A lot of grief could have been avoided if they had just been open and honest.
A simple, straightforward statement that the President and his family – name them – were going to watch the much-anticipated return of the F1 night race would have stopped all the speculation. Other details – where they stayed, were they invited and by whom, perhaps even which team he was rooting for – could have been added, or not. A statement on who footed the bill and what plane they took – was it really the PAF’s Gulfstream? – would have stopped all the wagging tongues and the juicy maritess and marife tidbits that social media and chat groups thrive on.
Our government spokespersons, not just in the Palace but in other departments and agencies, should learn the lesson that often, what’s worse than the truth are the half-truths and wild rumors that spread like wildfire and take hold in the public’s consciousness in the absence of the truth.
And remember – in the age of Twitter and FB and cellphone cameras, there is no such thing as a secret in this high tech world. – Teresa San Vicente, Pasig City