Category Archives: commentary

Doris Bigornia slammed for insensitive reporting on Muslims

Included in the long list of violence that happened during this year’s Election Day is the shooting incident in Manila’s Rosauro Almario Elementary School. Police officers promptly arrived in the scene of the crime to arrest armed men that may have links to the fatal shooting. Check this article from Vera files for more details on the crime.

Doris Bigornia, a returning journalist for ABS-CBN, repeatedly stressed in her report (aired during that night’s broadcast ofTV Patrol) that the 14 supposedly armed men arrested were Muslims. She added that they have ties to the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). Watch the video on this link, as shared by Abdur Rashid Santos via Facebook.

“Nasawata ng mga pulis ang 14 na Muslim at sinasabi (ng mga pulis) mga MNLF sila. Hindi natin alam kung ang insidenteng ito ng panghuhuli sa 14 na mga Muslim na sinasabing kailangan daw nila ng proteksyon (clip ends here-TFS),” the ‘Mutya ng Masa’ said in her report.

Santos, radio program host and president of the Caloocan City-based Islamic Guidance and Student Center, pointed out Bigornia’s insensitive reporting through a series of posts on his Facebook page. The posts have been shared a total of 5,000 times as of writing time.

Santos dared reporters to show their fairness by also highlighting the religion of other law offenders, like if they are Christians.  ”Bakit napakadali para sa inyo na ilakip ang pagiging ‘Muslim’ ng suspek sa isang krimen samantalang kapag ‘Kristiyano’ ang nakagawa ito, pangalan lamang ang binabanggit ninyo?” Santos asked.

doris bigornia TV patrol muslims

Doris Bigornia’s report in TV Patrol during Election Day was criticized for being insensitive to Muslims (Credits: Abdur Rashid Santos)

Bigornia’s mishandling of her report is glaring. As Santos stressed in his posts, there is absolutely no need for her to emphasize the religion of the apprehended men during the coverage. Saying that the 15 men are allegedly MNLF members would have sufficed.

To be fair, Bigornia is not the first (and certainly won’t be the last) reporter to commit this mistake. Media persons have to be mindful that whenever they unnecessarily use “Muslim” in their reporting (as in the case with Bigornia), they are reinforcing the negative stereotype of Filipino Muslims as violent people, etc.

In this case, Bigornia is in clear violation of existing media industry guidelines. According to the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of ethics, reporters should “avoid stereotyping by race, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, geography, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, or social status.”

Bigornia’s offensive reportage also goes against Article 22 of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas’ Broadcast Code (2011 version). It says that “a person’s race, religion, color, ethnicity, gender, and physical or mental disability shall not be used in a way that would embarrass, denigrate, or ridicule him/her.”

*Read this 2006 article from the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility about Bigornia’s firing from ABS-CBN at that time.

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Ai Ai Delas Alas, Jed Salang break up

A visibly distraught AI Ai Delas Alas admitted to talk show host Boy Abunda her separation with Jed Salang, her partner for fifteen months. The couple married in Las Vegas, Nevada just last April 3. The two originally planned to have a church wedding in the Philippines by December.

Delas Alas’ interview with Abunda was recorded early morning of May 19. ABS-CBN has uploaded a six-minute clip of the interview on its YouTube channel. It starts with Abunda asking Delas Alas if she thought Salang loved her. After a long pause, the comedienne said “(Pagkatapos ng) lahat ng nalaman ko, tingin ko hindi,” before breaking down.

aiai delas alas jed salang

Ai Ai Delas Alas and Jed Salang (Credits: Manila Bulletin)

Complete with a melancholic music scoring, Abunda then asked Delas Alas about the “till death do us part” marriage vow that she took with him. She said: “Sinubukan kong isapuso yan, pero siguro, depende yan sa asawa mo,” hinting that the problem is on her estranged husband. The comedy concert queen then said that her lawyers will soon be working on the legal aspects of their separation.

Delas Alas also apologized to her kids for not being able to give them a “complete” family. “Baka hindi takaga yun para sa atin,” she recalled telling one of her sons. “OK na yung pagmamahal namin sa isa’t isa. Kami na lang,” she said. “Gusto ko lang naman namnamin yung (marital) vows ko at ipaglaban yung pag-ibig ko sa asawa ko,” she said, adding that it’s her dream to get married.

She also refused to give any specific message to her soon-to-be ex-husband. She also thanked God for giving her strength throughout the ordeal. “Sobrang pasasalamat ko sa Kanya. Feeling ko hindi Niya ako iniwan sa tuwing may nalalaman akong totoo. Sobrang pasasalamat ko na hanggang maaga, nakawala na ako.” ABS-CBN did not include in the uploaded clip where Delas Alas revealed Salang’s infidelities and physical assaults against her.

Let me share some thoughts:

1. Yesterday’s episode of The Buzz is certainly a ratings winner, since it also features Abunda’s interview with Marjorie Barretto where she personally admitted that she is the woman in the scandalous photos that circulated online recently.

2. Breaking down on national television because of a personal problem? Kris started it, KC Concepcion copied it, and now Aiai also did it. What else is new?

3. In hindsight, it’s wise that the couple married in Las Vegas, where getting a divorce is cheap. According to one website, filing a joint petition for divorce can be as low as $625 only or about P25,000.That’s the place where Britney Spears was able to marry for just 55 hours.

In the Philippines where divorce is not allowed, annulment proceedings can drag on for years with hundreds of thousands of pesos spent – without guaranteed results. Ask Amy Perez.

4. I want to share this quote from the website The Christian Pundit: “Singleness can be great. Marriage to the wrong person is a nightmare.”

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Grace Poe 2016?

Grace Poe’s emergence as a senatorial frontrunner is a surprise, since Loren Legarda has long been perceived as the leader according to surveys. Poe denied Legarda the chance of being the first Filipina in Philippine political history to top the senatorial race thrice. This can have implications for the 2016 race, too.

Had Legarda emerged on top again, she’s likely to be considered as a potential presidential contender even if she has ruled out the possibility. Legarda have a long history together since the former broadcaster was FPJ’s 2004 running-mate.

Poe’s strong showing shows the enduring strength of her father’s political brand. This momentum can be translated to a possible run for vice president or vice president.

Poe is the perfect candidate. Everyone, from Iglesia ni Cristo to the leftist Makabayan coalition to LAKAS-KAMPI, endorsed her candidacy. Despite officially running under the administration banner, she has strong ties to the opposition United Nationalist Alliance. As said in other reports, she is essentially a consensus candidate.

grace poe 2016

Mark Madrona and Senator-elect Grace Poe-Llamanzares

Her two campaign ads can be summed up in one sentence – I am the daughter of Fernando Poe Jr. …… and Susan Roces. Her ads may be ridiculous, but as one observer pointed out, she is merely sticking to her main campaign message.

There’s no doubt about Poe’s intelligence (a key issue raised against FPJ in 2004) and good nature. She’s extremely likable. And she managed to maintain that by largely avoiding controversial issues.

Asked about her work as chair of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board in a debate, she put in in the context of protecting Filipinos from inappropriate content like, saying the media plays a big role in shopping the minds of people. That’s an intelligent answer that is not likely to offend anyone. Now, what is her position about the reproductive health bill, for instance?

I see her as a good running-mate to either Vice President Jejomar Binay (although Estrada probably prefers Jinggoy to be on the ticket) or Interior Secretary Mar Roxas (the goodwill generated by Poe’s alliance with the Liberal party may seal the deal). Poe can reuse her main theme for her 2013 senate bid – to fulfill her father’s quest to lead the nation. Won’t that be an excellent campaign narrative (th Aquinos tried and tested it before)?

Don’t be surprised to hear chants of Grace Poe 2016 soon. The field for the 2016 presidential and vice presidential elections are not likely to be settled until mid-2015. Many things can happen between now and then, but in case Grace Poe indeed runs, you read it first here.

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Iglesia ni Cristo’s record in senatorial endorsements

The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) is reportedly endorsing seven candidates from the ruling Team PNoy coalition and five from the opposition United Nationalist Alliance for the May 13, 2013 elections. The powerful religious group is known for batting for its preferred bets from the presidential level down to the barangay level.

While some quarters have accused the INC of overstating its membership, politicians nevertheless make it a point to be on the group’s good graces come election time. According to one estimate, 2.3% of Filipinos belong to this group.

A look at Iglesia ni Cristo’s senatorial endorsements the past five election cycles shows that they have a knack for siding with the winners. Only election results from 1998 onwards are discussed here since the list of INC endorsees from 1995 back are unavailable online.

1998 Endorsements

In 1998, INC endorsed Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for president and vice president respectively despite them being from opposing parties (something they did not do in 2004 and 2010). This could be nothing more but a pragmatic move on the group’s part since the two are leading by huge margins over their nearest rivals.

In the senatorial race, INC endorsed seven from Estrada’s coalition Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino (LAMMP) and five from Lakas-NUCD, the administration party. Lakas-NUCD fielded then-House Speaker Jose de Venecia as its standard-bearer.  When the official canvassing ended, 7 bets from LAMMP won while five from Lakas made it – exactly as INC predicted.

In 2001, all but one of the religious group’s senatorial endorsees lost. INC endorsed eight candidates from the Arroyo-aligned People Power Coalition (PPC), four from the Estrada’s Puwersa ng Masa, and independent bet Noli de Castro. The 2001 Senate race happened four months after Estrada was ousted from power and just two weeks after the deposed president’s supporters organized EDSA III.

Miriam Defensor-Santiago failed to make it to the “magic 13” although her party mate Gregorio Honasan won the 13th spot meant to finish the three years left in the term of Teofisto Guingona, who was appointed vice president.

2001 Endorsements

Arroyo, J. (PPC)

Drilon (PPC)

Flavier (PPC)

Magsaysay (PPC)

Osmena (PPC)

Pangilinan (PPC)

Recto (PPC)

Villar (PPC)

Angara (PnM)

Ejercito (PnM)

Lacson (PnM)

Santiago (X) Honasan (PnM)

De Castro (IND)

INC’s support for PPC bets was surprising since the group’s leader Erano Manalo is known to have close ties with Estrada. A Philippine Star report noted that “the INC’s lineup of candidates had similarities with the results of the latest Social Weather Stations survey.” From being identified with Estrada, the group slowly pivoted to the Arroyo camp.

iglesia ni cristo endorsements

Endorsement from the Iglesia ni Cristo can be decisive for those outside the “magic 12″ (Credits: http://www.IglesiaNiCristoWebsite.com)

2004 Endorsements

INC’s pivot to the Arroyo camp reached its nadir in 2004 when the group endorsed her over Fernando Poe Jr. in the presidential race. As Estrada’s bosom buddy, many expected INC to endorse Poe. According to reports, the religious group’s upper echelon was supposedly peeved because the opposition failed to unite. This is in addition to the fact that Arroyo intensely courted that group’s support.

The INC also supported Arroyo’s running-mate De Castro as well as six senate bets from the ruling Koalisyon ng Karanasan at Katapatan para sa Kinabukasan. Meanwhile, six senatorial candidates from the opposition Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino got the INC’s nod.

K4 –

Barbers

Biazon

Osmena (x)

Revilla

Roxas

Barbers (x)

Revilla

KNP –

Enrile

Estrada
Lim
Maceda (x)
Madrigal
Pimentel

INC spokesperson Bienvenido Santiago said in a statement at that time that in making election endorsements, the group “takes into account the general well-being of its flock and the commitment of the candidates to guarantee the untrammelled exercise of religious freedom.”

As for specific guidelines, the INC measures a candidate’s “capability to govern, both physically and intellectually, and political will to effect national unity and peace are also among the factors considered.”

Arroyo and De Castro won, though their election victories are being contested to this day. Meanwhile, three of their twelve senatorial endorsees didn’t make the cut – Robert Barbers, Ernesto Maceda, and John Osmena. Administration candidates Pia Cayetano, Richard Gordon, and Lito Lapid won instead. INC’s close ties to Arroyo led them to their worst senatorial endorsement record ever.

2007 Endorsements

The 2007 midterm elections happened against the backdrop of the Hello Garci scandal which put in doubt the legitimacy of the Arroyo administration. The election was widely seen as a referendum on Arroyo. Despite the pro-opposition tide sweeping the country, the INC endorsed six candidates from Arroyo’s Team Unity (TU), five from Genuine Opposition (GO), and reelectionist Senator Francis Pangilinan, who ran independently.

From TU:

Angara

Arroyo

Recto (X)

Defensor (x)

Zubiri (x)

Sotto (X)

From GO:

Legarda

Villar

Lacson

Escudero

Aquino

Independent: Pangilinan

Eight candidates from GO won, together with only two from TU, as well as independent re-eelectionist Pangilinan and the returning Gregorio Honasan. Four of the candidates the INC endorsed lost: Defensor, Recto, Sotto, and Zubiri, and all of them came from TU. Cayetano, Honasan, Pimentel, and Trillanes of the Genuine Opposition won despite not being endorsed by INC.

2010 Endorsements

Three years ago, all but one of INC’s endorsees lost. The sole miss came from Liberal party’s Ruffy Biazon. His partymate Sergio Osmena III won instead. Interestingly, Osmena got an endorsement from the INC for his 2001 senate bid.

1. Ruffy Biazon (Liberal Party) – x (Osmena)
2. Bong Revilla (Lakas-Kampi)
3. Pia Cayetano (Nacionalista Party)
4. Miriam Defensor Santiago (People’s reform Party)
5. Franklin Drilon (Liberal Party)
6. Juan Ponce Enrile (Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino)
7. Jinggoy Estrada (Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino)
8. TG Guingona (Liberal Party)
9. Lito Lapid (Lakas-Kampi)
10. Bongbong Marcos (Nacionalista Party)
11. Ralph Recto (Liberal Party)
12. Tito Sotto (Nationalist People’s Coalition)

risa hontiveros

For the second consecutive elections, INC snubbed Risa Hontiveros

This means that 52 of the 61 senatorial candidates INC carried in the last five national elections won, for an accuracy rating of 85.2%. It can be observed that most of the time, the INC endorses candidates who are already in the winning circle though they do take a risk occasionally with mixed results. It has long been discussed that INC support is decisive is important especially for those in the tail end of the Senate race. Consider the following:

1. With an endorsement from the INC, Honasan would have won the 12th place in the 2001 senate race, which means can serve until 2007. Instead, he merely served out Teofisto Guingona’s unfinished term until 2004.

2. Had INC endorsed Pimentel in 2007, his lead over Zubiri would have been bigger and less vulnerable to cheating. He wouldn’t have needed to wait until 2011 to occupy his seat.

3. Teofisto Guingona III of Liberal Party won the 12th and last spot in the 2010 senate race over his partymate Risa Hontiveros by a margin of 1.1 million votes. What if Hontiveros and not Guingona got the endorsement instead?

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The Meaning of Nancy Binay aka “Nanay de Pamilya”

In politics as in marketing, name recognition (also referred to as name recall or awareness rating) plays a key role in giving certain candidates a head start over their rivals. This explains why, for example, Hillary Clinton leads all her rivals in polls conducted in connection to the 2016 United States presidential elections.

Once you’ve established universal name recognition, it is easier to have people listen to your campaign platform. That’s a huge asset knowing that the legal campaign period is only 90 days. But what if name recall is all you have as a candidate? A good example would be the Senate candidacy of Nancy Binay, daughter of Vice President Jejomar Binay.

The younger Binay was a last-minute addition to the senatorial line-up of the United Nationalist Alliance. She was added to the team after businessman Joey de Venecia decided not to run. When asked by reporters about Nancy’s senatorial bid, the Vice President said being his daughter will give her an edge since “the Binays are associated with good public service.”

jejomar binay funny picture

Vice President Jejomar Binay is the driving force behind his daughter Nancy’s senate bid

Although Binay hasn’t held any elective position throughout her life unlike two of her siblings, she’s been faring well in public opinion polls from the start. Criticisms against the younger Binay had been harsh. In an editorial titled “Unqualified,” the Philippine Daily Inquirer wrote that of the 33 senatorial candidates, “Only one has no achievements to speak of, (and) no accomplishments to her name.” Her seeming averseness to media interviews and debates also hasn’t gone unnoticed.

The public doesn’t seem to mind. She remains in the winning circle according to three recent surveys of senatorial candidates. She’s ranked 3rd in SWS, 5th to 11th in Pulse Asia, and ranked 4th according to The Center for Issues and Advocacies. Binay’s strength as a candidate has puzzled analysts even before the campaign period started. A look at the survey figures gives us insights on just how formidable a candidate Binay is.

The Pulse Asia survey says that Binay’s name awareness rating stands at 95%. Her name recall score is higher than Ramon Magsaysay Jr. (91%), a former two-term senator and son of an ex president, Risa Hontiveros (86%), former Akbayan legislator and foremost proponent of the Reproductive Health law, and Richard Gordon (90%), former senator and 2010 presidential candidate. Who knew Nancy Binay prior to her announcement of candidacy last October?

nancy binay jejomar binay

Vice President Jejomar Binay endorsing his daughter Nancy Binay (Credits: MATIKAS SANTOS/INQUIRER.net)

A source knowledgeable about the Vice President’s camp once told this writer, and this conversation happened months before the filing of candidacies, that the original plan is to let Makati Mayor Jejormar Erwin Binay run for senate. However, this can have risky implications.

Binay’s son won in 2010, but his 40,000 vote margin of victory pales in comparison to the crushing defeat his father dealt to challenger Senator Lito Lapid in 2007. In fact, had Ernesto Mercado and Erwin Genuino joined forces three years ago, Binay’s son would have lost based on the vote totals each of them got. So, if Nancy will be the one to run for his post, the Binays’ 27-year reign in Makati may be endangered.

Nancy Binay’s senatorial candidacy is all about her father’s 2016 presidential bid. The vice president, as one observer pointed out, is testing how strong his brand is in preparation for the big fight ahead. If elected, Nancy Binay will have access to P200 million in pork barrel funds annually. She can spend this on all sorts of projects around the country. She can do this in her official job as senator and as her father’s top surrogate. Talk about hitting two birds in one stone!

In 2010, Binay proved that forging relationships with local government leaders around the country can deliver him the victory. Binay and his party is understandably using this strategy again, this time for his daughter.

Jejomar Binay’s name may not be on the ballot, but as suggested by his active role in this election cycle, he knows that so much is at stake for him. If Nancy Binay’s surname alone is enough to propel her to the upper half of the Senate race despite not having any meaningful credentials, Jejomar Binay’s trial run for 2016 is a huge success.

Enrique Gil as Juan Ponce Enrile on ‘MMK’

“Maalaala Mo Kaya” (MMK) is continuing this coming Saturday its questionable practice of featuring the life story of political figures who are involved, directly or indirectly, in an upcoming election. The said drama anthology series will feature the life story of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile for its April 27 and May 4 episode.

Hunk actor Enrique Gil will play Enrile during his early life in the two-part episode directed by Nuel Crisostomo Naval. In a press release, ABS-CBN noted that this is “Primetime Prince” Enrique Gil’s first starring role in an MMK episode. The April 27 episode will cover Enrile’s life as an abandoned son (he was born Juanito Furagannan) who struggled with extreme poverty and as a guerrilla fighter during World War II.

enrique gil - maalaala mo kaya

Enrique Gil will portray Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile during his younger years in the April 27 edition of “MMK”

Also starring in this episode are Malou de Guzman, Bugoy Cariño, Bernard Palanca, Paco Evangelista, Ya Chang, Helga Krapf, BJ Forbes, Josef Elizalde, Marx Topacio, Efren Reyes Jr., Alicia Alonzo, Bodjie Pascua, Rochelle Barrameda, Ian Galliguez, Simon Ibarra, Joe Gruta, Jong Cuenco, Almira Muhlach, and Jessica Connelly.

Political context

Enrile has been a national political figure since the late 1960s. At age 89, Enrile has held different positions in both the executive and legislative branches of government. Lately however, the Senate President has earned flak for publishing an autobiography that many deemed whitewashes his role during Martial Law. His highly-publicized tiff with Senators Alan Cayetano, Miriam Santiago, and Antonio Trillanes early this year over alleged misuse of Senate funds also put him in a negative light.

English: Cropped photo of Philippine Senate Pr...

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Nevertheless, these developments haven’t stopped Enrile from fielding his son Jack (who currently serves as a congressman from Cagayan) in the May 2013 senatorial race. If surveys are to be believed, the younger Enrile has a chance of making it to the senate, albeit barely.

For this election cycle, MMK has shown the life story of Grace Poe and Alan Cayetano, who are both running under the administration ticket.  Once the campaign period for national candidates kicked in, doing this already became illegal. According to Article 6.7 of Republic Act 9006 or the Fair Elections Act, the portrayal of the life or biography of a candidate in a theater, television station, or any public forum during the campaign period is prohibited.

One obvious loophole to this is the fact that MMK can still show the life story of a candidate’s close relative. This is not exactly unprecedented:

2004 – Rene Cayetano life story (His daughter Pia is running for Senator)

 

 

2010 – Ninoy and Cory Aquino story (Their son Benigno III is running for President)

Did Enrile ask the people behind MMK to feature his life story, or is it the other way around? Did Manong Johnny actually write a letter for Charo Santos? Either way, where’s the delicadeza?

 

 

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Jaypee Santos vs Janine Tugonon and Danny O’Donoghue

Celebrities, from Britney Spears to Ruffa Gutierrez, have at one point or another expressed their desire for privacy. Privacy can be understood in simple scenarios like being able to buy something in a mall without throngs of people asking to have a picture with you, or being able to deal with your personal issues away from the prying eyes of the public. That is understandable, of course.

Even as a public figure, there are aspects of your life that other people have no business knowing. Nevertheless, it has been a long-accepted fact that losing one’s privacy is one of the curses that comes with being a celebrity. But, what about instances when these celebrities willingly wash their dirty linen in public?

In an appearance on Kris Aquino’s morning talk show Kris TV, Miss Universe 2012 1st runner-up Janine Tugonon revealed that she and her boyfriend Jaypee Santos (who, for pity’s sake, is with her throughout the program) have already ended their relationship. While cooking tinola, Tugonon admitted to Aquino that her relationship with her erstwhile lover took a turn for the worse when she met Danny O’Donoghue, frontman of the Irish rock band The Script.

To cut the long story short, it seems that Tugonon willingly split with Santos to free herself for a potential relationship with O’Donoghue. This is human nature. You want to let go of what you have to get something better. Go to Sulit.com or Buy and Sell to know what I mean. Unfortunately for Tugonon, her new apple of the eye has a solid track record for flirting with just about any girl around, as MTV UK reports. So much for loyalty, eh?

 

Tugonon is a douche. She ditched her boyfriend to be able to flirt with The Scripts vocalist! On another note, that’s better than cheating on him. Whatever the ending of this episode, Tugonon has certainly not earned any ganda points. Now, isn’t it ironic that Tugonon will do all of these with the prodding of Aquino, who herself is guilty of sharing too much information about her life to us? Okay, back to work …

 

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Noynoy Aquino in Time 100 most influential list – AND SO?

United States-based Time Magazine released today their annual list of the 100 most influential persons in the world, and included this year is Philippine President Benigno Aquino III. Other world leaders recognized this year includes United States President Barack Obama, Argentinian-born Pope Francis, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. See the complete list here.

In his write-up, Time news director Howard Chua-Eoan said Aquino “quickly began making his own name” after winning the presidency in 2010 mainly by relying on his parents’ legacy. The author described the late Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. as the “Philippines’ most famous political martyr” and former President Corazon Aquino as the country’s “most beloved President” (so much superlatives, eh?).

noynoy aquino - time 100

President Benigno Aquino III is included in Time Magazine’s list of 100 most influential people in the world (Credits: Time.com)

“The sputtering economy stabilized and became hot,” the writer added. Chua-Eoan credited Aquino’s courage in pushing through the contentious reproductive health law even if the Philippines is a “fervently Catholic nation.” The magazine also noted that Aquino “became the face of the regional confrontation with Beijing over its claim to virtually all of the South China Sea,” a stance with still unknown consequences. For his courage, the writer says that Aquino should have the nickname “Ballsy.”

Given the extremely positive tone of this brief piece, it won’t be surprising if some Aquino allies (or probably he himself) will trumpet this as a seal of approval for the three-year old administration. Nevertheless, things must be put in perspective. First, being included in the Time 100 isn’t really an honor. How can that be when even the way the magazine uses the term “influence” is subject to debate? Read this article from Wikipedia for more on this.

It is also worth noting that Time Magazine has consistently glorified the late President, starting in 1986 when they named her “Woman of the Year.” In 2006, they named her as one of Asia’s sixty heroes, together with Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Indian hero Mahatma Gandhi.

Shortly after she died in 2009, they published a lengthy tribute hailing her as “The Saint of Democracy.” And in 2011, they listed Aquino as one of the 25 most important women of the century, alongside famed French scientist Marie Curie, civil rights icon Rosa Parks, and then-US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

gloria arroyo - time magazine

Then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was listed in Time Magazine’s “people who mattered” list for 2005 (Credits: GulfNews.com)

Side note: Each year on the same issue where Time Magazine reveals its person of the year, they also publish a list of “people who mattered” (aka a list of runner-ups). Former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was included in that list back in 2005, the year the “Hello Garci” scandal broke out. For whatever reason, Time Magazine now omits her name from their website. GulfNews.com and the Philippine Star both reported on it. (PS – I have a copy of that! LOL)

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Mike Enriquez, the product endorser

Tuning in to Mike Enriquez “Saksi sa Dobol B” and “Super Balita sa Umaga-Nationwide!” every morning is a daily ritual in our home, especially for my grandfather. At eighty-six years old, he is a big news junkie. We in the family had become so accustomed to hearing Enriquez every morning that it serves like an alarm clock for us.

Knowing that I am taking up a course in Mass Communication, my grandfather always tell me that it’s good to be a radio block timer. He frequently says: “Kapag block-timer ka, kumuha ka ng mga sponsor. Tingnan mo yan si Mike (Enriquez), pa-Arthro-Arthro lang (food supplement) pero ang laki ng kinikita.”

 Of course, the audience-drawing power of Enriquez makes his program very enticing to advertisers. Also, his radio program airs during the peak hours of AM radio (around 6:00-9:00 AM). There is nothing wrong with getting advertisers for a news program because they provide the latter much needed revenues. However, there is something unique in the way some products get promoted during Enriquez’ program.

I have tuned in to his morning news program “Super Balita sa Umaga-Nationwide!” with Joel Reyes Zobel last Friday, January 11, 2008. Enriquez is known for his loud and exaggerated way of news reading. He also gained notoriety among media critics for reading advertisements as news- in a manner which would make it difficult for a listener to distinguish if it is still part of the news. Here’s a transcript of his word of mouth ad for Arthro food supplement.

“Alam nyo mga kapuso, Enero ngayun. Malamig na naman ang panahon, uso na naman ang Aray-tiis (a pun of Arthritis). Masakit na naman ang ating mga kasu-kasuhan…”

During the one hour that I listened to his show, I was able to list down a total of eight ads he read as news. The ads were aired during the duration of his news program with Joel Reyes Zobel at around 7:10 to 8:10 AM.

1.      Banco de Oro loans (read twice)

2.      NFA Rice and the Government’s Anti-Hunger Task Force

3.      Kariza Homes

4.      Centrum Multivitamins

5.      Heartvit

6.      Arthro

7.      Gargle Mouthwash

mike enriquez dzbb

Mike Enriquez has been using his position as a DZBB news anchor to endorse various products (Credits: http://www.novuhair.com)

I know that radio stations are utterly dependent on ad revenues to survive but to read the ads as news without proper distinctions is not good. I am not at all in favor with the way Enriquez gives “special treatment” to his advertisers. I think that such an act diminishes the credibility of journalists. This shall be the case even if one might argue that it doesn’t affect the way he delivers the news.

Radio broadcasters need to exert extra effort to make the distinction clearer unlike in television wherein you can easily determine that a certain feature is a paid advertisement since it is clearly indicated at the top of your TV screens (like in GMA 7’s Unang Hirit).

The practice in DZBB is in clear contrast with that in ABS-CBN wherein those involved in the News Department are never allowed to endorse products themselves. Those who deliver hard news in ABS-CBN’s sister station, DZMM, can never be heard doing a voice-over for any ads.

Being the head of GMA Network’s Radio Operations, Enriquez wields influence and sets the standards for his fellow broadcasters. Because of the way he reads ads, other in DZBB seem to have followed suit. Joel Reyes Zobel also reads the ads as news in his daily afternoon program “Bangon na, Bayan!” (3:00-5:00 PM). I have also heard Rene Sta. Cruz read certain ads in that way (he can be heard at around 11:00 AM).

For DZBB, it seems that reading paid advertisements as news is a corporate affair. Anyway, I realize that I shouldn’t be that surprised since GMA Network doesn’t prohibit their news persons (even those who deliver hard news) from not only reading radio advertisements but as far as letting them endorse certain products in television commercials, (like Surf Powder for Arnold Clavio and Champion Detergent for Mel Tiangco).

Enriquez could have done better by pre-recording the ads and have the sound bite played during the program gaps. This is the practice of other broadcasters like Winnie Cordero of DZMM’s “Todo-todo, Walang Preno” (aired weekdays 10:30-12:00 noon with Ariel Ureta). She does advertisements for Rite-Med and Vaseline shampoo. This is also the case of DZEC’s Ka Totoy Talastas (“Liwanagin Natin”, weekdays 7:30-9:00 am).

In this manner, you can easily determine that the advertisement is not at all part of the news. Enriquez can also do better by recording ad sound bites as a sponsor of time-check or a certain program segment. This is the case of DZMM’s “Tambalang Failon at Sanchez” (weekdays, 8:30-10:30 am), hosted by Ted Failon and Korina Sanchez, wherein Petron Xtra Unleaded sponsors the program’s traffic update.

Mr. Oscar T. Serquina, a speech communication instructor in UP Diliman:

Does the trend that Mike Enriquez set as a broadcaster-cum-advertiser good for media persons and for the media industry in general? Aren’t there any conflicts of interest in terms of profession? Does this help or does it wobble up the credibility/integrity/ethos of a news reporter or a broadcast journalist? Imagine Korina Sanchez promoting Olay Moisturizer, and saying the lines: “My skin became firmer, my pores became smaller, at ang mga lines, nawala!” The horror!

(*This was originally posted in my Multiply page in January 2008)

Hataw Tabloid’s coverage of child rape

Sensationalized and porn-inspired?

“Sex sells” is already a cliché, but Metro Manila-based tabloids are still buying it. This reality is very evident in the way tabloids like Hataw are covering cases of rape involving children. The graphic language used in the narration of the said heinous crime is an ethical dilemma because it violates existing journalistic standards in the Philippines and overseas. In many ways, the reportage on child rape even borders on pornography.

Magnifying the problem is the fact that local tabloids enjoy wide circulation. According to the Asian Media Barometer 2011, tabloids can have circulations of as high as 500,000 each day. As Floyd Whaley of New York Times reported in an article last June, these tabloids far outsell broadsheets. Tabloids are also readily available to anyone, which means that even children can possibly read these rape news stories that use inappropriate language.

All persons below 18 years old are considered as children, according Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act. The law also added that even those over this age can also be considered as such if they “are unable to fully take care of themselves or protect themselves from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or condition.” Rape carries the maximum penalty of reclusion perpetua or imprisonment of at least 30 years.

Despite the harsh punishment, rape remains prevalent. Citing figures from Philippine National Police’s Women and Children Protection Center, the Center for Women’s Resources has reported early this year that one child is raped every 2 hours and 30 minutes. This explains why tabloids never fail to carry at least one rape story every day. Rape stories have human interest as its main news value, except on rare instances when the victim is a public figure even before the crime (e.g. Maggie dela Riva during the 1960s).

Maggie dela Riva

Newspaper headline about Maggie Dela Riva’s rape case (credits: http://www.video48.blogspot.com)

Hataw tabloid seems to have made it a point to present their rape stories in the most salacious manner possible. Some of its headlines are the following:

  • 3-anyos nene hinalay ng kompadre ni tatay – January 6, 2012
  • 2 menor na anak, nilantakan ng manyak – January 27, 2012
  • 9-anyos, ginahasa ng sinulsulan ng demonyo – February 12, 2012
  • 3-anyos na ampon, dinonselya ni lolo – April 13, 2012
  • 12-anyos biyak sa padyak – June 1, 2012
  • Nene, pinilahan ng tatlong totoy – June 8, 2012
  • 13-anyos ‘inotso-otso’ ni lolo, dinugo – August 13, 2012
  • 14-anyos biniyak ng stepdad (Huli sa akto ni nanay) – September 12, 2012

As women’s right activist Sylvia Estrada-Claudio noted in her 2002 book Rape, Love, and Sexuality: The Construction of Women in Discourse, the headlines of rape stories tend to emphasize the survivor’s age as well as her relation to the crime perpetrator. Terms like “nilantakan,” “dinonselya,” “biniyak,” and “pinilahan” emphasizes the gravity of the offense committed against the victims in a completely negative way. To a great extent, the said action words appear to ridicule the horrific experience that those women went through.

The body of those stories also displays extreme insensitivity toward the victims. The April 13, 2012 rape article carries this lead: “Arestado ang isang matandang lalaki makaraang gahasain ang 3-anyos niyang ampon sa lungsod ng Dagupan, Pangasinan kamakalawa.” Knowing the negative implication of being publicly labeled as an adopted child, one wonders why the reporter deemed it necessary to include this information in the report.

Meanwhile, the June 8 article begins this way: “Napariwara ang puri ng isang 9-anyos batang babae makaraang halinhinang gahasain ng kanyang tatlong kalaro sa bahay-bahayan sa bayan ng Dumanjug, Cebu.” The story implies that because of the rape, the victim has lost not just her virginity but her social standing as well.

Some stories include an extremely graphic account of the incident. The February 12, 2012 news item begins this way: “Habang kinukubabawan ng isang lalaki at umiindayog ang balakang sa ibabaw ng isang siyam na taong gulang na ay tuloy tuloy naman umano ang bulong ng demonyo sa suspek na sige tirahin mo yan.” Is this really in sync with what happened or is it just a work of imagination?

This manner of rape reportage directly violates the principles outlined in the guidelines set by the Department of Justice (DOJ) vis-à-vis reporting and coverage of children. Although the names (as well as other information that may reveal their identity) of the victims were not published, the reports violated the rule which prohibits the media from disclosing any private or graphic detail of the case. The DOJ also mandates the media to focus on the issues surrounding the case instead of bringing up the personal circumstances of the victim.

The DOJ exhorts all media outlets to respect the dignity of the child at all times. “Crimes of violence by or against children must be reported factually and seriously without passing judgment, stereotyping, or sensationalism,” the guidelines say, adding that a “child’s life should not be treated as a movie.” The justice department underscored that using sexualized images of a child “is a violation of the right of the child to dignity and self-worth.”

hataw tabloid

Hataw Tabloid postrays rape stories in a distasteful manner

This echoes the “minimize harm” doctrine of the Society of Professional Journalists’ (SPJ) Code of Ethics which states that reporters should treat sources, subjects and colleagues “as human beings deserving of respect.” Journalists should also “use special sensitivity when dealing with children and inexperienced sources or subjects.” The SPJ Code of Ethics also tells media practitioners to “show good taste” and “avoid pandering to lurid curiosity.”

When reporters use titillating words and graphic details of the rape in their story (as in the case of Hataw), their output becomes more like a work of pornography instead of being a straight news report. In Miller vs. California, a landmark United States Supreme Court which deals with pornography, it is stated that a work that appeals to people’s prurient interest but has no serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value should be considered as an obscene material.

Going back to the news items discussed above, one can’t help but notice the apparent lack of necessity for the journalists to use words like “nawasak ang puri,” “biniyak,” and “dinonselya” in their reports. They can report about the rape without using salacious descriptions. Clearly, Hataw tabloid reports cases of child rape cases in a way that is intended primarily to stimulate their readers’ imagination instead of raising awareness about the prevalence of the said crime.

According to the website JusticeJournalism.org, reporters should ask themselves the following questions whenever they are tempted to frame their stories in a sensational way:

  • Is this graphic detail necessary to tell the story?
  • Will this detail help the community at large?
  • Will readers or viewers be offended by such details?
  • Will the victim suffer more because of the details?
  • Will this detail help police in solving the crime? And is it your duty to help?

Many things can be done to reverse the trend of sensationalized reporting about rape. Editors and their superiors have to be extra careful in scrutinizing news stories based on existing ethical standards. Writers, for their part, should be made to undergo continuous trainings regarding coverage of sex crimes. The 2011 Asian Media Barometer noted that “low salaries and the lack of skills and training often lead to poor writing and reporting.”

Reporters should also go beyond their typical template in reporting about rape. They should strive to provide more depth into their reportage instead of treating each story as a mere he-said, she-said narrative based on what the victim, the suspect, and the authorities say. This must be done so that readers can see the bigger picture (for example, the high number of rape cases in the country, etc.).

News consumers have to be more proactive as well. If they think that a particular story has been reported in an offensive manner, they should not hesitate to speak out through whatever means. This can be done by contacting the concerned media organizations, filing a formal complaint before the National Press Club, or by simply sharing their views online. The families of news subjects also have to be more forceful in asserting their rights as indicated in the DOJ guidelines for media coverage.

*This paper was presented during the 2013 Journalism Research Conference last March 5.