Charo Santos Shares Story of Being Labeled ‘Heartless’ by Jim Paredes
CHARO SANTOS – Actress and media executive Charo Santos recently recalled a moment when Jim Paredes called her “heartless,” a comment that left a lasting impact on her.
Charo Santos recently opened up on Instagram about a humbling experience from her career that left a lasting impression on her. In her candid “story time” video, she shared how she was once called “heartless” by APO Hiking Society’s Jim Paredes—a comment that caught her off guard and taught her an important lesson in empathy.
Charo began her story by reminiscing about Tatak Pilipino, an award-winning cultural TV program that aired in the mid-1990s. It was hosted by Jim Paredes and Gel Santos-Relos. Despite the show’s success, its ratings eventually declined, prompting advertisers to pull out. This led to the inevitable cancellation of the show, a difficult decision Charo had to personally relay to the hosts.
“I met with Jim and Gel at sinabi ko yung reasons behind it, tinanggap naman nila,” Charo said.
However, the situation took a surprising turn during a team-building event with APO Hiking Society. There, Jim unexpectedly told her, “You know, Charo, you’re so heartless.” The remark stunned her. Confused, she asked what she had done wrong. Jim then revealed that the cancellation of Tatak Pilipino had happened on his birthday.
“Oh my God, natunaw ako sa hiya,” Charo admitted, visibly moved by the memory. “I said sorry so many times.”
Reflecting on the experience, Charo said it taught her that even in the world of showbiz, where business decisions must be made, the personal feelings of artists should never be overlooked.
“Talents are not just cogs in the machine. They’re people who get hurt,” she emphasized.
Since then, Charo made it a point to note the birthdays of all talents she worked with, ensuring that no program was ever cancelled on someone’s special day again. The story served not just as a personal reflection, but as a reminder of the importance of compassion in leadership.
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