Posted by Jade
August 15th, 2010 
22 Comments
ret-RUBI-tion
“Nakakapagtaka nga eh… Kung kailan nabokya ‘yung beauty ko, tsaka naman mas maraming nagmahal sa’kin.”
This is one of Rubi’s (Angelica Panganiban) last lines as her soap opera aired its finale last Friday. This is also the main point of the story, which roughly vernacularized Proverbs 31:30—“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”
ABS-CBN sold Rubi to the public by tagging its main protagonist as the “bidang kontra-bida.” (Haha that reminds me of our discussion in church about postmodernism.) She’s a trash-talking, home-wrecking exploiter whose unrelenting quest for fortune can make any televiewer sincerely want nothing but retribution cast upon her shoulders. Indeed, in the words of my mom, pangit ang ugali ni Rubi. She’s so successful in her evil schemes, every episode seems to retard the grind of God’s mill.
Mas may itsura mga pinoy ‘no? haha
Sensual
Imported from Mexico’s Televisa, the soap opera inevitably contains a few sporadic scenes depicting sensuality. Throughout watching Rubi, I feel that they are unnecessary and too sexy for TV. Yes, Rubi is by characterization a gold-digging seductress but Alejandro (Jake Cuenca) stripping and mounting on her is too graphic. And guess what, children don’t sleep before 10:00 p.m. anymore.
I remember Angelica interviewed on SNN expressing surprise that even youngsters enjoy watching Rubi because admittedly, she said, the soap isn’t exactly for them. The people behind the show, having known this, should have done away with the sexually-charged episodes therefore. I’m pretty sure their creativity would have allowed it without slaughtering the story.
Despite its promo ads’ crass reliance on sensuality, though, I still followed Rubi.
Compelling cast and story
The cast is simply compelling. Coney and Diether turn out to be my favorites here. And on this note, may I just say that it has been my observation that creating hard-to-forget characters is one of ABS-CBN’s strengths when it comes to soap operas. (Disclaimer: I’m neither “kapamilya” nor “kapuso” nor “kabarkada” nor “ka-Q” nor “kapatid” because I don’t buy these image campaigns.)
Coney Reyes and Juan Rodrigo as Hector’s parents
In fact, Coney is the primary reason I followed the show. What on earth is the 700 Club Asia host doing in Rubi was for me the wonder of wonders. It was my instant inquiry the moment I found out that she was going to play Hector’s (Diether Ocampo) mom, Elisa Ferrer.
I discovered that the story, though recognizably shows traces of a soap opera template, has a message. And what a relief it doesn’t end with a wedding because Rubi isn’t just a forlorn gal looking for love. Her character is a window through the life of many Filipino women who are gripped by poverty and bitterness, and just want out no matter what’s at stake. In her quest for a more comfortable life, she ends up stepping on people, losing the ones dear to her, and hurting herself.
Parents
One strikingly unmistakable value the story presents is the importance of parental counsel. All main characters (Rubi, Alejandro, Hector and Maribel, played by Shaina Magdayao) are usually shown talking with their parents and receiving counsel from them. Of course, these parents are far from being sterling models, and parents in real life are not perfect, but the show stands out in ultimately justifying that there’s worth in not messing up parenthood and in establishing meaningful relationship with parents.
Bad company
Rubi also shows that we can be shaped and defined by the company we keep. I hate Lorreto (Mel Soriano)! He’s Rubi’s evil best friend, and he’s not worth a paragraph but here I am writing about him. He’s in part to blame for Rubi’s unstoppable debasement. First Corinthians 15:33 says, “Bad company corrupts good character.” How I wish Lorreto came with Alejandro to the construction site so that Hector and Rubi would have just fallen onto him. *not so evil laugh*
Retribution
In the end, Rubi loses her right leg, gets scarred on the face and seeks reformation. She loses the very weapon—her beauty—she all along thought would get her out of the quagmire she was in but only then did she really get what she’d been yearning for—peace of mind that not even money can buy.
Some people felt the ending was rushed, and I myself want to find out what’s become of Elisa’s relationship to Rubi and Genaro’s (Juan Rodrigo) family. Nonetheless, I would like to view the finale as not just the last episode but the last five episodes aired from August 9-13, where Coney, Diether and Angelica delivered knock-out (literally) performances. Overall, Rubi has great story and cast but it could have more strongly conveyed its message and values with more effective moral force had it not relied on sensuality in hopes of buoying ratings.
I leave you with my favorite scene in the finale week where tables are turned as Hector uncovers Rubi’s secret, gripping viewers with intense acting by Coney, Diether and Angelica:
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Tags: alejandro, angelica panganiban, christian review rubi, coney reyes, coney reyes in rubi, diether ocampo, ending of rubi, hector, jake cuenca, maribel, rubi, rubi abs cbn, rubi final episode story, rubi last episode, rubi philippines, shaina magdayao, what happened to rubi
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