That was, of course, one of Imelda Marcos’s famous lines (more at: the Wit and Wisdom of Imelda Marcos, an Internet fixture since 1997). It’s also the Zeitgeist of the Chosen People in the Palace. Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye says,
It is no wonder then that in a recent SWS survey commissioned by the AMA Computer Learning Center, 41 per cent of Filipinos nationwide think that the country’s media have become ‘purely negative’ and are no longer helping the country. In Metro Manila Manila, where most of the media outfits are concentrated, a bigger percentage of 47 per cent share this perception…
Media should not only inform. It should also educate, uplift and inspire our people. Our people deserve relief from excessive politicking. It is time to turn self-destructive negativism into positive images about our country and our people that we can rally behind.
Since Newsstand pointed out that Bunye’s attempt to deflect flack from the President’s “bad boy” characterization of Philippine media marks a “new low”, perhaps the Press Secretary’s decided to stick to the Boss’s message. He has no choice; as Ellen Tordesillas points out, the President has been unhappy with the media for months; certainly things have gone a long way from five years ago, when, as Conrado de Quiros points out, the President (then Vice-President) took up the cudgels for media.
The Inquirer editorial (which begins with the unkindest cut of all, comparing a Macapagal to a Marcos) issues forth a trumpet blast:
We, therefore, challenge both the President and her spokesperson, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, to categorically state that any story that seeks to locate Garcillano, a prominent Filipino whose life may be in real danger, is in fact negative. We challenge them to declare that any story that seeks to determine Garcillano’s role in alleged election fraud last year is in fact unpatriotic. We challenge them to sue mainstream media for any story they may run that seeks to hold the administration accountable for Garcillano’s appointment, actions while in office, or continuing absence.
…Journalists can in fact “expose, criticize, exalt and destroy,” or “shape minds” and “influence opinions.” But that does not make the media a “bad boy,” in the President’s pungent phrase. They are not wayward sons simply because they seek from even those who presume to act as their mother a possibly critical accounting.
Apropos of the President’s “bad boy” tagging of media, Marichu Villanueva in the Philippine Star is amused that everyone wants to take credit for pissing off the President (Jose Sison thinks the President has a point, though). Jove Francisco reacts to Sen. Jinggoy Estrada favorably comparing his dad to the President (perhaps he forgets the reporters banned from Palace coverage, the ad boycott of the Inquirer, and the shutting down of the Manila Times? Jove asks). Miron is just cranky about the whole thing.
Now ExpectoRANTS may mull over which is truer to form, the President’s penchant for media to be Pollyanna, or her criticism of it’s being by nature more like Cassandra. But when government starts saying that it’s VAT policy lowered gas prices, you have to wonder…
In the punditocracy, my column for today is The DSL Disaster, in which I go on a rant about the deteriorating DSL service of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT’s media people called me this morning saying that it’s some sort of broader problem with broad band, and have promised to brief me about it soon). Billy Esposo analyzes why the opposition keeps failing:
The Philippine political reality is that people no longer want the rotten system. As a result, people do not rally behind anyone or any group whose proposition smacks of anything associated with the system. It is not that Madame Arroyo is more acceptable than the choices – over 80% believe she stole the 2004 elections and a great majority want her ousted. Neither Marcos nor Estrada suffered such a dismal rejection. Yes, they want her removed but until someone comes up with an offer that proves equal to what the Filipinos now want, they cannot expect the people to go out and start doing something like another People Power.
Fr. Joaquin Bernas, S.J. suggests there are two challenges involving the Visiting Forces Agreement with the USA (one exists, the other potentially exists); Edwin Lacierda points out the clock will most likely run out on the rape case.
Fel Maragay writes of Federalism being in danger; Jarius Bondoc quotes a government press release regarding a survey:
The Philippine News Agency press release was funny at first glance. Citing a Social Weather Station survey of Aug. 26-Sept. 5, PIA noted that only a “miniscule portion of Filipinos” joined rallies … “Have you ever joined a rally or march for or against the Administration?” Only 9 percent, or less than one in ten, said they did.
[O]f the 9 percent that joined marches, it turned out that 5 percent were in Opposition events and 4 percent were in Administration gigs. Given the survey’s error margin of ±3 percent, the demonstrators on either side were statistically the same…
Then came more statistics, no longer funny. Of the 9 percent who marched, a big number were in Metro Manila and from the lowest D-E income segments. That makes one suspect all the more that hakot (bused) crowds must have been gathered from urban-poor communities by political operatives of either side…
Hiring mobs began in the waning years of the Marcos dictatorship. It resurged in the ’90s, peaked during the tenure of Joseph Estrada, and goes on at present. Foreign experts took note of the growing political malpractice in Southeast Asia also in the ’90s. In news magazine they denounced the cash-and-liquor enticements for anti-Chinese riots in Jakarta, as well as for pro- and anti-Suharto demonstrations elsewhere. Too, the cash-and-drugs lures for marches in Thailand and Burma as well. Filipino pols did better during the EDSA-Tres, an extended miting de avance of the congressional elections that ended with an assault on Malacañang. They used cash, liquor and drugs to fire up the mobs, as attested by more sedate participants and nuns who later cleaned up the mess at the EDSA Shrine of the Virgin Mary.
The Los Angeles Times has an article by Rosa Brooks about the dangers of US Democrats adopting the rally-the-religious strategy of the Republican’s Carl Rove:
But imagining that red-state voters will turn blue if only Democrats talk more about faith misunderstands the role of conservative evangelical Christianity in American politics. Conservative evangelical churches played a big role in delivering voters for George W. Bush in 2004  but neither that nor Kaine’s victory prove that red-state voters are simply hungry for “religion” and will reward whichever candidate speaks most convincingly about his or her personal faith.
Conservative evangelical churches were able to deliver voters for Bush in much the same way, and for much the same reasons, that labor unions and political machines like New York’s Tammany Hall were once able to deliver votes for the Democrats: They offer material benefits to people with nowhere else to turn, and that is easily parlayed into votes at election time.
The blogosphere has Ricky Carandang suggesting the President’s in for a bruising, what with Catholic bishops squaring off for a potential fight with the Palace;
Ina Alleco (henceforth my favorite “Progressive” blogger) has renamed her blog to Trephination Procedures, and writes an elegant entry on why she believes in armed struggle. Abe Margallo recently blogged about what he considers two developments to watch: the Citizen’s Congress and the attempt to change the Constitution.
Big Mango embarks on what promises to be another ambitious series: this time involving the Philippine Medium Term Development Plan.
Fil-Am Journalist Boying Pimentel has been podcasting for some time, and this week he features PCIJ head honcho Shiela Coronel (his podcasts are beautifully produced).
New Economist delves into why London remains the financial capital of the world (his title is a play on a phrase Londoners used to use about American stationed there during World War II: “overpaid, oversexed, and over here.”). He suggests London may be upstaged by Shanghai in a decade. Go Figure blogs on bioeconomic supply-and-demand (fish stocks, for example).
Unlawyer says the provinces are more eager to support entrepreneurs than the big cities. Regarding France’s troubles, Hillblogger says part of the problem is that Arabs have to accept integration. Presto Vivace suggests bloggers have a backup of their blogs, for the historical record (speaking of the historical record, the Philippines Free Press blog reprints an editorial on lawless youth -from the 1960s) . And RG Cruz has moved his blog. Again.
The news organisations do require to be more factuall and not single sided..
We all know korina and her friends on ABS-CBN have been on one side only. and the SWS – PCIJ – FPJ links are all too ominoius for them to say they are not telling the entire truth.
Pulling up a single issue like Garci, What about the lies told by PCIJ and the UP Proffessor, and the PCIJ and the TRO which they just ignored.
And what rape case, I could see a case for attempted Murder, leaving someone on the side of the road unconcious?..
No time limit on murder..
And where are the articles about the misuse of power and other irreguralities which Mayor Binay is involved in?..
They yell and scream about the rape? what about the murder of the GRO on the weekend.. No protests?
Why do people think they can do this, I can name two reasons, the Bishops complain about Gambling, What about the SEX TRADE,… and it is protected by certian mayors.. who give licences and HEALTH CLEARANCES (Why would a girl need a health card every two weeks if she was not having sex..) So they admit that it is occuring but continue to ignore it and deal with it correctly.. Then when they need some more money they do a couple of raids..
But they want this kept their dark little secret where drugs, sex, and exploitation can continue….
And then what is the law called WHITE SLAVERY.. when it is not the whites that are running it and allowing it to occur now that is a racist slur…
More on rape…
How many men – boys are convicted of underage SEX where are the courts and the doctors standing up for the rights of the underaged having babies..
What more evidence do you need to convict when you have the children of these foul acts being done on the children of this country???
They just turn their heads and allow it to continue…
I know of a case where the girl was raped and the parents of the rapist told the girl.. If you say anything we will get your other childern we know where they live..
And you know what.. Its true because the police and others have no power to protect the children..
true to form GMA is on the war path against the media this time, perhaps the media should present GMA’s profile as to why her parents had to send her off to iligan in mindanao simply to avoid the worsening sibling rivalry in their family and have it studied, analyzed by family psychiatrists to get and present the true picture of GMA today.
gma is pikon to criticize the media like that.
but that doesn’t mean the media is oh so perfect.
Yep and what is a psychiatrist going to say..
Psychiatrists commit suicide more than any other part of the population, that is such an eye opener that they cannot even deal with their own problems after doing all the courses and education, just to destroy their lives and others..
Look at any person who rises to such a position in any country or business and they all have had some traumatic or disturbing life as a child.. Without it they cannot aspire to that position it builds character and solidfies the goals they have..
djuara if you did not have anything happen to you then you will never become anything either.. Pampering of the child does not make them any better a person if anything it makes them weak and unable to succeed on their own.
The Queen of England would never be as great for the UK if she had not lived in london during the Blitz..
Even countries have to go though a Black time before they can succeed..
Now on another note since kakatapos lang mga five minutes.
I said I would cut the CCTA some slack but what I heard on ANC kahit naktulog ako Is the explanation why Tabayoyong was a surprise witness and why he could not reveal that it would Dinky Soliman would be the surprise witness even how Pinky Webb rephrased it…..kasi si Pinky surprise nga eh.
About tomorrows agenda on political killings recent or otherwise I can not connect it to GMA …let me again see what the summary would be this coming Monday for clearer understanding
How does ABS-CBN wipe its hands of the bail case..
If you come to me and say im going to help that person in jail and you need to contact him. And then I give you the details of the person and put phone calls to the family on your behalf. then I would be involved in the bailing of you out..
ONE plus ONE does Equal TWO no matter how you try to write it..
Babao assited in the bailing out of a suspected terrorist no matter how you cut it..
Another ABS-CBN employee was waiting for Dawud, and he asked him if Dawud could give another exclusive interview to Julius Babao. Dawud agreed and rode in the ABS-CBN crewcab to meet Babao.
So they then picked him up as stated in the ABS-CBN story..
COVER UP… ABS-CBN cant see their own staffs involvement…
As Babao stated….he felt some responsibility because the interview may have led to Dawud’s arrest
So he felt sorry for someone that wants to bomb people? and he connected him to someone who wanted to bail him out? Then an ABS-CBN van picked him up after he got bail?..
I must be stupid to belive the ABS-CBN cover up…
Did they pay for the interview is the next question since it was exclusive.
Payment to a terrorist is against the law? that is supporting the terrorist acts..
Did they give him a lift after the interview so he could then connect up with others that support his views?
More questions come out when you start to think about it..
Babao is a criminal if he paid one centavo for this, Even giving someone a lift from jail could be thought to be a payment of sorts?
This is just what they do to GMA.. Link the Dots … I’m amazed Korina’s not involved…
Wow Sleeping! You saved me all the trouble…
Slightly pissed off today…
Sorry for not giving anyone else a chance..
One or two things I can say is there is no such a thing as a devil’s advocate you are either the devil or the advocate..
That is why no more Devil’s advocating for me…
You are all correct amigos.
Hey Im going to hell thats where all my friends are going to be so i dont want to be all by myself with someone preaching how good they were..for the rest of eternity…
MLQ3: After I read the Inquirer editorial you pointed to this morning, the phrase that floated into my consciousness was LOVER’S QUARREL. After all, hasn’t it been the Inquirer above all, (even before Max Soliven became a crony) that has coddled Gloria Macapagal Arroyo? They were party to the destabilization and coup d’etat on Erap from Day One that led to GMA-ONE.Good for that stinking carcass of president by the way, but at least he WUZ popularly elected and only ilegally deposed. Now that she has turned on them too in GMA-2, now they impress your sense of courage.
Pero OA ang Inquirer nang kaunti. They survived a full frontal attack from Erap and kicked his butt out of Malacanang for it. They yanked FVR’s chain recently and almost got a veto holder to heave. (sorry JOve!). And I won’t say anymore about them being the Broadcast Station for the Organized Left’s persecution complexes. Ooops.
But it is the small fry that make up 90% of the working press that can’t afford this brand of courage.
Salute to them for the clarion call. Lil late. But better that then never. And yeah: where the hell is Garci?
Hey sleeping…. If you have not started your own blog yet I suggest you start one I just did the other day or was it yesterday …If you want company remove all the filters for the settings of the comments.
I also had done that bad mood bad hair day thing and boy I did make a fool of myself.I am not saying that you did… just din’t want to hitch a ride today.
So I decided To have my own blog at least don alam ko kahit walang mag comment nalabas ko naman lahat ng niloloob ko.
Pero you said officeboy ka ako kasi hindi eh …I know you will find time one way or the other.
Sorry for not joining you on the ride.
The reason for the bitch session against the Media and those who profit from their lack of ability or lack of will.IS due to one reason..
They have the GALL to say they are not single sided, and then like DLSU, do a cover up including the owner of ABS..
The Lopez’s comming out and saying that the they are above it all. Come on a Rose by any other name smells the same..
What they turf at the government and force down the throats of the public smell like SH_T and no matter what you call it it is still SH_T..
Whats the ABS network latest sanctioned perversions.. You can watch it 24-7 Hours a day Uncensored.. Their words..
MTCRB Where are you… SLEEPING WITH WHO…
They banned it one night “PUSH THE RATINGS UP….”
Then look at the other high and mighty one today spousing how good they are.. they had links reported to the CIA when Estrada documents came out now they are linked to FPJ camp..
STILL smells rotten to me.. then you have MLQ3 who actually has an education and uses his brains, but gets used by the very people i have talked about above..
Korina Spouts out how she is not biased..
They all have a bias they are either married into it or related…
Then this BABAO spouts of how he is not involved at all and did nothing ethicly wrong.. Who is he President Bush or Clinton…..
Then we go to the Bishop who Spouts of about Gambling being wrong.. Its not even one of the TEN COMMANDMENTS and he has a duty to deal with that first….
Then the next one is he and his priests break those TEN… Now that sends up another foul stench..
Then you have CPP people running around in congress pretending to be for the people.. Even the reall Karl Marx could see through that one..
Once again the News orgs just play it all down, paying off people for interviews, Screaming at the police who maybe fired a few too many times into a car.. But sh_t they were armed and dangerous and a wounded animal is more dangreous than a wild one. I would have done the same as them….
Then we have a criminal system, which does not work.. and we all know why but where is the investigations into this.. Why dont the police do anything because the system tells them not to do anything, so they sit back and no one stands up for them…
But the very people who cry for the police help 50+ killed in the last coulple of years, dont support the police….
PISSED AT THE MEDIA.. YES I AM…
I’m sorry but i have to tell you to refer to one of your comments above about (baka it might turn out wrong)Psychiatry not the suicide part (please don’t)
but on the part you said about not having problems during childhood or something..
You will jsut find out that you already answered yourself.
Btw it is comment 5 I suppose.
DJB, no comment, I went to the PDI because they pirated me from Today just when I was looking for a way out of the Palace. During Edsa 2 I was with Today (and you know the contrarian positions our paper took then). And you know I can’t discuss editorial positions and meetings. But I agree, better late than never.