FORMER Pinoy Big Brother housemate Jarren Cruz faced backlash after his live report on TV Patrol Express about the wake of veteran actress Gloria Romero, with netizens criticizing his delivery and an apparent lack of experience in news reporting.
Viewers also called out the news program for assigning a “rookie reporter” to report on such a significant event.
“The disrespect to Miss Gloria Romero. Sana sa susunod, kapag mala-kinder bumasa ang starlet, huwag na ipilit. Nakakabastos sa pagkamatay ng isang well-respected icon in the industry,” one comment read.
Another wrote: “This was a wrong move by the management. Knowing his Tagalog accent isn’t fluent, they should’ve just given him a guesting spot instead of putting him on live news. I get that his voice sounds good, but c’mon, he can’t even read straight Tagalog.”
Others pointed out his noticeable struggle with fluency, questioning whether he was the right fit for a news segment.
However, some defended Cruz, a Fil-British who has only been in the Philippines for four months.
“Whoever arranged to put Jarren Garcia on TV Patrol is at fault. Yes, he could’ve done better, but why is he being condemned? Baby steps sana—make him more fluent first,” one supporter argued.
Another added: “Jarren grew up in London, so he’s having difficulty speaking straight Tagalog. It’s not his fault that TV Patrol assigned this report to him! Nonetheless, he tried his best with sincerity.”
