Palace to Pinoys: Don't be swayed by 'gates of hell' tag

A Malacañang official on Friday urged “ordinary readers” to believe testimonials on Manila’s beauty rather than be swayed by a fictional character's unpleasant observations about the place. “We trust that ordinary readers will give more weight to the testimonials of real people who have enjoyed their stay here in our beautiful country over the experiences of a fictional character whose narrative is written for maximum effect,” said deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte in a text message. Valte was reacting to a controversial passage in American novelist Dan Brown’s latest book, Inferno, where the main character describes the Philippine capital as the “gates of hell.” An excerpt from the book goes: “When the group settled in among the throngs in the city of Manila—the most densely populated city on earth—Sienna could only gape in horror. She had never seen poverty on this scale.”   The novel also describes that the city as having “six-hour traffic jams, suffocating pollution, and a horrifying sex trade, whose workers consisted primarily of young children, many of whom had been sold to pimps by parents who took solace in knowing that at least their children would be fed.” More than a few Filipinos have stirred against the description, including Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino, who wrote to Brown to voice his displeasure. “While we are aware that yours is a work of fiction, we are greatly disappointed by your inaccurate portrayal of our beloved metropolis,” Tolentino said. — Patricia Denise Chiu/KBK, GMA News