SEPTEMBER 21 was a busy, whirlwind kind of day for the singer Jed Madela. Earlier that morning, he was in Malacañang to serenade President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The President had invited him to the Palace to congratulate him on his recent victory at a major talent competition in the United States.
He was then whisked to an ABS-CBN studio to sing with Sarah Geronimo on the show, Homeboy. Then it was on to the Dusit Hotel Nikko in Makati City to accept a special citation from the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP), which was holding its monthly general meeting. The trip to Ayala Center itself from Quezon City was a treacherous adventure, what with the heavy traffic and the protest rally being held along Ayala Avenue. But Madela and his manager arrived early enough to squeeze an interview and photo session with The Sunday Times Magazine at the hotel lobby.