Congress is a long way from Masbate

While members of Congress bicker on the mode for Charter change, ordinary citizens are discussing on their own changes they want. The forum in Masbate was the third of a series being held for “Greater Autonomy in the Bicol Region.” Previous forums have been held in Legaspi City and Naga. Masbate, considered one of the poorest provinces of the Philippines, leads the most interesting debate with both those in favor and those against Charter change speaking out frankly. But those in favor were overwhelmingly for change if it would lift them out of their poverty. Most of those who attended, included students, priests, a Muslim from the Muslim community, business people and media. Present also was the young Vice-Governor who came because they saw the announcement in Masbate Colleges where it was held.

Dante Jimenez, the founding chairman of Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption organized the event. “Our efforts to liberate our people from our pervasive problems have gone a long way through information and education campaigns. We have learned personally of their concerns. Most importantly, we have discovered that many share our views to pursue greater autonomy which is the true concept of freedom. It is clear that Bicolanos are done putting up with poverty, injustice and inequality. Bicolanos more than ever, are determined to change the status quo and empower themselves.” We are all looking at what happens in Congress but we may be missing what is happening outside of it.

It was a long way to Masbate because we had to take an early incoming flight, a one hour car ride to Pilar and then two hours by boat to reach the city because its airport has been condemned. But it was well worth it to know directly the views of ordinary people and how they feel about Charter change. The surveys and the national newspapers’ front pages do not reflect these views focused as they are on its politics as a brawl between the administration and the opposition.

Let me quote what I heard from Bicolanos themselves about what they think of Senator Joker Arroyo, a son of Bicol who called Charter change proposals on mode “a Peking duck”. He’s not even interested what happens here, he’s the senator from Makati!

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I was in two places in the last few days, Masbate where I attended the 3rd discussion on Greater Autonomy for the Bicol region and Guimaras where we followed up Petron’s livelihood project for the fishermen affected by the oil spill and barangay connectivity.

In both instances, in between discussions of the topic on hand, our conversations veered towards the ABS-CBN reporting on Ted Failon. None of the people I conversed could be said to be political or partisan. The Masbate group although interested in greater autonomy were not het up on being anti-government or pro-opposition. They were just interested in their local problems and how Charter change that would tackle genuine autonomy for local authorities could help. The same was true with the Guimaras group, I would not say they are apolitical because they were corporate executives, well read and just as concerned with politics and governance.

So it was a surprise when I heard both of them rail against ABS-CBN’s coverage of the death of Ted Failon’s wife. They were not prepared to make any judgment on whether it was a suicide or parricide but they were one in condemning the ABS-CBN coverage for its bias. They were incensed at the patronizing treatment of the TV audiences. “Para namang hindi kami nakakaintindi” they said. If there was a case against the way the police handled witnesses crucial to the investigation, there was also a case against the broadcasting network’s bias for Failon just because he was one of them. The coverage, they said was being manipulative. It sometimes sounded like a broken record playing on the same groove again and again. Ted Failon was one of their premier anchor persons. Would they have been more evenhanded had he not been a colleague of theirs?

I did not want to get involved in the conversation and their apprehensions. After all, I am part of media as well but I identified with their opinion that the network handled the news item badly. Media, as a public service is expected to be unbiased with factual reports and at least as nearly accurate with information. In the reporting of the Failon case, ABS-CBN had failed them. “Sinasara ko na lang,” some said. Other said, “we just changed stations.” It was just too much. “Halatang halata,” they added.

So I was surprised when I read a front page article on the other newspaper yesterday morning saying the same thing. There were other instances in the past, perhaps not as dramatic as the alleged suicide of the wife of a famous broadcaster, that the broadcasting group would use its clout injudiciously. There would be complete silence from those who should know better.

So the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) should be congratulated for its comments on the Failon case. It validated what ordinary people were already talking about but didn’t have the access nor the means to contradict what was being reported to them.

Both Vergel Santos and Melinda Quintos de Jesus have done a favor to the media, including ABS-CBN, by speaking up and saying it like it is. The implication of not speaking up would have meant that no one in media cared enough about the wrong use of media power. That is what was said to me in Masbate and Guimaras, “dahil media sila.”

The CMFR’s statement on “a fraternal bias” in its coverage brings the discussion on media’s role to a higher level. It may be on a specific case but it is true of other topics and issues as well.

Having spoken to others, especially because they were ordinary people, I do not share the view of CMFR that “the viewer could not decide what made sense in the incident.” There were those who could and did decide that they were being patronized as if they could not think for themselves as the reports unfolded and rejected this kind of journalism.