CBN’s assigned reporter to the agency.”
MMDA’s clarificatory letter came after its spokesperson and Asst. Sec. Celine Pialago wrote a letter to ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs head Ging Reyes complaining about Doris Bigornia’s alleged rude behavior.
In the letter, Pialago said she accidentally bumped into the senior reporter during a fire drill at Makati City hall. While she already apologized, Doris was still not appeased by it.
“I accidentally bumped into Ms. Bigornia. I apologized to her but instead she struck me and kept shouting at me as if I deliberately did it,” she said in the letter.
Pialago also said that Bigornia has been spreading rumors about her having plastic surgeries which are below the belt.
“She was backstabbing me, saying my nose is fake, my body is fake, and everything about me is fake and that is totally below the belt,” she added.
Furthermore, Pialago said that she doesn’t know where Bigornia’s hostility towards her is coming from and that it was not the first time that the Kapamilya reporter bullied her.
Meanwhile, as a response to Pialago’s letter, the ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs Division Head promised that she would make an investigation into the senior reporter’s recent actions.
