Why does this dusty, 40-year-old story matter in 2024? Because the ghost of that Betamax tape is still alive. The push for "Better Lifestyle and Entertainment" at UPD—spearheaded inadvertently by Vivian Velez and Mayor Fariñas—led directly to:
Mayor Farinas was known for his accessible, down-to-earth leadership, but also for his love of media. He frequently appeared in local TV spots, parades, and even entertainment segments. The Betamax tape in question was reportedly a recording of a civic event or a private dinner-show where Vivian Velez was the special guest, and Mayor Farinas was the host with the most.
: The rumors surfaced in the 1980s, alleging the existence of an intimate video tape (recorded on Betamax, the popular format at the time) featuring Velez and Fariñas. The Context : At the time, Rudy Fariñas was a law student at Ateneo de Manila University