Again, isn't that underestimating the intelligence of the Filipino people ? Erap became a President not because they are not smart. It is simply because they lack the decency to put the right people in position and not sell their votes. And in our country's political arena, is there really a qualified candidate?
Of course it is a matter of exposure. It is because the lack of it that people think they will not watch it if presented in English. You guys watch Friends, the X-Files, E.R., Buffy, etc. Sure they have simple plots... but you guys were able to follow. Alias is not that complex. And its complexity comes over time. Give them a little credit man.
Knowing English doesn't equate to being intelligent. ABS-CBN or any station for that matter is just responding to what their general audience want. The language the general audience of ABS-CBN understand and respond better to is Filipino/Tagalog. You're making our language out as the fool's tongue.
You may not like it and I may not like it but that's the fact of life. You can comment all you want but this doesn't change anything. People can setup an online petition and email it to ABS-CBN and I doubt they'll change their policy towards the show. Mentally unbalanced people could write flame email to ABS-CBN and they'd just delete it.
How can I not underestimate the Filipino intellect when Erap got the most votes of any single Presidential candidate in any election in Filipino history? In the assumption that all of those who voted soldout then how can you not say they're not mentally deficient? I think you're overestimating them.
Who is to say who is a "decent" and "right" candidate? People who get elected to posts only reflect the people who elected them into power. If the set of public servants are just a bunch of hoodlums and scoundrel then those who placed them there share similar traits.
This is reality in the Philippines that's why a third of the population opt to leave/abandon the country and go abroad. They'd rather not have to face the B$ on a daily basis.
As for choice of TV shows I seriously doubt the Masa would watch Friends, the X-Files, E.R., Buffy. On the contrary I think they'd gravitate to locally made or translated soaps and noon time TV shows like Eat Bulaga because it is more relevant to them. They can comprehend easily and that's what entertainment is supposed to be. Ever wondered why Mari Mar was so popular?
As for subtitles... People have a TV to watch a story unfold. If they wanted to read they'd buy a comicbook. The conventional Standard Definition TV was never designed to display text either. That's why you can't use it as a display for a computer.