By: Gilbert M. Forbes
DepEd QUEZON, IV-A CALABARZON
Aside from reports on calamities and so much human miseries, media has continuously fed us of mind conditioning news reports that are making us not only bitter with our lives but even of the society where we belong as well. Media sensationalism in the guise of truth makes the majority not only apathetic but distrustful of our institutions - - as such, national media particularly national television stations have become a bane to the development of well-informed, responsible thinking citizens in a democratic society.
Television now a days particularly top-rating evening and morning news programs used to dwell on the negative side before clarifying the issue later in their late night documentaries if there is of which, only few of the educated, usually the elite has the opportunity of watching.
For instance, reports about sky rocketing prizes of prime commodities which actually is not that significant even none at all. Reviewing his purchases himself, this blogger looked into his record and found out prizes have remained for more than a year. In fact while other items prizes could have increased, many on the other hand have decreased like sugar, chicken, and vegetables. But then, their reports appear to be so serious that salary increase is the only answer to counter act its effect to the suffering citizens, they say disregarding the onslaught of this action to the inflation rate and the labor market already considered among the highest in the region.
Salary increase however will not do anything about inflation but more of increasing it. But nobody from the public viewers would know it after all, media will never report on why there is inflation and how could every one deal with it—instead, people will be more disgusted with the government.
Adding insult to injury is the increasing price of oil which the media points out is the culprit in the increasing price of commodities—instigating further distrust in the government, established institutions and authorities. True that increasing price of oil could be contributing to increasing prices of prime commodities but the government has no control about it. Again, if there is, it could be statistically insignificant because commodities are transported in bulk, by container and truck loads.
Media didn’t even blink an eye when it reported that E-VAT must be abolished. A news and public affairs program even involved its viewers interactively through text when it asked if the tax the public is paying commensurate with the services they receive from the government. In the face of increasing dependence--mendicancy benefiting some politicians, this doesn't simply make sense.. Media is also quick in recommending the re-establishment of oil price control and Oil Price Stabilization Fund forgetting that an oil deregulation law exists and that quite a big chunk of government money will be needed if OPSF is re-established.
It didn’t discuss however how much will be lost to the government if E-VAT is discarded from oil products including import tariffs and how much fund will be needed if OPSF is returned. In the midst of high budgetary deficit the government is experiencing through the years it is all the media can contribute.
The government tried to solve budgetary deficits through new taxation programs like the controversial E-VAT but it didn’t make any relief. To make both ends meet, the government has to resort to internal and external borrowings which have only made national debt bigger and bigger.
At present, many local government units are said to be experiencing budgetary constraints as a result of tranches of salary increase among its employees. This in one way or another affected social services in the local level. But anyone in the media ever disclosed it? Any one in the media ever devoted time, programs and advocacy on helping the government explain the importance and necessity of responsibly paying taxes to the public.
The media could have helped in disclosing graft and corruption, abuses and excesses among the civil servants but it just ended there. There is so much sensationalism in the disguise of truth and their definition of public service which could be regarded as self-serving—no different from a populist stand point that politicians used to do.
Media is trying to project an image as a champion of freedom, but for whom and for what? It is trying to establish itself as an institution the public can turn to and depend on whenever they need it but up to what extent when what it can all do is referrals. The government which is media’s punching bag is up on the rescue to its initiated public service initiatives.
Unlike media institutions in the neighboring countries, Philippine media is exploiting negative image of the country and its people. Instead of helping develop pathetically proactive majority, it tends to develop negativity, apathy, distrust, dependence, even mendicancy.
Patterned after US media—a highly progressive industrialized superpower and democratically mature country, it could be said that it is a type of media totally unfit to a developing and highly diversified country like ours.
In a country where one in every three between 10 and 64 years old could not understand what they were reading either in their vernacular, Filipino and English languages according to the 2003 functional literacy survey, what more things they afford and have time to listen which they don’t have the luxury of reviewing.
It is just our wish that slogans like “Panig sa Katotohanan, Panig sa Pagbangon ng Bayan,” at “Walang Kinikilingan, Walang Pinoprotektahan, Walang Kasinungalingan, Serbisyong Totoo Lamang,” will really be true in the name of national interest and patrimony.
(This article was relayed and posted to the facebook accounts of the Media mentioned in the blog.)
(Mr. Gilbert M. Forbes had his Bachelors Degree and MA in Educational Management (CAR) from the Philippine Normal University. A campus paper adviser and trainer for 13 years. Currently, he is a school principal in one of the central schools in the Division of Quezon.)
DepEd QUEZON, IV-A CALABARZON
Aside from reports on calamities and so much human miseries, media has continuously fed us of mind conditioning news reports that are making us not only bitter with our lives but even of the society where we belong as well. Media sensationalism in the guise of truth makes the majority not only apathetic but distrustful of our institutions - - as such, national media particularly national television stations have become a bane to the development of well-informed, responsible thinking citizens in a democratic society.
Television now a days particularly top-rating evening and morning news programs used to dwell on the negative side before clarifying the issue later in their late night documentaries if there is of which, only few of the educated, usually the elite has the opportunity of watching.
For instance, reports about sky rocketing prizes of prime commodities which actually is not that significant even none at all. Reviewing his purchases himself, this blogger looked into his record and found out prizes have remained for more than a year. In fact while other items prizes could have increased, many on the other hand have decreased like sugar, chicken, and vegetables. But then, their reports appear to be so serious that salary increase is the only answer to counter act its effect to the suffering citizens, they say disregarding the onslaught of this action to the inflation rate and the labor market already considered among the highest in the region.
Salary increase however will not do anything about inflation but more of increasing it. But nobody from the public viewers would know it after all, media will never report on why there is inflation and how could every one deal with it—instead, people will be more disgusted with the government.
Adding insult to injury is the increasing price of oil which the media points out is the culprit in the increasing price of commodities—instigating further distrust in the government, established institutions and authorities. True that increasing price of oil could be contributing to increasing prices of prime commodities but the government has no control about it. Again, if there is, it could be statistically insignificant because commodities are transported in bulk, by container and truck loads.
Media didn’t even blink an eye when it reported that E-VAT must be abolished. A news and public affairs program even involved its viewers interactively through text when it asked if the tax the public is paying commensurate with the services they receive from the government. In the face of increasing dependence--mendicancy benefiting some politicians, this doesn't simply make sense.. Media is also quick in recommending the re-establishment of oil price control and Oil Price Stabilization Fund forgetting that an oil deregulation law exists and that quite a big chunk of government money will be needed if OPSF is re-established.
It didn’t discuss however how much will be lost to the government if E-VAT is discarded from oil products including import tariffs and how much fund will be needed if OPSF is returned. In the midst of high budgetary deficit the government is experiencing through the years it is all the media can contribute.
The government tried to solve budgetary deficits through new taxation programs like the controversial E-VAT but it didn’t make any relief. To make both ends meet, the government has to resort to internal and external borrowings which have only made national debt bigger and bigger.
At present, many local government units are said to be experiencing budgetary constraints as a result of tranches of salary increase among its employees. This in one way or another affected social services in the local level. But anyone in the media ever disclosed it? Any one in the media ever devoted time, programs and advocacy on helping the government explain the importance and necessity of responsibly paying taxes to the public.
The media could have helped in disclosing graft and corruption, abuses and excesses among the civil servants but it just ended there. There is so much sensationalism in the disguise of truth and their definition of public service which could be regarded as self-serving—no different from a populist stand point that politicians used to do.
Media is trying to project an image as a champion of freedom, but for whom and for what? It is trying to establish itself as an institution the public can turn to and depend on whenever they need it but up to what extent when what it can all do is referrals. The government which is media’s punching bag is up on the rescue to its initiated public service initiatives.
Unlike media institutions in the neighboring countries, Philippine media is exploiting negative image of the country and its people. Instead of helping develop pathetically proactive majority, it tends to develop negativity, apathy, distrust, dependence, even mendicancy.
Patterned after US media—a highly progressive industrialized superpower and democratically mature country, it could be said that it is a type of media totally unfit to a developing and highly diversified country like ours.
In a country where one in every three between 10 and 64 years old could not understand what they were reading either in their vernacular, Filipino and English languages according to the 2003 functional literacy survey, what more things they afford and have time to listen which they don’t have the luxury of reviewing.
It is just our wish that slogans like “Panig sa Katotohanan, Panig sa Pagbangon ng Bayan,” at “Walang Kinikilingan, Walang Pinoprotektahan, Walang Kasinungalingan, Serbisyong Totoo Lamang,” will really be true in the name of national interest and patrimony.
(This article was relayed and posted to the facebook accounts of the Media mentioned in the blog.)
(Mr. Gilbert M. Forbes had his Bachelors Degree and MA in Educational Management (CAR) from the Philippine Normal University. A campus paper adviser and trainer for 13 years. Currently, he is a school principal in one of the central schools in the Division of Quezon.)
No comments:
Post a Comment