The Philippine Online Chronicles

Media influences and shapes the minds of people

I was almost duped—for a while I have become like many others who got carried away and almost believed the smear campaigns here and there, broadcast (TV and radio), print, and the social networks. The giants of television networks, radios and the newspapers there are, leave one wondering—what are they up to? Creating another president that they want to be? Can we really say that the news are balanced? Has everyone been given equal opportunity? The answer is obvious.

Good there is the online community. While we used to get opinions, news, features, commentaries, flash reports, etc. only from TV, newspapers and the radio, nowadays we have blogs and social networks, thanks to the Internet.

This must be the dirtiest political scenario in the country—a period of – mudslinging, negative campaigning and smear campaign.  And the demolition job has become obvious to me. I listened with excitement to Lito Banayo speak during the PCIJ seminar, saying that Noynoy was a sure win, and that his not winning in the elections could only mean that his campaign has faltered.  Wow, I told myself, this person must know a lot. Little did I realize, the naïve person I was with politics, that this person (publicist for Ping Lacson, Chiz Escudero) must have been really doing his job, being in the circle, with the end purpose of trying to psyche and shape the minds of the people. I wondered then, must he have been working for Noynoy and his camp, or should I say for Noynoy’s camp and Noynoy. “Trabaho lang yan”, I should say.

Privilege at Blogwatch to interview

I have personally taken time to interview the presidentiables (at least 7 of them), I have asked questions (questions that could have delved from the silly to the perhaps menial or petty, which other people could brand as no brainer questions or unintelligent ones for all I care, as I just wanted answers to my questions), and listened to them talk. I had the privilege to attend forums and debates, owing to my affiliation with Blogwatch (thanks, Gas Vibal and Tin Mandigma of Vibal Foundation) and my training seminar with the Philippine Centre for Investigative Journalism in December on “Covering automated elections, uncovering campaign finance” (thanks Malou Mangahas and Ed Lingao). The past 2 years, I have been exposed to the workings of traditional media (thanks to my affiliation with Vibal Foundation through Wikipilipinas, Filipinana.net, the Philippine Online Chronicles.

If I were to influence a few, even only 10 people, that’s fine with me, even if I were to gain the ire of many and the persecution of many, that’s also fine by me, as long as I have spoken out and said my piece. I am my own mind and I have the freedom to express what IS my mind and IN my mind.

Noynoy

I have seen and heard Noynoy at close range during the Blogwatch interview and the very first Harapan forum. I was not only disappointed, I began forming questions in my mind—the hows, the whys, the whats, and the what will bes. He had his handlers (should I say manhandlers, oh well, not maybe) complete with new media staff, technicians, IT staff from, etc.  who call themselves volunteers (others do not deny that they are doing the work as professionals), even choreography—his grand entrance, where he would be seated, how the interviewers should be seated, whose sound system to use, and complete with paraphernalia in taping and airing the interview.

During the interview, I could not find substance—how would he lead the country? What were truly his stand on the Hacienda Luisita issue? And lately I found this—a reminder of the Hacienda Luisita massacre, the Mendiola massacre, too.

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I won’t even emphasize on what he has not done during his senate days—sins of omission I may say.

I asked myself how could this man be my president? How could this man take care of the future of my country? Of my children and my grandchildren? How could this man take care of my rights and welfare during my old age? Gosh,! I would be 58 when he ends his 6-yr term if he ever becomes president. Who are the people behind his bid for presidency? Will he survive the 6 years and not give up or put out of office?

I remember that after Tita Cory’s death, he was still not even interested on any possibility of being president. I remember Kris Aquino talking about how she takes care even of what her brother would wear for this and that occasion, I remember pretty well Kris saying that she would sell her house to finance her brother’s bid for the presidency. Until someone advised her to shut her mouth, as what she would saying could hurt his brother’s bid for the presidency. I can understand Kris so well, as we were born in the same month, in the same cusp as the astrology would say, though I am many years much older than she is.

It was like somebody had to do for Noynoy even the menial job of taking care of himself. His handlers, I mean his staff, say that in fairness, Noynoy takes the time out to read the Inquirer from cover to cover each morning to know the issues of the day. It was like them talking about this little boy who they allow to read the newspapers, feeding him information, mentoring him, tutoring him to know the issues, etc. It was like they were talking about a little boy that they had to take care of. It was like his staff knew more and were more capable of handling a country of 90 million people and still growing. Gosh! From cover to cover—time that he should have spent for more meaningful things. I can stop here. Enough. This man needs substance if he were to be president. And he has to be his own self leading the country, this poor country out of its darkest pits. I wonder, who would lead the country? Would it be him? Would those be his consultants, silent puppet handlers behind the scenes? Yet another cordon sanitaire? The people do not only need HOPE. The people need someone to convert their hopes into solid things that their eyes can see, their stomachs can experience, their minds can learn, the peace to experience, etc.

I would not now even delve on the negative campaigns and dirty tricks that his allies allegedly have concocted and riding on the popularity of his parentage. They have confused the people more than presented the people with issues. They have attacked the very person of another man.

I won’t say sorry, but I dare say, no--NOyNOy is not in my shortlist.

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