Who’s on the cover?

Manila Standard Today, Lifestyle | January 9, 2012

We’re barely days into the New Year and we already have something delicious to talk about. It’s one of those things that are so laughably incredible, it’ll definitely make many a year-end review in December. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, so here’s The Gist:

When two of the country’s most prominent fashion magazines unveiled their January covers online, we let out a cumulative gasp of disbelief.

We recognize one of them and pretty much decided that the person who edited the photo had a grand ol’ time with the digital airbrush. Still, she was recognizable. In the pic, her arms were too skinny, her nose was different and her eyes were Korean. Still, we knew it was her.

The other cover is a different story. Is it Kristine Hermosa? Glydel Mercado? A new fashion model? Who is that girl? She’s super slim, she’s got perfect boobs, her hair is to die for and that face—oh my, that face. We had to squint our eyes to read the name beside the image to identify who she was. And boy, were we in for the biggest shock!

She’s a very public figure and we witnessed how she “transformed” through the years. But were we prepared for this? Hell no! Sure, she might have been uber-Belofied but how she looked on the cover is just beyond reality. She’s basically a cartoon.

Then, they showed us the behind-the-scenes video. In it, it was revealed that she does look like that, but not that thin, young and bone structurally blessed. The photo-editing took it to a whole new level of artificial-ness with poutier lips, more dramatic eyes, longer neck and—OMG—she has cheekbones!

However, reps from both publication are insisting that they did not alter the pictures but merely cleaned it up. Say what?! They can say it’s the makeup, the lighting and all those traditional enhancements, but we know better. And it’s time that they stop underestimating and insulting the intelligence of the Filipino public. We’re the people who buy your magazines, you know? Show some respect.