SEPTEMBER-OCTOBERĆ SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009 2009 1

WHATÊSiNSIDE

Pre-campaign Campaigning

A PPERFECTERFECT SSTORM:TORM: LLESSESS TTHANHAN PPERFECTERFECT RREPORTINGEPORTING n By Alaysa Tagumpay E. Escandor

N ARAYAT, Pampanga, a man hoists his wife and child into a makeshift raft they hope would save them from the fl oodwaters, even as part of the near- by mountain crumbles under the steady downpour. The man survives the combination of fl ood and landslide,I but his family does not. In Tatalon, Quezon City, the striking combination of water and fl ame lay waste the shantytown. While fl oodwaters reach as high as seven feet, a fi re started by, people suspect, faulty electrical wiring, razes homes. Evacuating becomes doubly diffi cult since residents must escape water, rag- ing fi re, and electrocution all at the same time. In the ritzy Provident Vil- lage in Marikina City, expensive cars fl oat like matchbox toys in the three-storey high fl oodwater. People are on the rooftops of their Photos by LITO OCAMPO homes while the nearby Marikina Turn to page 10 2 Ć SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009 editorÊs NOTE PUBLISHED BY THE CENTER FOR MEDIA FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY

Melinda Quintos de Jesus Publisher

Luis V. Teodoro Editor

Hector Bryant L. Macale More than information Managing Editor

EW FILIPINOS during “normal” times would call It was the media that received the most calls for help Melanie Y. Pinlac the mayor’s offi ce to complain about garbage on the and served as the people’s link to government agencies as Kathryn Roja G. Raymundo Fstreets, but they seldom hesitate to call the media to fl oodwaters rose in Rizal province and Metro Manila last Edsel Van DT. Dura intercede in their behalf. They don’t call the police when Sept. 26. Filipinos who needed help acted on the assump- Alaysa Tagumpay E. Escandor someone’s fi ring off a gun in the community either; they tion that they can’t rely on government agencies, it’s the Reporters call the media for help instead, whether to serve as inter- media they had to call. mediaries with this or that agency, or as themselves the What’s been obvious for years is that the media have Arnel Rival provider of solutions. had to assume roles in Philippine society additional to Art Director This is markedly evident in broadcasting, where “public their basic responsibility of providing information as service” programs proliferate and rate. These type of pro- well as interpretation and analysis on issues of public Lito Ocampo grams have been around for decades, and basically consist concern. Photographer of listeners’ calling in their complaints. The program host The responsibility has been thrust on the media be- or hosts then call on the appropriate agencies, usually with cause of critical state failures. No Philippine government Carol M. Paragele more than a bit of sarcasm, to do something. In some cases has reacted to the media’s assumption of roles that are Editorial Secretary the program hosts telephone the head of the government properly those of governments with the same hostility agency to put him or her on the carpet, and to extract a with which they have greeted the media’s dissemination Jose Abueva promise of immediate action. of unfavorable information. But more than the informa- Joaquin Bernas, SJ These programs are driven by the increasing failure of state tion they provide, it is the media’s discharge of some of Melinda Quintos de Jesus institutions to provide the many services people need, among the responsibilities of government that more than any- Fulgencio Factoran them police protection, garbage collection, and, as was being thing else indicts the kind of governance that afflicts the Maribel Ongpin demonstrated by the crisis brought on by tropical storm On- Philippines. Tina Monzon Palma doy (international name Ketsana) and typhoon Pepeng (in- Paulynn Paredes Sicam ternational name Parma) during the last week of September Luis V. Teodoro and the fi rst weeks of October, rescue and relief. Luis V. Teodoro Vergel O. Santos Board of Advisers

PJR Reports (Philippine Journalism Review Reports) is published by the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility. All mail PPRESSRESSED FREEDOM Manix Abrera should be addressed to: PJR Reports Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility 2/F Ateneo Professional Schools, 130 H.V. dela Costa St. Salcedo Village Makati City 1227

Phones: (632) 840-0889/(632) 840-0903 (632) 894-1314/(632) 894-1326 E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.cmfr-phil.org

PJR Reports welcomes feedback and contributions on press and media The publication of this issue is supported by a grant from the Open Society Institute. issues. Ć SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009 3

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBERĆ SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009 2009 1 frontPAGE speaking

WHATÊSiNSIDE

Pre-campaign Campaigning It was a “perfect storm” but the coverage was of MEDIA A PERFECT less than perfect STORM: LESS THAN Where’s the platform? paign months ahead of the elections. PERFECT “This contest for name recall has been Juan Mercado on a study by Sun.Star REPORTING underpinning the personality politics that managing editor Isolde Amante which argues n By Alaysa Tagumpay E. Escandor N ARAYAT, Pampanga, a man hoists his wife and that broadcast blocktimers are not journalists, child into a makeshift raft they hope would save prevail in national elections, supported, them from the fl oodwaters, even as part of the near- by mountain crumbles under the steady downpour. The man survives the combination of fl ood and Philippine Daily Inquirer, Sept. 17 Ilandslide, but his family does not. of course, by guns, goons, and gold of po- In Tatalon, Quezon City, the striking combination of water and fl ame lay waste the shantytown. No Ban While fl oodwaters reach as high litical warlords, and massive fraud in the as seven feet, a fi re started by, people suspect, faulty electrical wiring, razes homes. Evacuating “Banning blocktiming during the elec- becomes doubly diffi cult since residents must escape water, rag- canvassing of votes. The sad thing is that ing fi re, and electrocution all at the same time. In the ritzy Provident Vil- tions is unconstitutional and a direct viola- lage in Marikina City, expensive cars fl oat like matchbox toys in the contest for name recall is not based on the three-storey high fl oodwater. People are on the rooftops of their Photos by LITO OCAMPO homes while the nearby Marikina tion of press freedom.” Turn to page 10 solid platforms and accomplishments but by sheer popularity, thus the engagement Engineer Greg Senining, blocktimer and president of the Cebu Association of Media of showbiz personalities in politics. Indeed, Practitioners, responding to the Commission on the divide between politics and showbiz is Elections’ proposal to ban blocktimers, Manila very thin.... Bulletin, Sept. 22 “Who is to blame for the sorry state in Philippine elections? Politics as drama “Civil society groups, the different “The media has been following this sto- in this churches, and even the big media networks ry like a telenovela.” have been urging the people to exercise their Sen. Panfi lo “Ping” Lacson during a privilege right to vote, to vote wisely, and to guard speech describing the media coverage of the their votes. They have also been condemn- Estrada-Lacson exchange of accusations of ISSUE ing those who sell their votes. It seems that wrong doing, Sept. 22 they are barking at the wrong tree. For what Control of web media SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009 exactly are the people voting for? “The media is partly to blame for not “Apart from anti-pornography laws that probing into the candidates’ platforms and can throttle freedom of both individual merely being content with reporting the and businesses on cyberspace, the Right to intense jockeying for positions, the candi- Reply bill fi led at the Senate is also seen to dates’ political bickering, exposés and mud- have dire effects on Internet freedom. A Perfect Storm: slinging, as well as their campaign sorties.” “The proposal even adds online media Benjie Oliveros on Philippine democracy as those who have to give space to those al- Less Than Perfect Reporting and elections, Bulatlat, legedly accused. ALAYSA TAGUMPAY E. ESCANDOR 1 Sept. 28 “Incidentally, there is also a question wheth- er the bill could also affect ordinary people who Peddling Shoddy Goods Not Journalists own blogs and write scathing criticisms or accu- EDSEL VAN DT. DURA WITH REPORTS FROM ALAYSA TAGUMPAY E. ESCANDOR 6 “One of the 2010 elections’ stickier sations against certain personalities. This also problems: radio blocktime commentators. becomes an issue to those who are exercising Are they legitimate voices in the national their own freedom of speech online. Human Rights Reportage Revisited dialogue? Or broadcast gunslingers for “Arguments against the Right to Reply KATHRYN ROJA G. RAYMUNDO 8 hire? bill has snowballed beyond media but to “Funded by faceless patrons, blocktim- just about everyone who practice freedom Media and Elections ers raise threat levels. of speech, including those who own blogs Pre-campaign Campaigning “Institutions or individuals buy airtime and are part of social networking sites.” at radio stations overseen shakily by the On the unwarranted restriction of online KATHRYN ROJA G. RAYMUNDO 12 National Telecommunications Commis- media with the Senate version of the right of sion. No questions are asked. reply, Inquirer.net, Sept. 7 From E-mail to Jail—and Back “The capitol is Cebu Province’s larg- WARIEF DJAJANTO BASORIE 14 est blocktimer. Contracts for 2009 reveal Media practitioners on elections airtime fees alone this year may top P4.86 “We are journalists, fi lm makers, art- million. ists and new media practitioners. Many of Making the Case for Science Journalism “Nearly half of what the capitol spends us did not get to vote in past elections due LIKHA CUEVAS-MIEL 20 monthly for airtime (P200,000) goes to to work assignments or simply because we three Bantay Radyo AM stations: two in didn’t care enough after helping oust a dic- Cebu, one in Oriental Negros. Their owner: tator in 1986. Vice Governor Sanchez. “We will not just cast our votes in 2010; “Political commentaries chewed up more REGULAR SECTIONS we will make sure positive changes will hap- than half (55.5 percent) of all block-time pen in the process by investing our skills, hours. Health topics accounted for 8 percent. talents, experience, time, and, yes, even our Editor’s Note ...... 2 Five incumbent elective offi cials and four ex- own money —10 pesos to be exact—to get ev- Speaking of Media ...... 3 offi cials are spread-eagled as block-timers in ery Filipino to register and vote according to eight of Cebu’s 13 AM radio stations. what he/she stands for and believes in. Monitor ...... 4 “And there’s little by way of training “As a symbol of our personal investment Crisis ...... 16 blocktimers in professional standards—ob- in the political processes, we will donate ten jectivity, balance, fairness—as the code of pesos each to use in our ‘10 in 2010’ cam- Chronicle ...... 18 ethics provides. paign: 10 things we will do to ensure clean Obit ...... 19 “Blocktimers are not required by law or and honest elections in 2010.” the KBP’s Broadcast code to reveal funding “10 sa 2010: Tara na, Boto na!”, Unity sources. Statement of selected media practitioners in “Block time enables incumbents to cam- Mindanao, Sept. 21 4 Ć SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009 CHEERS MMONITORONITOR JEERS

LETTER TTOO THETHE EDITOR TRIPLE CHEERS OF THE MONTH Unmasking the declare contributions in all Plagiarism not intended forms and amounts by donors. Arroyos Another PCIJ story, “For Char- Sept. 7, 2009 ity, Vanity, Whatever? Arroyos run Dear Editor, CHEERS TO the Philip- a horde of foundations”, reported pine Center for Investi- how members of the First Family This is concerning the plagiarism charge leveled against abs-cbnNEWS.com in gative Journalism (PCIJ) and as well as relatives and support- the story “Lapses” published in the July - Aug. 2009 issue of PJR Reports. VERA Files for their hard-hit- ers have numerous foundations Specifi cally, the statement I refer to is the following: ting series about the largely and non-governmental organiza- “Ironically, a third case involves www.abs-cbnNEWS.com. A comprehensive, unexplained wealth of the Ar- tions (http://www.pcij.org/sto- four-part report by the website on Aquino’s life and times (http://coryaquino. royos, their hidden properties, ries/2009/arroyo-foundations. abs-cbnnews.com) turned out to have been lifted, without acknowledgement, and interests. html, Sept. 8). Some of these foun- from Cory Aquino’s offi cial website (http://www.coryaquino.ph).” A three-part series of PCIJ dations “were at front and center The statement referred to this series of articles published on abs-cbn- probed the rapid accumulation NEWS.com: of the so-called ‘fertilizer fund 1. The Essential Cory Aquino: The Young Cory of the Arroyos’ wealth, which is scam’ that saw millions of pesos 2. The Essential Cory Aquino: The Unpaved Road to the Presidency growing faster, and is much big- meant to buy fertilizer for farmers 3. The Essential Cory Aquino: Sustaining Stewardship of People Power ger, than the combined growth Arroyos LITO OCAMPO released to foundations just a few 4. The Essential Cory Aquino: Her Life with Ninoy Aquino in the declared wealth of three weeks before the 2004 elections.” First, we assure you that we take such charges (plagiarism) seriously presidents that preceded her. his SALNs. VERA Files reported Most of these organizations, ac- here at abs-cbnNEWS.com. (“Can President Arroyo explain that both Mikey and brother, cording to PCIJ, did not apply Having said that, the series of articles mentioned were indeed lifted from her wealth? Gloria gets richer Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado for Philippine Council for NGO www.coryaquino.ph. But it was done with no intended malice, no intention to fastest, beats Cory, Ramos, Ignacio “Dato” Arroyo, acquired Certifi cation accreditation. In ad- plagiarize. There was not even any intention to publish without permission. Erap”, http://www.pcij.org/sto- houses and local business inter- dition, all these organizations ap- Days before the death of the former president, we asked Rafael Lopa ries/2009/arroyo-wealth.html, ests in the United States after win- of the Benigno Aquino Foundation for permission to republish content from parently failed to publicly disclose their site in a microsite dedicated to the legacy of the former president. Aug. 9) ning seats in Congress. (“Arroyo their sources of funding as well as This permission was granted to us through an e-mail from Mr. Lopa Since she assumed the presi- sons acquire U.S. homes, busi- their projects. dated July 23. dency in 2001, President Gloria nesses after election to Congress”, The stories were supposed to be accompanied by an editor’s note ex- Macapagal Arroyo’s declared http://www.verafiles.org/index. plaining the provenance of said articles. However, the publisher tasked to net worth is now “20 times php/focus/315-arroyo-sons-ac- publish said articles failed to publish the accompanying editor’s note. more than her lawful gross sal- quire-us-homes-businesses-af- We have asked this person to explain the omission. We also had the ary as president of only P45,000 ter-election-to-congress, Aug. 30) articles edited to include the missing editor’s note as well as our apologies a month,” PCIJ reported. Her Mikey bought a house in Cal- over this matter. Statements of Assets and Li- ifornia and transferred the title Admittedly, it is unfortunate that we only noticed this omission now, abilities and Net Worth (SALN), to his wife in 2006. The house, after this was already pointed out in your article. Our only humble explanation for this is the huge volume of content we however, do not explain the now up for sale and worth $1.32 had to publish that week. spike in her declared wealth or million or P63.7 million, did We hope this explains the issue. if she has other lawful sources of not appear in Mikey’s 2007 income. and 2008 SALNs. Dato and his LITO OCAMPO Thank you very much, The second part probed the wife also bought a P26.7-mil- purchase from the Arroyos of a lion property in San Francisco Gemma Bagayaua Mendoza piece of land in Bulacan. (“Gov’t in 2007. Dato, unlike Mikey, de- Pro-active election Deputy Editor for Research and Systems spends P45M on road to lot Ar- clared ownership of the property coverage abs-cbnNEWS.com royo sold for P42M”, http:// in his 2008 SALN. www.pcij.org/stories/2009/ar- A follow-up VERA Files report CHEERS TO ANC for re- royo-wealth3.html, Aug. 10) last Sept. 6 found out that Mikey minding the public of the The Arroyos sold the 2.9-hect- failed to declare to the Commis- high stakes in the upcoming are property for almost P41.5 sion on Elections campaign con- 2010 elections. ABS-CBN 2’s million, or 400 times what they tributions that he had received sister channel has been pro-ac- paid for it in 1996 and eight for the last two congressional tive in airing live programs that times higher than the lot’s re- elections. (“Following the Mikey focus on the issues in next year’s corded fair market value. PCIJ trail: 2004, 2007 declarations elections. One example was its Scoring the double research found that fi ve govern- show no campaign contribu- airing live last Sept. 21 a forum standard ment road projects worth P44.8 tions”, http://www.verafi les.org/ on poll automation, including a million had been implemented index.php/focus/327-following- presentation on the process dur- CHEERS TO Philippine where the Arroyo lot was locat- the-mikey-trail-2004-2007-dec- ing election day using precinct Daily Inquirer contributor Intercontinental ballistic missile ed, indicating a possible case of larations-show-no-campaign- count optical scan machines Roland Simbulan for probing an US AIR FORCE PHOTO/JOE DAVILA confl ict of interest. contributions) Mikey earlier said (PCOS). issue largely ignored by the main- China, and Israel. Part three of PCIJ’s series fur- on national television that his The 90-minute “ANC Pres- stream media: the alleged double- The Inquirer published the ther probed Arroyo’s unexplained declared net worth jumped from ents: A 2010 Poll Automation” standard practice of global super- piece two weeks before the sched- wealth, including her numerous P5.7 million in 2001 to P74.4 mil- forum discussed questions re- powers in international nuclear uled test-fi ring of intercontinental real estate properties. (“Gloria’s lion in 2004 and P99.2 million in garding poll automation, es- weapons policy. ballistic missiles by the United mysterious millions: Stacks of 2007 partly because of campaign pecially the reliability of PCOS The United Nations and the States into the Pacifi c Ocean. The stocks, sparse data”, http://www. contributions and wedding gifts. machines to count, transmit, international community quickly target was the Ronald Reagan pcij.org/stories/2009/arroyo- Mikey wed his second cousin An- and canvass votes. Representa- condemn nations that are planning Missile Test Range in Kwajelain wealth4.html, Aug. 11) gela in 2002. tives from Smartmatic and Total to develop their nuclear arsenals Atoll in the Marshall Islands in VERA Files, meanwhile, re- His statements of contribu- Information Management pre- and capability, Simbulan wrote in the South Pacifi c. ported the existence of the house tions and expenses in the 2004 sented how a PCOS machine will his Aug. 9 commentary (“Nuclear Simbulan also discussed the of presidential son and Pampan- and 2007 elections, however, be used during election day. dissimulation”). Ironically, they do Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapons ga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” did not list any campaign dona- Previously, ANC aired live not castigate countries that have Free Zone Treaty (SEA-NWFZT) Arroyo in the United States tions, according to VERA Files. fora with presidential candi- long been testing nuclear weapons, signed in 1995. The Philippines, which he had not declared in The law mandates candidates dates. such as the United States, Russia, along with other members of the Ć SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009 5 CHEERS MMONITORONITOR JEERS

Association of Southeast Asian Na- situation “critical”. “Hand-in-hand, murder case of Bubby Dacer and arot, hindi ang namamangka sa cluding the media, for the fl awed tions (ASEAN), signed the treaty the Department of Social Welfare Emmanuel Corbito, in which Es- dalawa o tatlong ilog. Ang gani- system of democracy, in which declaring the region a nuclear and Development (DSWD), local trada is implicated, is part of the tong uri ng mga babae ay dapat voting “is the only expression of weapons-free zone. Simbulan sug- government units (LGUs), Philip- “wrecking crew’s” grand plan. na malunod sa sariling ilog ng the people’s sovereign will and gested measures that will “enforce pine National Red Cross, and other While it is basic to journalism kabaliwan (Singson was left with participation in governance.” But and implement the spirit and letter concerned government agencies to have multiple sources especially a wounded heart and being. It’s voting, Oliveros asserts, should of the treaty and put more muscle and non-government organizations when there is controversial infor- right to love women. They are the not constitute all of the people’s into the SEA-NWFZT Commission helped the affected persons or fam- mation, the Tribune article only picture of our beloved mothers. political participation. “It should which ASEAN established a few ilies,” the paper reported. (“Gov’t had a single source: Sen. Miriam But this depends on the character only complement direct political years ago in Manila.” aids 100,000 crisis victims”) Defensor Santiago. of the women, not those who are action by a people asserting their Simbulan is a University of the However, there was no men- fl irtatious, not those who relate sovereign will.” Philippines professor and a senior tion of the causes behind the to several men at the same time. fellow at the Center for People displacement and dislocation of These kinds of women should Roots of the Empowerment in Governance. thousands in Mindanao, some of drown in their own madness).” them from indigenous groups, or Mindanao confl ict of their conditions. Despite the In disguise magnitude of the crisis, the story CHEERS TO MindaNews occupied a small space at the back for providing consistent JEERS TO Sunday Inquirer page. The article should have men- coverage on the developments of Magazine for publishing tioned that the crisis was largely the peace process in Mindanao, a political advertisement thinly the outcome of confl ict—the ma- especially the peace talks between disguised as a feature article on jority of the evacuees left their the government and the Moro Is- Sen. Loren Legarda last Aug. 30. communities when government lamic Liberation Front (MILF). The cover story, with the title troops arrived to occupy the area. One article by MindaNews “Sen. Loren Legarda, Eyeing a Other important details were also columnist Patricio Diaz discussed Green Presidency”, hit two birds missing, such as the evacuation Singson LITO OCAMPO in a three-part series the history with one stone: fi rst, it declared centers, the confl ict-ridden areas, of the so-called Mindanao con- Legarda’s bid for presidency and as well as quotes from the actual Perpetuating biases fl ict; the struggle for Muslim au- second, it distinguished her brand evacuees themselves. tonomy; and the renewed efforts from everyone else. “With climate and prejudices for peace after the failed signing change threatening the basic hu- of the Memorandum of Agree- man rights of the people…Legarda Lost in translation JEERS TO Teledyaryo’s Aquino LITO OCAMPO ment on Ancestral Domain in “Editoryal ng Bayan (The is all the more motivated to take 2008 (published on Sept. 12, Sept. JEERS TO the Manila Bul- People’s Editorial)” segment last up the cudgels and lead the coun- A rare peek 17, and Sept.21 in Diaz’s column letin for misinformation. On Sept. 9 that was biased for Deputy try to a safer and more secure fu- “Comment”). Sept. 7, a three-paragraph report National Security Adviser Luis ture,” the article went. CHEERS TO Newsbreak for Diaz’s article “‘Pride Chicken’ was headlined “Bangit sees deci- “Chavit” Singson regarding his A mid-shot of a smiling Le- its nine-part series on how and Peace” was on how pride played sive end to insurgency”. Yet, a close alleged beating of former partner garda figured at the cover, while second cousins and 2010 presi- a major role in the Mindanao con- reading of the article will reveal Rachel “Che” Tiongson. the article itself ran for two full dential candidates Gilberto Co- fl ict. The fi rst article showed how that there were no quotes from Lt. Tiongson had told the media pages, occupying the magazine’s juangco Teodoro (of Lakas-Kam- that pride “aggravated” the fi ght Gen. Delfi n Bangit that mentioned that she had long been separated centerfold. pi-CMD) and Benigno Cojuangco over politics and land ownership in the “insurgency”. He merely ad- from Singson before she went out The Fair Elections Act, howev- Aquino III (of the Liberal Party) Mindanao and “fueled” the ongoing dressed the army fi eld command- with someone else. She fi led charg- er, requires that “print advertise- ended up as political rivals. The violence between some Muslims ers at a seminar-workshop and es against the former governor for ments shall not exceed one-fourth series traced the history of the Co- and Christians. leader’s symposium, saying: “Be physical abuse. But Singson denied (1/4) page in broadsheet and one- juangcos, one of the most infl uen- The second part discussed the shining examples of discipline, pro- that they’re separated and even half (1/2) page in tabloids thrice tial families in Philippine politics “three phases of Muslim auton- fessionalism, and positive values added that Tiongson should have a week per newspaper, magazine and business. omy”—the creation of Regional and practices not just to our troops, been thankful that he didn’t kill her or other publications.” It also pro- With the series, Newsbreak Autonomous Governments IX but to members of your respective for cheating on him. Tiongson with- hibits early campaigning, political gave Filipinos a glimpse of the dy- and XII under the Marcos ad- communities. As you exemplify drew her civil case against Singson advertising, and any “partisan po- namics and dynastic character of ministration, the creation of the good values in your deeds, we can last Sept. 30. litical activity” that aims to solicit Philippine politics. Autonomous Region in Muslim win hearts and minds.” The opinions of commenta- votes and support for a candidate The series was based on ”Fam- Mindanao (ARMM) in 1989, and tor Rafael Dante Cruz displayed when outside the campaign peri- ily Feud”, the second chapter of the reorganization of ARMM in skewed views which supported od. The election period, according Wreck the book “Boss Danding” by Earl 1996—while the third part looked the statements of Singson, who to the Commission on Elections, G. Parreño. The series ran from into how local leaders in Mindan- JEERS TO The Daily Tri- is a known Malacañang ally. Not is from Feb. 9, 2010 until May 8, Sept. 21 to Oct. 2. Danding is the ao are trying to infl uence the on- bune for hyping its report only was this segment biased, it 2010. politically infl uential business ty- going peace negotiations between on Aug. 27, “Palace, race foes out also reeked of sexism. But it’s not only the Sunday coon Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., un- the government and the MILF. Inquirer Magazine that’s abet- to unite against Erap as star ris- Cruz asked “…babae lamang cle of both Teodoro and Aquino. ting the violation of the law. Other es”. The article was largely based daw ba ang dapat bigyan ng pro- publications are equally guilty. on unfounded speculations from a teksyon, eh paano na ang mat- ‘Market failure’ single source. song mga lalaki? ‘Di ba meron Full participation The article states that presiden- din silang dangal at karangalan CHEERS TO GMANews.TV No attention tial administration and opposition na dapat pangalagaan? (Should CHEERS TO Bulatlat for a for its Sept. 15 special report bets are planning to unite against protection only be given to wom- timely examination of Phil- on why medicine remains inaccessi- JEERS TO the Manila Bulle- former president and convicted en, what about macho men? Don’t ippine democracy and elections. ble to many Filipinos, especially the tin for its perfunctory report- plunderer Joseph “Erap” Estrada they have their dignity and honor Benjie Oliveros, in his analysis poor (“For profi table RP drug in- ing of government efforts to miti- because they are bent on “engaging to protect as well)?” “Name Recall, The Folly in Philip- dustry, price cut is a pill that’s hard gate the crisis in Mindanao. Last in character assassination against He added, “Naiwan si Singson, pine Elections”, states why name to swallow”, http://www.gmanews. Sept. 4, the Bulletin failed to give the deposed leader.” The report sugatan ang puso at buong pag- recall alone can clinch victory for tv/story/172359/for-profi table-rp- adequate space and explanation to called the alliance of opposition katao. Tama, dapat na mahalin any political contender, even in drug-industry-price-cut-is-a-pill- a story that warranted national at- and administration contenders as ang kababaihan. Ito’y larawan the utter lack of platform and sub- thats-hard-to-swallow/_/2/). The tention, especially because local and the “wrecking crew”. ng ating butihing ina. Pero de- stance. report cited “lack of competition” international human rights organi- The report further speculat- pende naman siguro sa klase ng The article also cited the fail- in the drug industry as one reason zations have already declared the ed that the revival of the double mga babae, hindi babaeng halip- ings of various institutions, in- behind it. 6 Ć SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009

tent, themes, treatment, plot, and programs. For instance, telenove- las in both stations have romance as dominant theme, portraying Peddling shoddy goods the timeworn concept of damsels in distress and the men who save The range of TV programs is very narrow, consisting of local and them. Most of these telenovelas are foreign soap operas, game shows, canned foreign cartoon shows unoriginal as they are adapted from comic strips, pocketbooks, that have been dubbed in Filipino, and noontime shows fi lms or from foreign programs. These include ABS-CBN 2’s Kam- bal sa Uma, Precious Hearts Ro- mances, Maria De Jesus, Boys Over Flowers, and Only You. n By Edsel Van DT. Dura with reports from Similar GMA-7 shows include Alaysa Tagumpay E. Escandor Ngayon at Kailanman, Kung Aagawin Mo ang Lahat sa Akin, DIOCY PERVADES the airwaves these days, no Zorro, La Lola, and Rosalinda. Is there really a public fasci- thanks to television stations that perpetually ped- nation for programs about twins dle cheap entertainment. that the two biggest stations try PJR Reports watched all the programs of ABS- to outcrass the other on this? If CBN 2 and GMA-7 in one day (July 15), from sign- ABS-CBN 2 has Kambal sa Uma, Ion to sign-off. a show about twin sisters who do not look alike but share the physi- The monitor confi rmed some- director of the Tony Stabile Cen- cal features of a rodent, GMA-7 thing the public has long suspect- ter for Investigative Journalism of also has twin sisters whose only ed: the dominance of entertain- New York’s Columbia University. similar features are their big nos- ment programs in the offerings Charges of reckless impru- es in the show Kambalilong. ABS- of rival channels ABS-CBN 2 and dence resulting in multiple ho- CBN 2 also has a canned foreign GMA-7. And it’s the kind of en- micide and multiple physical in- “telenovela” in the morning, the tertainment that is shrill, banal, juries were fi led against the top Amazing Twins. and senseless. executives of ABS-CBN 2 by the The telenovelas take up on the The range of programs is also National Bureau of Investigation average 20 percent of the program very narrow, consisting of local in March 2006, but until now the schedules of the stations. But tele- and foreign soap operas, game case is yet to be resolved. (see re- Photos by LITO OCAMPO novelas do not make up for the shows, canned foreign cartoon lated story) shows that have been dubbed in Indeed, the “idiot box” tag of- Filipino, and noontime shows. ten used to describe TV is only too What’s wrong with this picture? well justifi ed by its entertainment ABS-CBN 2 Program Schedule on July 15 The undeniable focus by the tele- programming. vision networks on entertainment Percentage of diverts people’s attention to mat- Ratings war Program Schedule Category ters that are of little or no impor- TV entertainment shows are Total Time tance. apparently produced for no other 04:30 am DZMM TeleRadyo (45 mins) News 3.8% Noontime shows Wowowee reason than that they’re likely to 05:15 am Kape’t Pandesal (15 mins) Entertainment (Evangelical) 1.27% and Eat Bulaga, the climax of rate by appealing to the lowest local TV programming, are espe- common denominator. And TV 5:30 am Umagang Kay Ganda (3 hrs) News Magazine 15.19% cially popular for the promise of ratings determine where advertis- 08:30 am Amazing Twins (35 mins) Entertainment (Syndicated) 2.95% instant cash, the giddy hosts, and ers will put their money. 09:05 am Blue Dragon (20 mins) Entertainment (Children’s show) 1.69% bouncing female dancers. “The numbers, however, don’t 09:25 am Naruto (20 mins) Entertainment (Children’s show) 1.69% Furthermore, the shows have provide qualitative information 09:45 am Ang Pangarap ni Cosette (35 mins) Entertainment (Children’s show) 2.95% often been criticized for promot- such as what makes a program ing a culture of mendicancy and popular, or why audiences are 10:20 am Ruffa & Ai (1 hr) Entertainment (Talk show) 5.06% apathy among its viewers. watching it…. This leaves the 11:20 am Pilipinas Game KNB? (55 mins) Entertainment (Game show) 4.64% “Shows like these offer a way networks second-guessing their 12:15 pm Wowowee (2 hrs, 55 mins) Entertainment (Variety show) 14.77% out of poverty through the magic, audiences’ tastes,” Luz Rimban, 03:10 pm Kambal Sa Uma (25 mins) Entertainment (Drama) 2.11% the razzmatazz of television. Never a member of the Board of Trust- 03:35 pm Precious Hearts Romances (35 mins) Entertainment (Drama) 2.95% mind hard work or social reforms. ees of the investigative journalism 04:10 pm Maria De Jesus (40 mins) Entertainment (Drama) 3.38% The key lies in the luck of the draw, group VERA Files, wrote in “TV the promise of salvation provided Wars: Not Without Danger” in the 04:50 pm Mr. Bean (20 mins) Entertainment (Comedy) 1.69% by a celebrity entertainer,” said Dec. 2002 issue of the Philippine 05:10 pm Uncle Max (15 mins) Entertainment (Syndicated) 1.27% journalist Sheila Coronel in her Journalism Review. 05:25 pm Miss No Good (35 mins) Entertainment (Syndicated) 2.95% Feb. 9, 2006 speech “Wowowee: “And this is where the danger 05:55 pm Boys Over Flowers (35 mins) Entertainment (Syndicated) 2.95% Television and the perils of ped- lurks: in the absence of a swift, 06:30 pm TV Patrol World (1 hr, 15 mins) News 6.33% dling dreams” at the wake of the precise and defi nable mechanism Ultra tragedy on Feb. 4, 2006 that that could provide the whys that 07:45 pm May Bukas Pa (45 mins) Entertainment (Drama) 3.8% killed 71 people and injured more numbers can’t supply, networks 08:30 pm Only You (45 mins) Entertainment (Drama) 3.8% than a hundred others. and advertisers (simply) equate 09:15 pm Tayong Dalawa (30 mins) Entertainment (Drama) 2.53% “Is it any wonder that the high ratings with audience ap- 09:45 pm The Wedding (30 mins) Entertainment (Drama) 2.53% following of TV programs like proval,” Rimban added. 10:15 pm Showbiz News Ngayon (45 mins) Entertainment Magazine 3.8% Wowowee resembles that of a While trying to outdo each 11:00 pm Bandila (30 mins) News 2.53% messianic cult? And isn’t Willie other, what the two major TV Revillame (Wowowee host) some stations actually accomplish is to 11:30 pm Probe (40 mins) Public Affairs (Blocktimer) 3.38% sort of messiah of the idiot box?” copy and imitate the other. The Total Time: 19 hours, 45 mins 100% added Coronel, who is currently result is a homogeneity of con- Ć SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009 7 entire entertainment programs STILL RRAKINGAKING IT IN of GMA-7 and ABS-CBN 2 which take the lion’s share in airtime, an n By Alaysa Tagumpay E. Escandor estimated 70 percent, as opposed T HAS been three years since the Wowowee tragedy, in which 74 people, to the 30 percent allotted for news most of them elderly, died, and hundreds were injured. The show suppos- and public affairs programs. edly generated a lot of soul-searching within the television, and in general, However, the 30 percent ex- media industry. Many concluded that, with the current thrust of Philippine ceeds the 30 minutes of daily I television, the Wowowee tragedy was merely waiting to happen. newscast required by the 2007 Over 40,000 Filipinos, some of them from the most isolated islands in the Broadcast Code of the Kapisanan country, camped for days outside the PhilSports Stadium (also known as Ul- ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas tra) in the fervent hopes of becoming instant millionaires. The stampede that (KBP/Association of Broadcasters followed was harrowing, in one sense because the incident was a refl ection of of the Philippines). how the media responded to, even capitalized on, the ills of the country. For all This may look like good news its claims at helping the poor, the game show can’t propose solutions to the but it should not overshadow the widespread misery that motivates many to watch and, if lucky, participate in fact that the abundance of en- the program. tertainment programs means a There were, of course, resolutions, with the ABS-CBN 2 management dis- shortfall in information. playing some degree of willingness for a change in programming and thrust. The For example, television net- public discussion that followed was productive if only because academics, jour- works are required to allot at least tertainment that’s happening in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. nalists, media practitioners, businesspeople, and individuals came together to 15 percent of daily airtime “suit- broadcast news today. refl ect on the tragedy, and raised hitherto taboo questions. able for viewing for children” (Art. “The rush to score a scoop, the Self-regulation The consensus was that television’s emphasis on entertainment was a key 11, Sec. 2 of the KBP Broadcast inordinate focus on crimes of pas- This is not to say that the problem—and it’s the kind of entertainment that peddles escapist dreams of Code). Based on the PJR Reports sion, sex and violence, the fl ood broadcast media are not regu- romance and wealth to entice a people mired in poverty into tuning in. Game- monitor, these programs are all of gossip that passes for enter- lated. Member-broadcast stations shows such as Wowowee take up most of broadcast time, while not enough canned foreign cartoon series. tainment news (often generated must adhere to certain guidelines time is given to news and current affairs. Next to Umagang Kay Ganda, Wowow- The question is do these types of by the networks to promote their stipulated in the 2007 KBP Broad- ee still took up around 15 percent of daily program time, with hardly any change cartoon shows “contribute to the stars), the mercenary melding of cast Code. in the format of the show. sound and balanced development information and entertainment Complaints about violations of Despite the Children’s Television Act of 1997, which requires that a mini- of children” (Art. 11, Sec. 3) and (“infotainment”)—these seem to the Broadcast Code may originate mum of 15 percent of daily broadcast time be allotted for children’s shows, do they “complement what chil- have removed broadcast jour- from the public or from KBP’s there are few programs that aimed at educating children outside the school. dren learn from school” (Art. 11, nalism from the business of pre- own monitoring. The KBP Stan- Violence, crime, and sex still dominate air time. And profi t is still the singular Sec. 7), among others. senting the relevant truth,” Lito dards Authority, which is com- driving determinant of broadcast programs. And while there is more air- Zulueta said in “Jay: Censuring posed of 13 members appointed Children’s shows accounted for a mere nine percent of total broadcast time, a time given to news and public TV ‘infotainment’”, http://www. by the KBP Board of Directors, far cry from the 15 percent required by law. In 2001, a study by the Children’s Televi- affairs than required, it doesn’t manunuri.com/reviews/jay_cen- serves as the complaints board of sion Foundation found that 50 percent of television shows—364 over 728 television remedy the problematic blurring suring_tv_infotainment). Zulueta the broadcast media. shows contained themes of aggression. The same still holds true today. of lines between news and en- is an editor and editorial writer of In addition, there are also gov- Meanwhile, for all the wringing of hands that went on when the Ultra tragedy killed 74 people, Wowowee is still airing—and raking it in. GMA-7 Program Schedule (July 15, 2009) ernment regulating agencies like which would compel broadcast the Movie and Television Review stations to give airtime to anyone Program Schedule Category Percentage of and Classifi cation Board (MTRCB) aggrieved by the media. Total Time and the National Telecommunica- But government intervention 04:30 am Reporter’s Notebook (45 mins) Public Affairs (Replay) 2.23% tions Commission (NTC). is not the solution to the weak- The NTC, which supervises nesses of self-regulation. What is 05:15 am Unang Hirit (3 hrs, 25 mins) News Magazine 16.13% the allocation and use of broad- missing in the equation of media 08:40 am Pokémon (25 mins) Entertainment (Children’s show) 1.24% cast frequencies, uses the KBP self-regulation is a public that 09:05 am Jackie Chan Adventures (20 mins) Entertainment (Children’s show) .99% Broadcast Code in implementing is media literate and militant 09:25 am Buzzer Beater (20 mins) Entertainment (Children’s show) .99% program rules and regulations. enough to demand from broad- 09:45 am Hunter X Hunter (30 mins) Entertainment (Children’s show) 1.49% The MTRCB, an agency under cast stations to adhere to its own the Offi ce of the President, can standards by providing “a varied, 10:15 am Johnson’s Mommy Diary (10 mins) Entertainment (Talk show) .50% suspend TV programs for viola- well-rounded and comprehensive 10:25 am SiS (1 hr) Entertainment (Talk Show) 4.96% tion of any law and also rate TV service of information, education, 11:25 am La Lola (30 mins) Entertainment (Syndicated) 1.49% programs. and entertainment for audiences 12:05 pm Eat Bulaga (2 hr, 5 mins) Entertainment (Variety show) 10.17% “Unfortunately, these mecha- of different ages, interests, and 02:10 pm Daisy Siete: Kambalilong (50 mins) Entertainment (Drama) 2.49% nisms have proven inadequate to tastes,” according to the Broad- 3:00 pm Ngayon at Kailanman (45 mins) Entertainment (Drama) 2.23% discipline erring members of the cast Code of the Philippines (Sec- media community. Tedious and tions 36 to 41). 03:45 pm Kung Aagawin Mo ang Lahat sa Akin (45 mins) Entertainment (Drama) 2.23% cumbersome, they are often ob- “With the support and advice 04:30 pm Chi Princesses (30 mins) Entertainment (Syndicated) 1.49% served in the breach,” Center for of practitioners’ groups, a me- 05:00 pm Hole in the Wall (35 mins) Entertainment (Game show) 1.74% Media Freedom and Responsi- dia literacy program as a means 05:35 pm All My Life (40 mins) Entertainment (Drama) 1.99% bility (CMFR) executive director to develop a public that can help 06:15 pm 24 Oras (1 hr, 25 mins) News 6.20% Melinda Quintos De Jesus wrote strengthen the capacity of the me- in a conference paper titled “The dia to regulate themselves can be 07:40 pm Zorro (45 mins) Entertainment (Drama) 2.23% Broadcast Media: Public Informa- developed, planned and imple- 08:25 pm Rosalinda (45 mins) Entertainment (Drama) 2.23% tion or Entertainment?” mented by media organizations 09:10 pm Adik Sa’yo (45 mins) Entertainment (Drama) 2.23% Can the broadcast media ef- themselves; by journalism and 09:55 pm Cruel Love (45 mins) Entertainment (Drama) 2.23% fectively self-regulate when the communication schools; by me- 10:40 pm Wow Hayop (30 mins) Entertainment 1.49% present codes of conduct are er- dia advocacy groups; and by non- 11:10 pm Saksi (30 mins) News 1.49% ratically followed? It comes as no governmental organizations,” surprise that some lawmakers are Luis Teodoro, deputy director of 11:40 pm Born To Be Wild (35 mins) Public Affairs 1.74% pushing for government interven- CMFR, wrote in “Watching the Total Time: 20 hours, 15 mins 100% tion in media through such mea- Watchdog: Media Self-Regulation sures as the Right of Reply bills, in Southeast Asia”. 8 Ć SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009 Human Rights Reportage Revisited Making the voiceless heard and helping protect the vulnerable is both a human and journalistic duty

context, however, despite the me- from Sept. 10 to 13 in Cebu City. dia’s emerging appreciation of the Twenty-eight print, broadcast and relevance of the issue. online journalists from Visayas n By Kathryn Roja G. Raymundo In a country supposedly famil- and Mindanao participated. iar with human rights violations CMFR Executive Director Me- and abuses, it is the obligation of linda Quintos de Jesus said the HE RECENT surge in human rights violations every citizen to understand human seminar-workshop was meant to and abuses has aroused renewed interest on rights. The media are indispens- “raise the capacity of journalists the issues involved. The media as well as vari- able in this process, and making to write more and better human ous individuals and groups have described the the voiceless heard and helping rights stories.” worsening situation as equal to if not surpass- protect the vulnerable is both a The seminar provided basic human and journalistic duty. information about national and Ting the repression and state of terror during the Martial international laws, covenants, and Law years. CMFR seminar-workshop protocols that deal with human Human rights reporting is not day, the mainstream media have As part of its effort to provide rights; the contexts in which hu- new in the Philippines. The hu- again taken notice of extrajudicial continuing education for journal- man rights are exercised, limited, man rights situation during the killings, enforced disappearances, ists, the Center for Media Free- or violated in the Philippines; and Marcos administration had led the killing of journalists, and the dom and Responsibility (CMFR) panel discussions on the different the alternative media to focus on attacks on migrants, women, chil- organized, with support from the aspects of human rights report- human rights. But after the fall of dren, and indigenous peoples’ USAID through The Asia Founda- ing. It ended with a workshop in the Marcos dictatorship, much of rights. The current reporting has tion, the “Seminar-workshop on which the participants were asked the media lost interest in it. To- been erratic and often without Human Rights Reporting” held to put this all into practice.

Seminar-workshop participants, speakers and organizers Photos by KATHRYN ROJA G. RAYMUNDO Ć SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009 9

De Jesus added: “We hope that with some bit of training, In reporting we can help you to present with human rights, greater awareness the HR issues involved. With this kind of jour- journalists nalistic orientation, news report- ing can actually make citizens and need to make government offi cials more aware Mariveles (center) and more sensitive about the pro- sure that they tection of human rights.” Center, handled the panel on gen- keep up with der and media. Sobritchea said Journalist’s duty there are three things to remem- The weaknesses of human the changing ber in reporting about women: re- rights reporting are the same as context of the spect, protect, and engage. those that besiege other areas of She said respect includes veri- news coverage: unverifi ed infor- issues fying the accuracy of information mation, lack of context, and sen- and avoiding the use of stereo- sationalism. There is also the ten- types and sensational presenta- dency to misrepresent sectors and Bacolod) reporter Julius Mariv- tions. Journalists have the obliga- to leave the motives and causes of eles said “To whom much is giv- tion to protect women from harm the violations unquestioned. en, much is required….I believe and danger. Lastly, she reminded The participating journalists we (journalists) are supposed to the participants that it is also im- acknowledged the vulnerabilities be advocates and defenders of portant for the media to promote and faults of the press. They cited rights.” With the constitutionally gender equality. a number of reasons why news or- guaranteed freedom of expression The last panel discussion was ganizations and journalists fi nd it and of the press, the media have on reporting the rights of migrants diffi cult to consistently cover hu- the accountability to ensure that and minorities. man rights issues and to improve these rights are exercised in the Ma. Nieves Confesor, a core their news coverage. service of the public. faculty member and executive They found human rights re- Walter Balane of Mindanews the constitutional imperatives and director at the Asian Institute of porting to be complicated and said that journalists do not always provisions as well as international Management Team Energy, Cen- tricky. Aside from the problems have to be in an adversarial, com- treaties and conventions. She also ter for Bridging Societal Divide, caused by the media outlets’ ad- bative mode; well-written reports encouraged journalists to do CAR- explained the terms of confusion herence to conventional news and their effective presentation HRIHL-based war reporting. in the issues of migration and values, the participants noted can actually encourage leaders, Ferrer said media outlets what a rights-based approach to the organizational policies that sectors, and the public to act bet- could use discourse analysis to migration means: migration in limit their reporting to well-tried ter. “Our primary job is to report, understand what type of mes- conditions of dignity, equity, jus- formulae, their own biases which but we also need to educate.” sages they communicate to the tice and security and not just “safe interfere with the way they pres- CMFR Deputy Director Luis public: what is being said or not; migration”. ent their reports, and their com- Teodoro said: “It is part of the what are the underlying premises Vice chair and managing trust- mitments or advocacies which journalist’s duty to report and in what is being said; the choice of ee of INCITEGov Teresita Quintos compete with the interests of their explain the particularities of the words and images; and the use of Deles shared the story of indige- employers. human condition. Reporting and language. nous peoples and how the media As the world changes, news explaining the bad helps change Sophia Flor Perez-Garduce, have covered their concerns over organizations and journalists it. Reporting the good helps en- Balane spokesperson of SALINLAHI Al- the years. She asked the partici- are expected to keep up. The courage it.” ways on how to report the differ- liance for Children’s Concerns, pants to remember “three Cs”: press cannot afford to sit back ent aspects of human rights. discussed human rights viola- context, characters and interests, and keep doing the same stories In their expert opinion Miriam Coronel Ferrer, who is tions against minors. She also and consequences. it has been doing. The stories The resource persons at the a leading convenor of Sulong CAR- highlighted the good practices Together with De Jesus and may remain in some ways the seminar-workshop included pro- HRIHL (Comprehensive Agree- of media in reporting the chil- Teodoro, MindaNews editor same, but there are also many fessionals, academics, and lead- ment on Respect for Human Rights dren’s rights: exposing/calling Carolyn Arguillas facilitated and things that make the events to- ers of civil society organizations and International Humanitarian attention to cases of rights viola- critiqued the workshop outputs. day different. which support the promotion of Law) and a political science profes- tions; coverage that contributes The participants wrote news sto- In reporting human rights, human rights. sor at the University of the Philip- to child protection and to policy ries on human rights using the journalists need to make sure The program allowed these pines (UP), discussed the context review and formulation; and en- knowledge shared during the that they keep up with the chang- experts to evaluate the current of human rights during times of hancing public awareness. panel discussions, the presenta- ing context of the issues. Aksyon coverage of human rights in their confl ict. She suggested that stories Another UP professor, Carolyn tions of the speakers, and ses- Radyo Bacolod (Action Radio respective fi elds as well as suggest should be framed keeping in mind Israel Sobritchea of the UP Asian sion handouts. 10 Ć SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009 LLESSESS TTHANHAN PPERFECTERFECT RREPORTINGEPORTING From page 1 Philippine Star; and news web sites River continues to swell to record Newsbreak, Philstar.com, Mb.com. proportions. ph, Inquirer.net, Bulatlat, Pinoy In all three places—Arayat, Tat- Weekly, and abs-cbnNEWS. alon, and Provident—rescue efforts came too late, if at all. Deaths and losses While all the above was happen- The fi ndings of PJR Reports ing, defense secretary Gilberto Te- shared that the bulk of the news odoro Jr., chair of the National Di- concentrated on crushing stories of saster Coordinating Council (NDCC), death and loss. Ondoy, and the dev- makes one of his first public ap- astation that came with it, was the pearances after the storm’s initial topic of headlines and primetime deluge to explain why rescue ef- news for over a week, and as of this forts were sluggish by saying that writing was still on the front pages. NDCC had only “more or less 25” Right at the onset of the fl ood, rescue boats for the metropolis’s media followed the mass migration 11-million population. of people from submerged commu- During Teodoro’s press confer- nities to evacuation centers. The re- ence, hundreds had already left their ports were helpful, especially in the cuers were initially assigned to their homes. Television footage shows fi rst critical hours of rescue opera- respective areas, but later had to be people from inundated communi- tions, when the absence of any di- diverted to Marikina, Cavite, Pasig,” ties wading through water that seems saster preparedness plan or even a Teodoro said in Filipino. more swamp than fl ood. The images comprehensive map of fl ood-prone What was the anticipated num- seem surreal because, for one, the areas in the metropolis was most ber of persons affected by the fl ood? severity of the storm was not antici- palpable. Thus, the accounts helped “We do not have the numbers, what pated, catching many unaware. The give a rough sketch of which areas we know are the general affected ar- rampaging water left people in terror, were affected, which communities eas: Pasig, Marikina, and Cainta.” the streets impassable, whole com- had to be prioritized in rescue and NDCC has 25 rubber boats, are munities submerged. The heavens, it relief operations, and what was lack- these enough? “Not enough,” was seemed, had put a curse on the land. ing in the government response. Teodoro’s terse reply. This was tropical storm Ondoy The news organizations closely Sensationalism did prevail at (international code name Ketsana), followed the actions of the presi- times over sobriety and substance. whose rains on Sept. 25 to 26 were dent, local authorities, local gov- ANC repeatedly aired, without ex- unlike any the country has seen in ernment units, and national gov- planation, a dramatic fi le footage of four decades. Initially, most thought ernment agencies, especially the a group of people calling for help as the storm would be like any other, following: the NDCC, the Philippine they rode across the raging Mariki- in which damage was inevitable but Atmospheric, Geophysical and As- na river. The media also immedi- manageable. But Ondoy dumped tronomical Services Administration ately referred to typhoon Pepeng more rain in six to eight hours than (PAGASA); the Department of So- (international code name Parma) as the standard amount Metro Manila cial Welfare and Development; the a “super typhoon”, forgetting that of all the relief aid for the Ondoy The visible and the dramatic receives in a month, resulting in Department of Health; and the De- the cyclone had yet to gain enough victims? What has become of the While the media were close on a disaster that stunned the entire partment of Agriculture. intensity to become one. P2-billion fund that has now been the heels of government agencies, country and even the international The press religiously reported The media also tended to over- reduced to just P29 million? Add to the efforts of government were community. the number of casualties, the dam- indulge in stories of loss, going that the donations from previous hardly scrutinized despite being Just four hours after Ondoy’s ac- age to property and agricultural overboard on the dramatic details years: $1 million in 2006 for recon- “reactive, and relief and emergency tual landfall, the rainfall had peaked produce, the number of evacuees and doing too little analysis and in- struction and rehabilitation, and centered,” says Carlos Padolina, at 90 millimeters; compare that to and evacuation centers, health and vestigation. At this writing the Phil- $8.5 million in 2007 for humani- deputy director of the Citizens’ Di- the country’s average daily rainfall of sanitation conditions in the evacua- ippine government had received an tarian aid and disaster prepared- saster Response Center (CDRC). only 11.3 millimeters. Combined with tion centers, the amount of calamity estimated $5-million worth of relief ness. CDRC is a non-governmental or- the southwest monsoon, the storm funds needed for relief operations, assistance. Yet, the government’s The reports did not attempt to ganization that promotes commu- wreaked the worst possible damage and the donations received. apparent lack of a disaster prepared- make sense of the cacophony of con- nity-based disaster management. on eight of the country’s regions, af- The efforts of media to penetrate ness plan should have prompted the fl icting statements from government Government response has been ha- fecting close to 500,000 persons. fl ooded areas were commendable, press to ask where and how the aid especially at the onset of the storm, bitually limited to emergency and From Sept. 24 to Oct. 6, PJR Re- even heroic. “There are only two rub- will be spent to help the victims, if it when both local and national authori- relief aid, virtually eschewing disas- ports monitored reports from tele- ber boats. They took a long time to re- does indeed reach them. In the en- ties seemed clueless on how to handle ter preparedness and rehabilitation. vision, print, and selected online turn,” a GMA-7 news cameraperson suing coverage, media should also the problem. For instance, Press Sec. “It hardly addresses the vulnerabili- sites on tropical storm Ondoy and reported from Marikina, one of the investigate and keep a close eye on Cerge Remonde’s initial advice was ties of sectors”, adds Padolina. the trajectory of events resulting worst-hit by the storm. the government’s use of calamity for people to stay within their homes, The networks ABS-CBN 2 and from the storm. The reports moni- The reporters also asked the tough and emergency funds. admonishing those who were out in GMA-7 were also notorious for un- tored were from GMA-7’s 24 Oras questions. Upon the prodding of a re- Journalism requires a healthy the streets. In contrast, Quezon City due self-publicity—their efforts at and Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, ABS- porter from TV Patrol, Teodoro had dose of scrutiny and skepticism, Mayor Feliciano Belmonte told his corporate social responsibility were CBN 2’s TV Patrol World and Ban- to explain why, more than 10 hours more so given the current admin- constituents to leave their homes be- constantly highlighted in each of dila; newspapers Philippine Daily after Ondoy’s landfall, rescue efforts istration’s blemished record on cause it was “common sense” to evac- their own news programs. “Kapuso” Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, and The had yet to reach affected areas. “Res- transparency. What has become uate as fl oodwaters rose. artists and “Kapamilya” celebrities Ć SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009 11

incapable of coping and overcoming In the 2005 World Disasters Re- its effects, according to the CDRC. port, the Philippines placed fourth in Thus, there is an essential differ- Asia and fi fth in the world in terms of ence between disaster and hazard, the most number of persons affected by something which the media have natural disaster—an estimated 9 mil- been remiss in pointing out. lion people each year. The country is so Moreover, Padolina says there is prone to disaster that, of all nations, it a direct correlation between disaster has suffered the most number of natu- and vulnerability – the more vulner- ral hazards in the 20th century, says Dr. able a community is, the more sus- Guillermo Q. Tabios III of the Univer- ceptible it is to disaster. sity of the Philippines National Hydrau- Vulnerability pertains to the fun- lics Research Center (UPNHRC) in his damental weaknesses of the com- presentation last Oct. 6. munity’s socio-economic, political, Some of the disasters that have be- and cultural system. Two factors come part of collective memory, either contribute to vulnerability. First is by the sheer magnitude of destruction Photos by LITO OCAMPO the physical and geographical char- they wrought or by their historical sig- acteristics of the community and the nifi cance, are: the Payatas landslide in country, which for the Philippines, 2000, the Mount Pinatubo eruption include being part of the Western in 1991, the 1991 fl ashfl ood in Ormoc Pacifi c Basin and the Circum-Pa- City, and the 1970 typhoon Yoling, cifi c seismic belt, its being situated In a country so whose devastating effect was among between two major tectonic plates prone to hazards, the excuses Ferdinand Marcos used (Pacifi c Plate and Eurasian Plate), to declare Martial Law. with 22 active volcanoes, and expe- a fi rm grasp In a country so prone to hazards, a riencing seasonal droughts. fi rm grasp of Philippine society’s vul- Second is the socio-economic of Philippine nerabilities and how they relate to di- and political situation of the country. society’s sasters is not only necessary but also Some of the indicators for this include expected, especially for media practi- the amount of minimum wage versus vulnerabilities and tioners. Moreover, journalists should cost of living, the social and economic how they relate to understand the basics of weather and classes in society, the availability of disaster management, which include social services, the quality of gover- disasters is not preparedness, mitigation, relief and nance, and policies that address the only necessary response, and rehabilitation. vulnerability of communities. During the coverage of Ondoy, but also expected, Community approach needed it was common for reports to refer especially Alberto Lim of the Corporate Net- to the fl ood as “the great equalizer” work for Disaster Response suggests were conspicuously handing relief Heights in the Marikina River”). If or other such similar phrases, like for media a community-approach to disaster goods in evacuation centers and Marikina residents were evacuated “mayaman o mahirap, parehas practitioners management, in which all stake- still-fl ooded areas. Upon the on-air before peak fl ood, there would have nasalanta (both rich and poor were holders are participants. The NDCC coaxing from a newscaster, and to been fewer losses and casualties. devastated)”, as though the fl ood put should spearhead nationwide train- the loud cheering of his studio audi- Indeed, disasters could have been everyone on equal economic footing. ing for disaster response. To tailor fi t ence, Willie Revillame of Wowowee avoided altogether had some of the In TV Patrol’s Sept. 30 episode, a re- the every day experience of a happy the training according to the specifi c pledged on-air to donate a million government’s fl ood-control projects porter said, “Mayaman man o mahi- consumerism, a fl ood, despite the characteristics and vulnerabilities of to the victims of Ondoy. materialized. Whatever happened, rap, hindi ligtas sa mga darating na similar experience of loss and suf- each locality, the local government In contrast, grassroots organiza- for instance, to the Metro Manila pag-ulan na dulot ng climate change fering, does not occur every day. must directly handle the training. tions and non-governmental organi- Flood Control Project II Comprehen- (Whether wealthy or poor, no one The devastation wrought by the In its position paper on the zations were not given ample media sive Drainage System, a loan-funded is safe from the subsequent storms biggest fl ood in the history of the Philippine Disaster Risk Manage- exposure, despite being at the fore- project that “intends to solve the sea- brought by climate change”.) country is exceptional because of ment Act of 2008, CDRC suggests front of community-based disaster sonal fl ooding that occurs especially This treatment shows a basic lack the rampant corruption in the na- the drafting of a “comprehensive response and prevention efforts. in Central Manila where the political of understanding in media regarding tional government),” wrote Prof. and pro-people disaster manage- Reporting did not move far from and socio-economic activities of the the nature of disasters. The “great Rolando Tolentino, dean of the ment bill” that: one, addresses the what was visible and dramatic. Only entire country is centered”? equalizer” is nothing but a myth for University of the Philippines Col- root causes of people’s vulnerabili- the external face of devastation was Whatever happened to the P4.5- the simple reason that the poor are lege of Mass Communication, in ties; second, links disaster man- shown – the most common images billion Pasig-Marikina River Chan- more vulnerable and thus, less able an opinion column. agement with overall development of which were loss of life and prop- nel Improvement Project and the to cope with disasters than the privi- The past 10 years have seen an framework; third, focuses not just erty. The deeper causes and conse- P5-billion CAMANAVA (Caloocan, leged. “Disaster (is) primarily a ques- increase in the frequency of disas- on emergency and relief but also on quences of the disaster received less Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela tion of vulnerability,” says the Center ters and the number of communi- pre- and post-calamity phases; and media attention. City) fl ood control project? for Disaster Preparedness in its book ties affected by these. What this fourth, creates an independent body Whatever happened to the Whatever happened to the P902- “Citizenry-based and development- means is an increase in the vulner- at the national level and organizes NDCC’s Calamities and Disaster Pre- million offi cial development assis- oriented disaster response” (2001). ability of Filipinos. up to the barangay level. paredness Plan, the aims of which tance for the rehabilitation of Angat “Hindi naman tulad ng malling Flooding is the second most fre- Without a comprehensive disas- include drafting a comprehensive Dam, and the construction of a fl ood- na patas lang ang laban ng ma- quent type of disaster in the country. ter management plan in place, more policy on mitigating hazards? mitigating hydraulic laboratory? hirap at mayaman sa karanasan The Philippines is in the Western Pa- disasters are forthcoming. Already, Whatever happened to the To be fair to the media, some of ng konsumeristang kasiyahan sa cifi c Basin, where an average of 20 the fl ood left by Ondoy has caused NDCC’s Comprehensive Emergency them did attempt to investigate and pang-araw-araw, ang pagbaha, typhoons, fi ve of them destructive, a complex web of secondary disas- Management Framework, which re- provide initial answers, among them bagamat patas na pagdanas ng hits the country each year. As early as ters, such as landslides, problems in quires response units to adhere to the the online sites abs-cbnNEWS and pagdurusa’t pagpapakasakit, ay 1986, the government had undertaken sanitation, and epidemic from wa- “Golden Hour Principle” – that criti- Newsbreak. Their investigation, how- hindi naman dinadanas sa pang- feasibility studies on fl ooding in Metro ter-borne diseases. cal period which spells the difference ever, was more the exception than the araw-araw. Dahil sa mismong Manila, particularly the “Drainage The ineptness of government, between safety and disaster? rule, and has yet to be common prac- korapsyon ng pambansang pa- Improvement Plans of Estero de Vitas and the poverty of media in disaster In the case of Marikina, for ex- tice for media practitioners. munuan, nagiging exceptional and Other Catchment Areas”, which coverage, has virtually assured a ca- ample, the time lag between On- ang pagdanas ng pagsalanta ng eventually spurred the “Metro Ma- lamity, wherever and however mild doy’s peak rainfall and peak fl ood The usual clichés pinakamalaking baha sa kasay- nila Flood Control Project II” in 1989. the hazard. The entire country is was four to 12 hours (CP David, A disaster results from a hazard sayan (Unlike malling where both These projects and studies, however, not only a de facto disaster; it is one Ph.D, et al. “Peak Flood and Flood that strikes a vulnerable community poor and rich are equally exposed to barely prevented the Ondoy deluge. constantly waiting to happen. 12 Ć SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009

MEDIA AND ELECTIONS n By Kathryn Roja G. Raymundo OVERNMENT OFFICIALS’ and other per- sonalities’ extensive use of the mass media in recent months not only indicates that the 2010 elections are just around the corner; PRE-CAMPAIGN it also suggests that they will be hotly con- Gtested. The people who now regularly appear in the adver- tisements that are currently tagged as infomercials claim they’re just presenting their advocacies. The truth is that CAMPAIGNING they’re already asking for votes this early. It didn’t start yesterday. Long Francisco Duque III, health; Mar- Were public funds used to produce and/or air before the prescribed campaign garito Teves, fi nance; Gilberto period of the Commission on Teodoro Jr., national defense; those political ads? Elections (COMELEC), a num- Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., public ber of incumbent elected offi cials works and highways; Jesli Lapus, and/or known personalities had education; and Nasser C. Pangan- been publicizing either their agen- daman, agrarian reform to attend cies’ programs or themselves. The the Senate hearing last Aug. 14 and COMELEC has said there is noth- explain the reasons for and fund- ing illegal about this as the offi cial ing of their infomercials. Other in- campaign period has yet to start vited offi cials were Vice President and the people involved still have Noli de Castro Jr., who heads the to fi le their certifi cates of candida- Pag-IBIG Fund and chair of the cy. Ergo, the commercials should Housing and Urban Development not be classifi ed as campaign ads. Coordinating Council (HUDCC), Of course it’s a stretch. Not Philippine Amusement and Gam- only is premature campaigning ing Corporation (PAGCOR) Chair the issue. Equally important, if Ephraim Genuino, Technical Ed- public funds were used to produce ucation and Skills Development and/or air these political ads, then Authority (TESDA) Dir. Gen. Au- those responsible should be held gusto L. Syjuco Jr., Metropolitan accountable for using those funds Manila Development Authority for their private ends. (MMDA) Chair Bayani Fernando, Some argue that what’s of and Makati Mayor Jejomar Bi- concern is not what kind of funds nay. these offi cials use or have used. The news reports in both print Rather, what is more important and TV quoted Santiago as say- is to assure fairness. In an equal ing: “Unless a person is blind, playing fi eld, the candidate wins deaf, or dumb, it is crystal clear based on qualifi cations and per- that the alleged infomercials of formance, not because he/she is cabinet members are intended to more capable fi nancially—or has camoufl age the violation of the access to public funds because of campaign ban, for the simple rea- their incumbency. son that these cabinet members PJR Reports monitored the engage only in such infomercials news reports and commentaries in the year prior to election year on premature campaigning from and at no other time, and for no Aug. 12 to 30, when Sen. Miriam other reason than personal po- Defensor Santiago began a legisla- litical publicity…. By using public tive inquiry into the infomercials funds, these government offi cials of several Cabinet secretaries. The have the fi nancial mechanism to monitor included two newspapers campaign ahead of others.” (Philippine Daily Inquirer Most of these reports also and The Philippine Star), mentioned that Santiago had fi led four news programs (TV a petition, Supreme Court G.R. Patrol World, 24 Oras, No. 184044 (Miriam Defensor GMA Weekend Report, Santiago v. COMELEC) seeking and Teledyaryo), and an injunction against her fellow selected online news senators for their endorsement of organizations. such products as detergents and beauty aids. Where’s the But the news stories lacked context? explanations and did little to pro- As usual, the vide context on campaign spend- reporting suffered ing. Many pointed out that these from lack of con- public offi cials were circumvent- text. ing laws and rules on election As chair of spending and campaigning. But Santiago: “By using public funds, these the Senate’s eco- few dared to explore the question government offi cials have the fi nancial nomic affairs com- beyond the technicality that the mechanism to campaign ahead of others.” mittee, Santiago invit- COMELEC’s specifi ed campaign ed secretaries Ronaldo Puno, period has not begun. Santiago’s interior and local government; statements already revealed oth- Ć SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009 13 er possible violations of the law Only complete which could have been made the subject of follow-up stories. information In her Aug. 25 privilege speech, Santiago suggested the following and analyses to address the premature cam- paigning issue: abolish appro- can help the priations for advertising, prohibit the use of savings and contingent electorate funds for professional services and make informed for advertising agencies, disallow all advertising expenses, encour- choices when age the media and civil society organizations to be vigilant, make they are called COMELEC accountable, and for the short term, stop all cabinet on to cast their offi cials from airing or publishing infomercials. ballots

Lacking in persistence To be fair to both print and Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and broadcast, the press did mention the provinces of Cavite, Batangas, some laws which could have been Laguna, Rizal, and Quezon as well violated by the airing or publishing as two focus group discussions of of the “infomercials”. But neither potential Filipino voters. the news reports nor commentar- Eighty-three percent of the ies explained the consequences of respondents believed that “name breaking these regulations. recall, publicity, popularity and For example, the press did not media mileage, or simply put, pre- pursue Santiago’s statement that campaigning was the motivation Cabinet offi cials could be violating behind the potential candidates’ the provisions of the Anti-Graft and subject to such guide- government advertising expenses pines found that “the increasing media presence.” The study also and Corrupt Practices Act (Re- lines as may be prescribed amounted to more than a P100 exposure of potential candidates showed that “only sixteen percent public Act [RA] No. 3019). Mon- by law”; (24 Oras, Aug. 14) million. Regardless if the info- through the media may not im- believed that their presence in the ey for the said advertisements, and mercials were part of the gov- prove their desirability since media was work-related.” some offi cials claim, came from ernment’s campaign, self-funded most voters draw a connection The study found that the par- so-called friends and supporters. • Batas Pambansa Bilang or sponsored by “friends”, this between media visibility and pre- ticipants viewed the media as in- Granting that the money for these 881, Omnibus Election amount is excessive and it would campaigning.” (Newsbreak, “Vot- formation providers and watch- advertisements came from private Code of the Philippines, seem that the public doesn’t get ers don’t like pre-campaigning: dogs, which proves that the role of funds, Santiago nevertheless said Sec. 80 which states: “It anything from it. study”, March 14) the news media is relevant during this was a form of accepting gifts. shall be unlawful for any The study “IMPRESS10N: campaign periods, especially in RA 3019 prohibits offi cials from person, whether or not a A study Importance of Media Presence between elections. Only complete “receiving any gift” that “includes voter or candidate, or for The students of the Depart- on the Bid for the 2010 National information and analyses can the act of accepting directly or in- any party, or association ment of Communication Research Elections” was the result of 681 help the electorate make informed directly a gift from a person other of persons, to engage in an in the College of Mass Communi- face-to-face interviews with resi- choices when they are called on to than a member of the public offi - election campaign or parti- cation, University of the Philip- dents in urban and suburban cast their ballots. cer’s immediate family, in behalf san political activity except of himself or of any member of his during the campaign pe- What is to be done? family or relative within the fourth riod.” (24 Oras, Aug. 14) Beyond the usual day-to-day civil degree, either by consanguin- reporting on the Senate hearing— ity or affi nity, even on the occasion If the infomercials were meant or highlighting Santiago’s color- of a family celebration or national to inform the public of the pro- ful language—the broadcast and festivity like Christmas, if the value grams of the government and thus print reports could have helped of the gift is under the circumstanc- make it logical to use public funds, sort out messages in the govern- es manifestly excessive.” then the press should have asked ment campaigns. Santiago also mentioned the the following: Why is there a need Not all information from the following laws the offi cials respon- for these offi cials to be present government is solely for political sible could have been violating: or at least named in every adver- gain. The press is thus duty-bound tisement? Why not just focus on to sort out the truth in political ad- • The Commission on Au- information dissemination—talk vertising and to call attention to dit (COA) Circular No. about the programs and nothing the most important public issues 94-001 dated 1994 which else? Why give so much publicity involved. states under Sec. 16.1 the to the department heads rather During campaign periods, the Grounds for Disallowance: than demonstrate to the people media provide the communication “All transactions which the strengths of their projects? Af- channels for candidates to reach are irregular, unnecessary, ter all, did the accomplishments the voters and vice versa. But unconscionable, excessive, of these government agencies campaign periods are also oppor- and extravagant”; come out from one individual’s ef- tunities for added fi nancial gain fort or the handiwork of the entire for the media, from which ensues • Art. VI, Sec. 25.6 of the department? confl icts of interest. Transparent, 1987 Philippine Constitu- Some news organizations were accurate and fair news media are tion which states: “Discre- able to pose these questions; their critical during elections. Media tionary funds appropriated failure comes in not getting the literacy should be emphasized as for particular offi cials shall answers. well so the public may understand be disbursed only for pub- Ads don’t come cheap. And how the media work and how they lic purposes to be support- yet, there is a proliferation of in- can be, and often are used by vest- ed by appropriate vouchers fomercials. For this year alone, Santiago Photos by LITO OCAMPO ed interests. 14 Ć SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009 From e-mail to jail—and back The case of Prita Mulyasari versus the Omni International Alam Sutra Hospital has become a cause célèbre in Indonesia

Prita RITA AYUNINGTYAS/KOMPAS.COM

n By Warief Djajanto Basorie year-old son and one-year-old Her complaint was that she daughter was a strong emotive was not fully advised what her ail- (The media situation in the other countries of Southeast Asia is no less factor. Netizens demanded Prita’s ment was and what medication complex than that in the Philippines, as the following account of a free release. she had been given. Her condition expression case in Indonesia reveals.) The event occurred during became worse and she switched an Indonesian presidential cam- to another hospital. She claimed T TOOK the mother of two under-fi ves to unintention- paign, and all three presidential the doctors at Omni lied to her ally raise a public debate on the threat to freedom of candidates got into the act and concerning a medical record the expression by a new electronic information law. Pri- called for fairness. Pending a hospital said was sent to Prita’s I criminal case hearing last June 4, home but Prita insisted she did ta Mulyasari, 32, had landed in the Tangerang Women’s the district court released her “for not receive. Upon questioning, Correctional Facility for e-mailing a complaint to friends humanitarian reasons” last June the hospital told Prita the receipt on Aug. 15, 2008 about the hospital service she had re- 3, but Prita must stay within city was signed by a certain “Rukiah”, ceived. The private e-mail got into numerous mailing lists. limits. but Prita said there is no Rukiah It reached the hospital concerned and the hospital sued The case of Prita Mulyasari at her home. her for libel. versus the Omni International The Omni hospital issued a Alam Sutra Hospital has become statement on Sept. 8, 2008 deny- The Omni International Alam District Court found her guilty in a cause célèbre, a much publi- ing Prita’s claims. Several news Sutra Hospital in Tangerang, a civil case last May 11. Offi cers cized legal issue. Four questions outlets picked up the statement. Banten province, a two-hour drive from the prosecutor’s offi ce picked emerge. What was Prita’s com- The hospital said Prita’s e-mail West from Jakarta, fi led the com- her up at home and brought her to plaint about in her private e-mail “is not true and not in line with plaint. The police compiled a dos- prison last May 13. to friends? Does the hospital have the facts that actually took place.” sier. The Tangerang prosecutor’s When the news media got the right to fi le a lawsuit and The letter further said that Prita’s offi ce, using the Criminal Code wind of the case, a public outcry claim an offense has been com- “irresponsible actions” had “dam- and the 2008 Electronic Infor- ensued. Sympathy surged among mitted against it? Was the use by aged the good name” of the hospi- Prita with her children in a Face- mation and Transactions (ITE) bloggers and Facebook users. Her the Tangerang prosecutor’s offi ce tal and that of two staff doctors. book photo Act, indicted her. The Tangerang forced separation from her three- of the Electronic Information and The letter was a general state- Transactions Act (ITE) appropri- ment of denial and expressed the ate? Are the articles in the Act as intent to take legal action against applied by the prosecuting attor- Prita. But it did not respond to ney an infringement on freedom and did not clarify item by item of expression? the specifi c complaints that Prita The ITE articles cite acts liable had detailed in her e-mail. to prosecution. This act is on the Prita is charged under Art. 310 transmission of electronic informa- of the Criminal Code on defama- tion with libelous content (Art. 27, tion. A conviction can lead to a paragraph 3). The penalty for this maximum sentence of 14 months offense is six years in prison and/or in prison. She is also charged with a one billion rupiah fi ne or approxi- Art. 311 of the Criminal Code on mately $106,000 (Art. 45). defamation in writing, libel, and What was Prita’s complaint that carries a maximum four-year about in a private e-mail to friends jail sentence. On top of that, the that allegedly contained elements ITE Act was also thrown at her. of libel? Prita’s e-mail bore the Did the hospital have the heading “Fraud at the Omni In- right to sue a former patient for ternational Alam Sutra Hospital, defamation? None of Prita’s sup- Tangerang”. The e-mail “gives porters denied outright that the a bad impact,” hospital lawyer hospital has this right. However, Risma Situmorang said. Prita’s it is arguable whether words like e-mail was sent out on Aug. 30, “fraud” and “lying” constitute def- 2008. She had entered the Omni amation. Perhaps President Susilo hospital Aug. 7 with a headache Bambang Yudhoyono summed it and fever. up best. He suggested to authori- At the Tangerang District Court JP/R. BERTO WEDHATAMA Ć SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009 15

Prita is free, but her case and the case for freedom of expression await fi nal closure

However if the articles are up- held, the lesson learned from the Prita case is that e-mail writers/ senders, whether complaining or not complaining about a public ser- vice, should be mindful if their mes- sage contains any libelous wording. Meanwhile, health minister Siti Fadilah Supari told the media that if a member of the public is dissatis- fi ed with the health service obtained, she or he can complain to the head of the local health service. If the dis- satisfaction persists, the person con- cerned can complain to the Indone- sian Medical Honors Council. On June 25 the Tangerang District Court threw out the pros- AJI File Photos ecutor’s indictment and ruled in Prita’s favor. In a provisional de- Prita during a solidarity action led by the Alliance of Independent Journalists cision, the panel of judges said (AJI) AJI File Photo the ITE Act is not applicable until ties that in enforcing the law they appear to contain any intent at April 21, 2010, two years after it also use their conscience and a defamation, Patra believes. Ifdhal became law. (Art. 54 of the ITE Act sense for justice. and Patra agree the government stipulates, however, that the law is Was the use of the ITE Act by should review the law so that its effective from the time it was en- the prosecutors appropriate? At- control mechanism does not cut acted. The following paragraph in torney General Hendarman Su- back on the rights of citizens. that article states that government pandji said the Tangerang pros- Last May a group of press free- regulations relating to the Act must ecutors were “unprofessional” in dom advocacy non-governmental be in place within two years after drawing up the indictment. He organizations (NGOs) including the law’s enactment at the latest.) unceremoniously removed the the Press Legal Aid Institute (LBH The prosecutor has appealed. Prita Banten province chief prosecutor Pers) and the Alliance of Indepen- is free, but her case and the case who reportedly was directly in- dent Journalists (AJI) petitioned for freedom of expression await volved in the Prita case. for a judicial review of Article 27 fi nal closure. Are the articles in the Act an of the ITE Act by the Constitu- Meanwhile the High Court of infringement on freedom of ex- tional Court, the arbiter for com- the province of Banten overruled pression? Freedom of expression plaints on the laws of the land. the Tangerang District Court that advocates said the Act should in The Constitutional Court rejected Presidential candidate Megawati Soekarnoputri visits Prita (left) at the acquitted Prita Mulyasari. In a July no way diminish the people’s free- the petition in a May 4 ruling. women’s detention house in Tangerang, west of Jakarta. JP/J. ADIGUNA 27 decision, the High Court ordered dom of expression. Its provisions Defamation or false accusations the lower court to reopen the case. should be used proportionately so by electronic means is possible, the Criminal Code, he contended ment and the House of Repre- It faulted the district court for drop- that freedom of expression as de- reasoned Constitutional Court during a press briefi ng. sentatives (DPR) could initiate ping two Criminal Code Articles on fi ned by the Constitution is guar- chief Mahfud M.D. But the appli- No follow up judicial review an amendment to the law. defamation and for misinterpreting anteed outright, said Ifdhal Ka- cation of the ITE Act must follow is possible. However, the govern- Any amendment should Art. 27, paragraph 3, of the 2008 sim, chair of Indonesia’s National specify whether electronic in- Electronic ITE, also on defama- Commission for Human Rights. formation transmitted privately tion. The High Court determined Ifdhal said Prita’s case is and not released to a public do- that the ITE Act is already in force unique. Her complaint about the main can subject the sender or and need not wait for the issuance hospital was in a private com- authors to indictment. Second, of implementing regulations two munication that spread into the even if the information does en- years after the passing of the Act, public domain. “Due to this, she ter the public sphere, the ques- which was the basis of the district should not be so unquestionably tion is whether there is a clear court’s acquittal of Prita. arrested just because her message case of malice so that legal ac- The Tangerang district court entered the realm of the public. tion can be brought against the reopened the trial of Prita Mu- Further, there was no intent to accused. If the fi nal goal is to lyasari last Aug. 19. No verdict has damage a good name,” he told re- uphold freedom of expression, been reached as of this writing. porters. the lawmakers could move to Patra M. Zen, chair of the ex- erase Art. 27 and 45 of the ITE Warief Djajanto Basorie teach- ecutive board of the Legal Aid Act as well as Art. 310 and 311 es journalism at the Dr. Soetomo Institute Foundation, said the au- in the Criminal Code. In effect, Press Institute (Lembaga Pers Dr. thorities must look at the question decriminalize libel and make it a Soetomo, LPDS) in Jakarta, Indo- of intent. Prita’s letter does not AJI File Photo civil offense only. nesia. 16 Ć SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009 CRISIS

especially now that the gunman is these teams have yet to yield posi- free on bail. My witnesses will also tive results. hesitate to testify given the power JOURNALISTS STILL In the case of Esperat, despite and infl uence that these people the issuance of a third warrant of have in the area. Who knows, even arrest against accused Osmeña the judges here may not be beyond BEING KILLED 26 YEARS Montañer and Estrella Sabay in the infl uence of these highly-placed Oct. 2008, the Task Force Usig individuals and my case might end AFTER NINOYÊS DEATH tracking teams cannot even state up getting dismissed.” with certainty the present location FFFJ is a coalition of six media Aug. 20 statement of the Freedom Fund for Filipino of the two accused. organizations formed to address Journalists (FFFJ) on the failure of the Philippine The Regional Trial Court (RTC) the continuing killings of and at- of Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat, tacks against journalists in the Phil- National Police to arrest the suspects in the murders of has denied with fi nality the motion ippines. The Center for Media Free- Marlene Esperat and Dennis Cuesta of Montañer and Sabay to have dom and Responsibility (CMFR) is FFJ IS an alliance of six media organizations—the Center for the case against them quashed a founding member and serves as Community Journalism and Development, the Center for Me- or dismissed. Their lawyers have the secretariat of FFFJ. Fdia Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR), the Kapisanan ng fi led before the Court of Appeals Earlier, the High Court also ap- mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (Association of Broadcasters of the (CA), Cagayan de Oro City, a Peti- proved the change of trial venue Philippines), the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, the tion for Certiorari and Prohibition. of the case against the alleged Among others, they seek the issu- Marlene Esperat CMFR FILE PHOTO Philippine Press Institute, and the US-based newspaper Philippine killer and accomplices in the kill- News—created to address the killing of journalists in the Philippines ance of a Temporary Restraining Supreme Court ing of broadcaster Dennis Cuesta and to assist besieged journalists. It provides fi nancial, legal and Order to halt criminal proceedings transfers venue to Makati City from General Santos other support for prosecution of case and for the survivors of slain before the Tacurong City RTC. The City. journalists, as well as for the witnesses in the killings. CMFR serves CA has not yet acted on said peti- of cases on attacks CMFR received Aug. 28 the July as the FFFJ Secretariat. tion. against journalists 13 resolution of the First Division There being no legal impedi- THE SUPREME Court approved of the Supreme Court ordering the THE PHILIPPINES marked the pare for his defense. ment to the serving of the war- th last Aug. 10 the change of venue Branch 37 of General Santos City 26 anniversary of the assassi- While the rights of the accused rant of arrest, the failure of Task of the trial of the suspects in the RTC to immediately transmit the nation of Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” are clearly provided for under the Force Usig to arrest Montañer frustrated murder of a Cagayan de records of the case against former Aquino last Aug. 21. Aquino’s Rules of Court and protected by no and Sabay is a manifestation of Oro City-based broadcaster, and, in Police Inspector Redempto “Boy” assassination emboldened the less than the Constitution, the right the ineffi ciency of said PNP group. a separate decision, the transfer of Acharon et. al for the murder of anti-dictatorship resistance, and of the plaintiff to justice depends Montañer has left the country via the cases of the alleged killers of Cuesta (Criminal Case No. 20846) led to the ouster of the Marcos greatly on the effi ciency of the pros- the “back door” and is now in Ma- a General Santos City broadcaster, to the Executive Judge of the RTC in regime and his widow Corazon’s ecution and the law enforcers. laysia, say FFFJ sources. both to Makati City. The court also Makati City. assuming the Presidency in Thus, the coordination be- Cuesta’s case is even more approved the transfer of the case FFFJ fi led the petition in Feb. 1986. Press freedom and other tween prosecutors and law-en- telling. One of the accused, Re- against the alleged masterminds in 2009 on the argument that the in- rights were offi cially restored forcement agencies tasked to dempto “Boy” Acharon, is a fi rst the murder of Marlene Esperat to fl uence of the accused in he prov- during Aquino’s term of offi ce. arrest the accused is crucial. No cousin of the incumbent General the same city. ince of General Santos City would But 26 years later, its full real- amount of superb “lawyering” on Santos City mayor and was also a The Third Division of the High deny the prosecution a fair trial. ization is still problematic as re- the part of prosecutors can make police inspector of the city. A sec- Court granted the transfer of the tri- Acharon is a cousin of the mayor fl ected in the continuing killing up for the failure of law enforcers ond warrant for his arrest was is- al venue of the case against alleged of General Santos City and was the of journalists for their work. to arrest the accused. sued early April this year. At pres- gunman—Bernardo Aguilar and his head of the city government’s civil The persistence of the killings This is the current snag faced ent, he remains a free man. accomplices for the frustrated mur- security unit. has been attributed to a culture by the criminal cases against the Several residents and media der of broadcaster Nilo Labares of impunity in which the killers alleged masterminds in the kill- practitioners report having seen from Branch 21 of the Cagayan de and the masterminds have mostly ing of journalists Marlene Esperat the accused in public places such Oro Regional Trial Court (RTC) to any evaded prosecution in a fl awed and against the killers of Dennis as a restaurant. Yet, Task Force branch of the Makati RTC. justice system. Cuesta. Criminal proceedings Usig claims his whereabouts is Labares, chief of reporters and The successful prosecution of have come to a halt as the ac- unknown, and the warrant of ar- anchor for dxCC-Radio Mindanao a criminal case, to which the FFFJ cused in the two cases remain at rest against its former colleague Network (RMN), survived an attack and its member organizations are large. remains unserved. by a gunman riding tandem on a committed as part of their efforts Simply put, the prosecution Offi cial claims on the part of motorcycle in Cagayan de Oro City to dismantle the culture of impu- cannot move forward until the ac- Department of Justice offi cials last March 5. Before the attack, La- nity, depends on several factors, cused are arrested. The proverbial and the Task Force Usig that they bares had received death threats the most basic of which is the ar- ball is in the court of the Philip- are working to turn the wheels on his mobile phone. He has been rest of the accused. There is no pine National Police’s (PNP) Task of justice for slain journalists are reporting on illegal gambling activi- consolation in having a criminal Force Usig. worth nothing in the light of this ties in the province such as video case fi led only to have the court Task Force Usig is the law current situation. karera and cockfi ghting. order it archived prior to arraign- enforcement group mandated to FFFJ calls on the PNP to rigor- Labares and the Freedom Fund ment simply because the accused investigate incidents of extrale- ously locate and arrest the sus- for Filipino Journalists (FFFJ) re- is at large. But it continues to hap- gal killings of media practitioners pects and masterminds in the quested the transfer of the case for pen. and members of activist organiza- killing of journalists as the crucial the security of Labares’ family, wit- Without the accused in court, tions, and to arrest the suspects fi rst step for their prosecution. We nesses, and the prosecution. FFFJ Cuesta CMFR FILE PHOTO there can be no arraignment. This in said killings. also call on all media and journal- had received information that there Gloria, widow of Cuesta, told stage of criminal proceedings in the To date, in relation to media kill- ists, as well as the public at large, were attempts to prevent potential CMFR that the transfer of the case Philippines requires informing the ings, there is only one arrest that to demand the same of the PNP. witnesses from testifying in court. to Makati City is a “big help.” “Hindi accused of the nature and cause Task Force Usig can legitimately Unless the police do their job fi rst In his letter to Chief Justice Rey- na puwedeng ma-impluwensyahan of the charges, and the accused’s claim as the result of its efforts. of all, all efforts to stop further nato Puno last March 17, Labares ng both parties ang case (Neither personally entering a plea. The ra- Despite heeding the order of killings will be for naught, the fail- said, “If the case will proceed to party can infl uence the case),” Glo- tionale behind this rule is due pro- President Gloria Macapagal Ar- ure to prosecute the killers and trial here in Cagayan de Oro City I ria said. cess: the accused must know and royo to form one tracking team masterminds being at the root of know that the protectors/coddlers But, as other media organiza- understand the charges against for every identifi ed suspect or ac- the persistence of the culture of will eventually get to me and kill tions have pointed out, Gloria said him so that he may adequately pre- cused in the killing of journalists, impunity. me in order to silence me forever the arrest of Acharon and his ac- Ć SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009 17 CRISIS complices should be prioritized. Crime Task Force during Estrada’s News that Acharon has been seen administration. His Own Worst Argument around his farm in General Santos Other news organizations also TATEMENT OF the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibil- City reached Gloria and Cuesta’s reported Yuchengco’s statement, ity on the Aug. 25 privilege speech of Rep. Rodante Marcoleta colleagues. A reward of P90,000 but Estrada only sued the Inquirer. of the Alagad Party List has been appropriated by the na- The Inquirer and Estrada have been S tional government for any informa- at odds since 1998 when Estrada Rep. Rodante Marcoleta’s Au- cal standards. And yet Rep. Mar- tion that could lead to the arrest of accused the newspaper of bias gust 25 privilege speech at the coleta would hold the Inquirer’s Acharon. against him. Estrada later instigated House of Representatives com- effort at accuracy and fairness A second warrant of arrest was an ad boycott against the Inquirer. pletely misses the point about against it. issued against Acharon last April 7, the Right of Reply Bill. A Right of Rep. Marcoleta also cites the almost two months after the fi rst Reply Bill may extend to non-me- examples of several European warrant was withdrawn due to the dia people the same right to free countries where a Right of Reply re-raffl ing of the case. The case expression that’s being claimed law is in force, but forgets his own was transferred from Branch 36 by the media. But it would be at warning, made in connection LITO OCAMPO to Branch 37 of the RTC in General the cost of press freedom. with the 1974 US Supreme Court Santos City. Estrada sues Inquirer Rep. Marcoleta similarly ruling that right of reply laws Meanwhile, last Sept. 24, the DEPOSED PRESIDENT Joseph misses the point as far as the are unconstitutional, that every offi cer-in-charge of the Offi ce of the “Erap” Estrada fi led a libel com- media’s ethical responsibil- country’s situation is different. In Clerk of Court of Tacurong City RTC plaint last Sept. 17 against a Ma- ity of providing space and time the case of the Philippines, the personally delivered to the Makati nila-based broadsheet for a report to those whose views may not danger in a Right of Reply Bill is RTC the records of the murder case on his alleged coercion of a busi- have been adequately present- the present regime’s hostility to- against the alleged masterminds in nessman in 1998. ed. Compelling compliance with wards the press, which it regards the killing of journalist Marlene Es- Libel is a criminal offense in this ethical imperative through as a major factor in exposing the perat. the Philippines. Media groups have a law infringes on the editorial corruption that rules it. The First Division of the Su- prerogative, fundamental to the Rep. Macoleta’s speech been calling for the decriminaliza- Arroyo’s alleged photo preme Court ordered last Aug. 26 tion of libel, which has been abused news media, of deciding with reeks of the same antipathy to- Branch 20 of the Tacurong City RTC by several powerful politicians and President’s son wants neither fear nor favor what to wards the press that has been to transmit the records of the case personalities to intimidate the publish or air. driving the Arroyo regime’s policy against alleged masterminds Osme- Facebook regulated An Inquirer editorial the con- towards the independent media. press. PAMPANGA 2ND district Rep. ña Montañer and Estrella Sabay to Estrada was removed from of- gressman tried to use as a jus- It is its own worst argument, and Makati City. CMFR received a copy Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, one of tifi cation for the Right of Reply Bill demonstrates once more the ur- fi ce in 2001 and convicted of plun- the sons of Pres. Gloria Macapagal of the resolution on Sept. 14. der in 2007. He was pardoned by on the other hand does exactly the gency of continuing press and The Supreme Court also di- Arroyo, has called for tighter regula- opposite. By admitting an error of public opposition to the Right President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo tion over the content of the social rected and authorized the “judge to in 2008 after talks between him fact and correcting it, the Inquirer of Reply Bill, the Senate version whom the case is assigned to hear networking site Facebook. demonstrated that a newspaper of which Rep. Marcoleta would and her allies. Mikey Arroyo told The Daily and decide the subject case with ut- Estrada fi led a libel complaint does not need a law, only its com- have the House pass without go- most dispatch.” Tribune that Facebook and other mitment to the values of fairness ing through the bicameral com- against the Philippine Daily Inquirer similar sites should be regulated Esperat, a columnist for The for its Sept. 16 front-page, banner and accuracy, to comply with ethi- mittee. Midland Review, was shot dead by to avoid “abuse by scrupulous (sic) story “Erap bullied me, says (Alfon- people.” a gunman in her home in Sultan so) Yuchengco: Taipan confi rms co- Kudarat on March 24, 2005. The “Facebook is easily susceptible ercion in PLDT (Philippine Long Dis- to abuse as people can easily hide nan Avenue, Quezon City, was “im- gunman and his accomplices were tance Telephone Company) deal”. passable” at the height of the storm. allegedly ordered by Montañer and their identities. Masahol pa sila sa Inquirer publisher Isagani Yambot, kuwentong barbero (They’re worse Several bloggers and netizens had Sabay to kill Esperat for her reports editor-in-chief Letty Jimenez-Mag- than hearsay),” Arroyo was quoted re-posted the photo, saying that Ar- on their supposed participation in sanoc, and reporters Christine Av- in the Sept. 30 Tribune report. royo had been seen at the “height” illegal acts at the local offi ce of the endaño, Doris Dumlao and Daxim Arroyo was reacting to a Face- of typhoon Ondoy (International Department of Agriculture in Region Lucas were named respondents book user’s post, Sept. 27: a photo code name Ketsana). But the photo, XII where they served as fi nance of- in the complaint fi led before the allegedly showing Arroyo looking at the original post said, was taken on fi cer and regional accountant, re- prosecutor’s offi ce of San Juan City. an array of liquor in a supermarket Sept. 27, a day after Ondoy hit the spectively. Yuchengco was also included in the in Quezon City a day after devas- Philippine capital and when Katipu- The FFFJ argued that “even if libel complaint. tating fl oods brought by a tropical nan Avenue was already passable. the conviction of the triggermen The Inquirer reported last Sept. storm had hit Metro Manila. Arroyo also said he was in Malaca- was achieved in record time, the ex- 16 Yuchengco’s statement that he The Facebook account holder, ñang on Sept. 26 helping in the res- istence of a double standard of jus- was coerced by the Estrada govern- as quoted by the Philippine Daily cue and relief operations. tice in our country’s judicial system ment into selling the shares of his Inquirer in its Sept. 30 report, said Tropical Storm “Ondoy” left ap- Lumbera ARKIBONG BAYAN PHOTO cannot be denied if the (alleged) company Philippine Telecommuni- in the post: “Was buying food for proximately 300 dead and thou- (UP), is planning to fi le charges at masterminds remain unpunished.” cation Investment Corp. (PTIC) in keeps…then we saw Mikey Arroyo sands homeless in Metro Manila the Commission of Human Rights of No mastermind has been success- the PLDT to First Pacifi c Co. rep- in Rustan’s (a supermarket) liquor and nearby provinces, including the Philippines against the Armed fully convicted in the Philippines resented by Manuel Pangilinan in section asking the salesman for a Pampanga, the Arroyos’ home prov- Forces of the Philippines (AFP) af- since 2001. 1998. Yuchengco’s statement con- brand of hard alcoholic drink. Effi n’ ince. ter a marine corporal was caught Prima Jesusa Quinsayas, private fi rmed an earlier claim by former crazy! Just a few kilometers away The Facebook user has removed taking photos of his residence in prosecutor representing the Espe- national police chief, now Senator from Katipunan, people (needed) the photo from his/her account. Quezon City last Sept. 17. Fiction- rat family, welcomed the transfer Panfi lo Lacson. help for search and rescue, and ist Pedro “Jun” Cruz Reyes, another of the case to the Makati RTC. “The Yuchengco’s statement came a there he was buying bottles of al- Writers will sue professor at the University of the transfer is good news,” said Quin- day after Lacson delivered a privi- cohol. See for yourself and tell me Philippines, has also indicated that sayas who also serves as FFFJ legal lege speech on the deposed pres- what you think.” Philippine military he will sue the AFP for the same al- counsel. ident’s allegedly illegal acts during Arroyo claimed the photo and for spying on them leged offense. The prosecution is still awaiting his administration. Estrada was comment was a “malicious attack” TWO FILIPINO writers are suing A Marine Corporal Hannival developments on the petition for president from 1998 to Feb. 2001. against him. the Philippine military for allegedly Mondido Guerrero was apprehend- certiorari and prohibition fi led by Lacson was a former supporter of He said it would have been spying on them. ed by security men of the gated the lawyers of Montañer and Sabay Estrada and served as chief of the impossible for him to go to the su- Bienvenido Lumbera, a National community where Lumbera lives. before the Court of Appeals in Ca- Philippine National Police and head permarket on Sept. 26 as the road Artist for Literature and a professor Navy spokesperson Lt. Col. Ed- gayan de Oro City. of the Presidential Anti-Organized where Rustan’s is located, Katipu- at the University of the Philippines gardo Arevalo of the Philippine Ma- 18 Ć SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009 CRISIS CHRONICLE rines confi rmed that Guerrero was messages were sent through Ag- Knight Fellowships now open indeed a member of the armed tay’s mobile phone. forces and was conducting “infor- The fi rst message arrived at THE STANFORD University is accepting applications for the 2010-2011 mation verifi cation” as part of his around 7: 20 p.m. warning Estrem- Knight Fellowships program. Nine journalists/media practitioners from out- “surveillance training” at the Naval era that a single bullet could end side the United States will be chosen. The deadline for application is on Intelligence Training Institute. (The her life if she remains “biased” for Dec. 15, 2009. Philippine Daily Inquirer reported the city government. Another mes- With the changes in the media landscape, the Knight Fellowships pro- last Sept. 17 that Executive Secre- sage came approximately two hours gram will focus on innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership in media. tary Eduardo Ermita said Guerrero later (9:07 p.m.) asking Agtay to tell The program will train the fellow-journalists to “recognize and meet techno- was not in the Navy’s master list.) Estremera to be fair in her reports. logical, economic and audience-driven challenges.” Arevalo also apologized. “We The message, loosely translated Full-time journalists as well as freelancers and journalism business would like to apologize to Profes- from the original Visayan-Tagalog and management executives who have infl uence over editorial material are sor Lumbera for whatever inconve- mix, said: “You’ve been regarded as eligible for the Knight Fellowships. Applications from entrepreneurs and nience the incident caused him,” an outstanding journalist, but you innovators whose work have “great journalistic impact” are also welcome. Arevalo was quoted by the Inquirer can’t always be on top. A single bul- The program will prioritize journalists from countries where the press has last Sept. 17. let would be enough for you two.” “direct impact on the development of a free press and fl ow of information” But Lumbera told GMANews.TV Estremera in the Sun.Star in the society. he would still fi le charges against Davao report denied that their news International fellows will receive a stipend of $60,000 plus other sup- the AFP. reports had been slanted in favor of plemental allowances. The grants for international fellows will come from “I accept their apology, but I the Davao City government. “(Our) different groups, including the Fulbright program, the Knight Foundation, don’t necessarily believe the de- stories can speak for themselves,” the Shin-young Journalism Fund, the Lyle and Corrine Nelson International tails they said,” Lumbera said last she said in the report. Journalism Fellowship Fund and the Yahoo! International Journalism Fund. Sept. 18. Estremera also denied being on Last year, ABS-CBN 2 senior correspondent Nadia Trinidad was chosen As a result of the Lumbera in- the payroll of the city government. for the 2009-2010 program. cident, Reyes had reported that he The Center for Media Freedom Since 1966, the Knight Fellowships have provided journalists from too has been under military surveil- and Responsibility tried to call around the globe a chance to enhance their skills to better serve the lance since 2006. the mobile number (+63917-912- public. During a Sept. 22 press con- 5620) used in sending the threats, For more information on the Knight Fellowships, visit http://knight. ference, Reyes shared incidents but it is no longer accessible. The stanford.edu. in which the military allegedly incident has been reported to the surveilled him. He said the lat- local police. est incidents happened in early Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is a con- September. troversial fi gure who has been ac- 2010 Asia Journalism Fellowship In an affi davit quoted by GMA- cused by, among others, his politi- 7’s primetime news program 24 cal rival, House of Representatives FILIPINO JOURNALISTS with at least fi ve years of working experience Oras, Reyes said that “Noong Sep- Speaker Prospero Nograles, of at are welcome to apply to the 2010 Asia Journalism Fellowship (AJF) program tyembre 13, 2009…gawing ala-8 least tolerating the extra-judicial kill- at the Nanyang Technological University’s Wee Kim Wee School of Commu- ng gabi, inilabas niya ang dalawa ing of drug pushers and other com- nication and Information. nilang cellphone at ginamit ang isa mon criminals. One of the cases of Fifteen Asian journalists will be chosen for the three-month program. It niyang cellphone para ako ay pag- the two journalists killed in Davao will run from February to April 2010. Deadline for application is on Nov. 6. kukuhanan ng litrato (Last Sept. 13, City during Duterte’s watch has The AJF program aims to “sharpen professional skills” and “deepen the around 8 p.m., the man pulled out been linked to the mayor, who has understanding of trends in media and communication at a time of rapid two mobile phones. He used one denied any involvement. On the oth- and sweeping change.” to take my picture [without permis- er hand, it was Nograles who sued For more information, visit AJF’s website: http://www.ajf.sg. sion]).” local broadcaster Alexander Adonis Online news magazine Bulatlat for libel. Adonis was pardoned after rd had reported that Reyes was in the serving almost two years of a four- 3 Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism winners Army’s order of battle in Bulacan as year sentence. Libel is a criminal of- announced early as 2006. In 2007, unidentifi ed fense in the Philippines. men also tried to enter his house, TEN JOURNALISTS received the Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism said Reyes. awards for 2009. Stories published or broadcast from June 15, 2008 to Critical writers, journalists, and May 15, 2009 were included in the selection. media organizations have been This year’s Best Agriculture Story was Manila Bulletin’s “A housing ma- targets of surveillance by the AFP. terial made from chicken feathers” written by Melpha Abello, while the Best In 2009, journalist Carlos Conde Agriculture Photo was taken by Edgardo Espiritu (“Spice Scarecrow”). The found that he had been included Best Tobacco Story was “Something new to Virginia tobacco” by Zac Sarian, in a 2007 “order of battle” of the and the Best Tobacco Photo was by Andy Zapata (“Among the Best”). AFP 10th Infantry Division. The Na- Other winners were: Neil Jerome Morales (Best Agriculture News Story tional Union of Journalists of the - National, “Mango exports reel from pesticide curbs”), Francis Martin (Best Philippines has also been tagged Agriculture Feature Story - Regional, “Most outstanding farmer practices as an “enemy of the state” by the indigenous farming”), Miko Jasmine Mojica (Best Agriculture Feature Story military. - National, “When fi sh catch a cold, the rest of the world sneezes”), Gloria Tuazon (Best Agriculture Feature Story - Regional, “The scent that heals”), Editors threatened Inez Magbual (Best Agriculture TV Program/Segment, “Corn [Crafts from EDITORS OF a Davao City-based corn husks]”), and Salvador Cruzana Jr. (Best Agriculture Radio Program/ newspaper received death threats HTTP://RELEASETISSA.BLOGSPOT.COM Segment, “Carera’s Farm: Big Time at 200”). last Aug. 20 for publishing stories University of the Philippines Los Baños College of Agriculture Prof. allegedly biased for the city govern- Candida Adalla, Press Photographers of the Philippines director Jerry Ca- ment. rual, Publishers Association of the Philippines Inc. president Jun Dayang, Stella Estremera and Virginia National Tobacco Administration chair Carlitos Encarnacion, Isabela Gov. “Gigie” Agtay, editor in chief and Grace Padaca and Department of Agriculture Sec. Arthur Yap composed news editor, respectively, of Sun. the panel of judges this year. Star Davao, received two threaten- Other information on the Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards is in ing messages last Aug. 20. Both its website http://www.brightleafawards.com. Ć SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009 19 OBIT

PABICO, 42 rector Sheila Coronel said “Alecks tle and unassuming, Alecks was ment issues won the 2nd PopDev Filipino journalist Alexander and I worked together for nearly 15 every bit the fi erce, noble warrior Media Awards. His accomplish- “Alecks” P. Pabico lost his battle to years. We spent many long nights at when he stepped into battle, wield- ments included a Developing liver cancer last Oct. 7. He was 42. the offi ce, some of them with Nonoy ing his pen (and later, his keyboard Asia journalism award for a gov- Pabico was former head of the Marcelo. Alecks not only worked in and mouse) mightily in the quest for ernance story given by the Asian Philippine Center for Investigative PCIJ, he believed in it.” truth.” Development Bank in 2008 and Journalism’s (PCIJ) multimedia Friend and former PCIJ col- He was an award-winning inves- a Southeast Asian Press Alliance desk. He created and managed the league Vinia D. Mukherjee said Pa- tigative journalist. Pabico wrote on a journalism fellowship in 2004. PCIJ web portal and its subsidiary bico “was a perfectionist, he broke number of salient issues including Pabico studied architecture. But sites (the main organizational site, paths with his Web savvy, he was agrarian reform, aquaculture opera- college introduced him to another blog, database site, etc.). He was dedicated to his profession, and tions, working women, plight of mi- love—journalism. He was editor in with PCIJ for over a decade and left without him, PCIJ would not have grant workers and drug offenders. chief of the University of the Philip- for health reasons in Jan. 2009 to become what it is now.” His work on the plight of indig- pines’ (UP) offi cial student publica- undergo alternative and homeo- PCIJ honored Pabico by sharing enous peoples won him the third tion The Philippine Collegian from pathic treatment. Pabico was diag- some of his stories online: http:// prize in the 3rd Louie R. Prieto Jour- 1991 to 1992. He also edited the nosed with the disease last year. www.pcij.org/?p=4581. In their trib- nalism Awards in 1999. His blog student publication of UP’s College LITO OCAMPO PCIJ’s founding executive di- ute, Pabico was described as “Gen- post about population and develop- of Architecture.

DIGMA, 36 He left journalism to pursue a the News” on May 3, 1948. He pro- popular court room dramas of re- Ariel N. Digma, a Filipino jour- career in public relations (PR). In duced the fi rst televised US presi- cent history: Claus von Bulow, Wil- nalist who worked for Kyodo News, the 1970s, he joined Gonzalo Puyat dential debate in 1960. He was the liam Kennedy Smith, the Menendez died in a car accident last Aug. 3. and Sons as a PR executive. fi rst to use cue cards for news read- brothers, O.J. Simpson, Michael He was 36. (Source: The Philippine Star, ers and to “superimpose” words Skakel, and Phil Spector. Digma’s car hit a concrete wall Aug. 28, page A-31) on the television screen for a news The then editor of Vanity Fair of- along the highway in Bacoor, Cavite show. He helped develop editing fered him the position as a full-time while he was driving home from his MANUEL, 66 and shape news broadcasts by his writer after the publication of his coverage of the burial of former Veteran sportswriter Virgilio use of two fi lm projectors cutting article “Justice: A Father’s Account President Corazon “Cory” Aquino. “Boy” Manuel died following a lin- back and forth which breaks up the of the Trial of his Daughter’s Killer” Cavite is a province located south gering illness last Sept. 14. He was monotony of the camera’s focus on (March 1984 issue). He described Bhargava THE HINDU of Manila. 66. the talking head. the failures of the legal system in pal information offi cer of the gov- Kyodo News is a nonprofi t coop- Manuel was the sports section He began his journalism career his search for justice on the murder ernment of India in the late ‘70s. erative media organization reported editor of the University of the Philip- as a copy boy for the New York Her- of his daughter in the ‘80s. This was in the post-emergency era to be the largest news agency in Ja- pines’ campus newspaper The Phil- ald Tribune. In 1942, he became Since then, he had never during the Janata Government. pan. It distributes news to almost all ippine Collegian when Martial Law the youngest war correspondent as- stopped writing and talking about He was an active member of newspapers and radio-TV networks had just been declared. signed to Gen. Dwight Eisenhower’s crime and the human story behind the Editors Guild of India. The Guild in the said country. Digma joined (Source: The Philippine Star, London Headquarters. He joined it. Dunne had a television program said Bhargava had great interest its Manila bureau last May. Prior to Sept. 21 and the offi cial Facebook the Merchant Marines during World called truTV’s Power, Privilege, and in the issues of press freedom and Kyodo News, Digma was a reporter group page of The Philippine Col- War II. He started working as an Justice. He was also a frequent as he was fair, he was also as strict for the Manila Bureau of TV Asahi, a legian) associate director for CBS News in guest at CNN’s Larry King Live. when it came to the standards of television network in Japan. 1948 when television was still at its His critically-acclaimed works journalism. Digma also served as a reporter infancy. include “The Two Mrs. Grenvilles” for Malaya and The Manila Times. Hewitt was the recipient of (1985), “People Like Us”, “An Incon- EMERSON, 86 He worked as a media relations of- several honorary degrees, lifetime venient Woman” (1990), “A Season William A. Emerson Jr., editor in fi cer for former Senate President achievement and hall of fame In Purgatory” (1993), and “Another chief of the US-based The Saturday Marcelo Fernan, Sec. Angelito awards. He was named Broadcaster City, Not My Own”. Evening Post, died of natural causes Banayo, and Sen. Panfi lo Lacson. of the Year by the International Ra- In an interview with The Wash- last Aug. 25. He was 86. He was also a media consultant for dio and Television Society in 1980. ington Post in 1993, Dunne de- He became editor in chief of The the Philippine Tourism Authority. He was elected to the Television scribed his approach in writing: “I’m Post in 1965 following a succession The Foreign Correspondents As- Academy Hall of Fame (1990) and simply a very good listener. And lis- of editing positions in Newsweek. sociation of the Philippines said in National Association of Broadcast- tening is an underrated skill. If you Emerson was the southern bureau a statement “Ariel had been very Hewitt CBS ers Hall of Fame (1993). The Direc- really listen—if you’re really interest- chief of Newsweek from 1953 to much around—in news conferenc- HEWITT, 86 tors Guild of America recognized ed—someone is bound to talk.” 1961. es, ASEAN (Association of South- Donald Shepard “Don” Hewitt, his more than 50 years in televi- Former Newsweek editor Os- east Asian Nations) summits, (and) the man behind the popular Ameri- sion with an achievement award in BHARGAVA, 85 born Elliott wrote in his memoir that major news events. He was quiet, can news magazine 60 Minutes, 2002. Veteran journalist G.S. Bhargava Emerson was “a great, rangy, boda- unassuming but hard working and lost his battle to pancreatic cancer Hewitt published his autobio- died Sept. 22 in New Delhi, India at cious man who fl apped his arms always abreast of the news and go- last Aug. 19 at age 86. graphical book about television the age of 85. He had been sick and when he walked and enchanted ings on. He exemplifi ed the ideals of 60 Minutes is an hour-long news and his creation of 60 Min- was undergoing treatment for about people when he talked” and who a dedicated, professional journalist broadcast program of hard news utes titled “Minute By Minute” in three months prior his death. “launched a tradition of sharp and and was a close friend to many of and feature stories. It began on 1985. He wrote that there is just a He was a journalist for over four sensitive Newsweek reporting from us…. Ariel will be missed.” Sept. 24, 1968 with Hewitt as its “simple” formula for the success of decades. Bhargava was a noted the South.” executive producer, a post he held his show: “It’s four words every child foreign correspondent in several He was witness to major events ROXAS, 86 for 36 years. He stepped down at knows: Tell me a story.” South Asian countries. He was resi- of the struggle for civil rights. He Former Associated Press (AP) the conclusion of the 2003 to 2004 dent editor of the Indian Express, covered the case of Brown v. Board journalist Mario Halili Roxas passed season. The news magazine won 73 DUNNE, 83 Hyderabad and also worked at the of Education, the Supreme Court away last Aug. 25. He was 86. Emmys, 13 DuPont/Columbia Uni- American movie producer, mag- Hindustan Times as an assistant ruling that outlawed school segre- Roxas spent almost 30 years versity Awards, and nine Peabody azine writer, and novelist Dominick editor. He wrote a column on media gation, and the rise of Rev. Dr. Mar- with the international news agency. Awards during his stewardship. “Nick” Dunne died of bladder can- reporting called “Blue Pencil”. He tin Luther King Jr. He was a news editor and a sports Hewitt was a television news cer last Aug. 26. He was 83. was also a known political commen- He served in the Army in World writer. pioneer who initiated many broad- Dunne was a correspondent for tator. He authored several books on War II and then worked for Collier’s He was a member of the Na- casting journalism fi rsts. He di- the Vanity Fair magazine who was social and political events as well as magazine before moving to News- tional Press Club and the Philippine rected the fi rst network television known for his essays on the rich biographies for public offi cials. week. He also taught journalism at Sportswriters Association. newscast “Douglas Edwards and and famous. He covered the most Bhargava served as the princi- the University of South Carolina. 20 Ć SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2009

courses. Maybe because I liked the The lack of lack of science stories or scien- challenge of trying to understand tifically correct stories in main- science and being able to break it science stories stream media perpetuates the down into something more palat- or scientifi cally maleducation of the population Making able to everyday readers. Or may- in science and health. That’s be I was just a nerd. correct stories why we still have mothers who Or maybe I thought I would be believe in feeding their children able to write scientifi c stories, like in mainstream lizards’ eggs to cure asthma or the ones in Time or Newsweek, media use breast milk to relieve sore the case and could make science more fun eyes. and relevant to ordinary folk. perpetuates the Newspapers are used by stu- I knew I had a knack for it. dents (who do not have access to It helps that I grew up in a sci- maleducation of the Internet and encyclopedias) entifi c community, practically in the population as reference materials. They read for science my mother’s laboratory (I used to newspapers for additional knowl- have lunch on her lab table, with in science and edge like “who is the secretary of the petri dishes that contained trade?”, “what is the capital of multi-colored fungi), and there health Turkey?” and other stuff. Before were days when I thought I was the advent of Web 1.0 about 20 a product of my mother’s experi- years ago, my teachers made us journalism ments, so I thought writing sci- government department. But to read the papers to increase our ence stories would be a breeze. no avail. Either bureaucratic she- “stored knowledge” (if there’s Science reporting is not I was able to put to use my ma- nanigans got in the way, and/or such a thing). Books are expen- jor (Science Communication-De- science is not sexy enough for sive; newspapers are cheap and limited to writing about the velopment Journalism at UP Los broadsheets. contain current information on a Baños) a couple of years ago. It Maybe it’s because science sto- variety of things. total solar eclipse was a good learning experience— ries do not constitute mudsling- Now that I am part of that ship but I was writing for a govern- ing or exposes that are “saleable” that I wanted to rock years ago, ment publication, for goodness’ enough for mainstream publica- I’ve realized that it was stupid of sake! It frustrated me that main- tion. Or maybe it’s because some me to think that a mere science of those stories don’t contain dis- n By Likha Cuevas-Miel stream media virtually ignored journalist can change how science our stories. There were so many coveries that can make Presidents is reported to the people. I now home-grown technologies and grow an extra brain, heart or con- realize that there are more com- HEN I was in college, some science. friends often joked that I discoveries that should be shared plicated matters that should be with the people, but these stories I eventually made a career addressed before going down to was a BS Biology or Forest- were buried under the tons of an- change so I could rock the boat. the nitty-gritty of science report- ry student instead of a De- nual reports and newsletters that But that was too naive of me. The ing. One is the availability of page velopment Communication our offi ce produced. newspaper I now work for barely or column space for such articles. major because I enrolled in I resorted to peddling our has space for regional stories, so Yes, the big papers have science W I guess the science beat is out of stories straight to and technology pages but are they Limnology, Ecology, Micro- the question. I ended up in busi- biology, Earth Science, For- the beat report- enough? ers stationed ness. Well, science and business Two, the availability of report- estry, Botany, and similar in that reporting share the basic prin- ers that have genuine interest in classes. ciple of explaining the incompre- science reporting. Or the avail- I took 24 units of science hensible to ordinary folk—so it’s ability of reporters, period. courses—on my own volition— a good enough trade. Three, changing the mindset during my undergrad years. Sadly, however, the Philip- of the gatekeepers (i.e., the edi- I don’t know why I pines is not like the more devel- tors and publishers). It requires took those elective oped countries where the media an appreciation on the part of the can afford to run stories on the gatekeepers for science report- human genome project or sto- ing to take off. Umm no, science ries that delve into the science reporting is not limited to writing behind A(H1N1). We seldom about the total solar eclipse.... read intelligent discussions It seems like I’m asking for on genetically modified or- the moon. Probably. In an era of ganisms (GMOs)—or why the dwindling advertising revenues seas of Boracay teem with and newspapers closing down one green algae during summer after another, science journalism months. may be at the bottom of the list of My heart once dropped the things that should be devel- to my knees when one of oped. the bartenders in Boracay As I told one reporter in our told me that the persistent section, “you have to justify the algae is good because it space that your article is going softens the skin of bath- to occupy in the paper.” Maybe I ers. Little did she know haven’t really started defending that algae are a manifesta- my own case myself. I mean, I can tion of elevated nutrients start with “changing the mindset” in the water that result of the gatekeepers by being the from sewage runoffs champion of the science stories from groundwater. Ewww, right? that can help develop the scien- Not only that, but that algal bloom tifi c culture the country needs to will kill the coral, eventually kill- progress. ing the marine life that de- pend on coral reefs. LIKHA CUEVAS-MIEL is as- But I digress. sistant business editor of The The point is, the Manila Times.