“Patayin niyo nalang ako! Wala naman kayong pakialam sakin!

Those were the words I woke up on Wednesday morning, wailed by my 9-year old niece. Is she just being overly imaginative and dramatic or is this the result of watching too much soap operas?

We don’t subscribe to cable tv, because there’s too many kids in the house addicted to the TV even without cable. Unforunately, if you’re going to watch local TV all day, 80% of what you’ll be watching are soap operas.

From Anna Luna to Mara Clara, Days of our Lives to Sunset Beach, Marimar to Maria la del Barrio, Meteor Garden to Full House, soap operas in Philippine TV has not only crossed borders but also generations and genres. From the usual drama, there’s some with hints of comedy and (no) thanks to GMA-7, fantaseryes.

What is it about soaps that appeal to us Pinoys anyway? Is it some sort of morbid fascination of watching how people live (despite these lives being fake and made up), that triggers the ususero inside every Pinoy?

In any case, I doubt if they’re going away anytime soon. But I better not hear my neice utter similar words again in the future. Specially when I’ve just woken up.