How about a Boycott on Kris' endorsements?

I read the other day from the Inquirer that Kris Aquino is currently endorsing a total of 17 products ranging from beer to shampoo to bags, etc. from well-known brands to not-so-well-known brands... If we figure that at minimum Pesos 1M contract each, that means Kris would at least have Pesos 17M revenue this year. I doubt if any of those paid Kris less than Pesos 5M which then translates to about 85 Million Pesos!

But wait, how can the manufacturers of these products get Kris Aquino to endorse them when she figured in not-so-very-nice controversies in some not-so-distant past. Is she not the same Kris that had a very public quarrel with her ex-live-in partner, the ex-Paranaque Mayor Joey Marquez, wherein she even declared that she had STD from the latter? Is she not the same Kris who lived with a married man for some time before living with this ex-Mayor who by the way is also married (or is he?)?

Is it good marketing to have someone who declare in public such supposedly very personal mis-adventures and perhaps promiscuities endorse your products? Does that mean the Filipino consumer doesn't mind Kris Aquino setting an example to teenaged kids that now see her ads on every place every now and then?

I think the average Filipino would like to maintain some decency even on advertisements that they see. However, when our leaders, the media and business people among them, tells the people that everything is OK about Kris and that she is even more glamorous now than ever as shown in her ads, that is another thing. I heard Behn Cervantes say on TV that the Filipino is like a child, give him candy for supper and it would all be what he'd eat. Now Kris is that candy, looking sweet although there is not a nutrient inside, or worse, what is inside is that which could actually harm you...

So, do these business really think that the Filipino wouldn't mind? Isn't it high time to teach these people some lesson and boycott those Kris Aquino products?

Or do I just envy Kris' 85 Million Pesos and fame?

People Power against Erap but not for PGMA

Why is it that there is People Power against Erap, while the same cannot be mustered versus PGMA? Why is it right to support the earlier People Power but not this time?

Erap men earlier forwarded the answer that the People Power against Erap was not by the people but by a few rich people who organized a huge mob against him. They are dead wrong. What is more huge here is not the mob, but the spin they are trying to muster. Even they would agree and I am sure have many times proven to themselves that a big budgeted rally by a mob cannot sustain a People Power that could topple a President, especially if that mob does not believe in (or even just know) their own cause.

Yet they still pose another answer: Erap is from the masses and our unfair society tends to judge quicker against poor Erap, than versus someone who is from a wealthy powerful family. Wrong again, for Erap is not really from the masses but merely rides on it. Eraps friends are rich and the people who put Erap in power is not poor Juan dela Cruz but the same rich people who has control of our mass media and who supported his Presidency.

We know the spins, but we do not yet have an answer.

Let me try to answer this question by asking myself: Why did I support the People Power versus Erap but I do not support the same versus PGMA?

My answer here is simple. To my mind, Erap is guilty of crimes against the people beyond reasonable doubt. Meanwhile, to my same mind, PGMA is guilty of crimes but which one crime (cheating) is not necessarily against the people and in some crimes (corruption) not yet beyond reasonable doubt.

Yes, I believe PGMA cheated. But everyone cheated. As I said some posts earlier, even FPJ openly cheated. The game is Cheating on Elections, everyone knows this, and she cheated better. While FPJ cheated largely in the campaign, PGMA cheated largely in the counting! This reflects the greates irony of our politics and that is if someone would want to help the people (even if he/she really wants to help the people) by being President, he/she has to cheat his way to it!

And then, PGMA's corruption remains unproven. We do not have her signature on checks and bank accounts. All we have are testimonies by witnesses presented by the opposition and whose characters are suspect (..I mean the characters of both the witnesses and the opposition!).

Anybody could easily produce a witness who would say anything you want. But presenting a credible witness is another thing, made credible especially when supported by documentary evidence. In short, we got all the blahs, but not the bangs.

On the other hand, Erap's fingerprints were all over his corruption. He signed his own checks and bank accounts. Although using an alias, he signed his account in the presence of an independent bank officer, and uses a signature very much similar to his official signature (Yes, that unmistakeble signature found in our paper currency). And his old time and big time pal, and by no means just your ordinary witness, out of nowhere, turned against him and detailed the crimes they did together.

Not only that. Even an Erap former cabinet member talked about late night gambling and drinking binges by the former President and which cabinet member got fired after saying that. This might not be a crime if Erap is your ordinary guy living across the street. But no, he is the President of a country. Gambling and drinking late nights is a crime when you are the President and while your constituents are dying everyday for lack of basic service by the government.

Yes, some of PGMA's cabinet members turned against her, but they just don't have anything to show against her. And they turned against her ironically only a few days after singing ".. if we hold on together.."!!!

The differences then are so huge. There will just be no People Power at this time.

So, may I address this to the opposition, to the three leftist bishops, to the rights and lefts in congress, to Boy Saycon, to Peping Cojuangco, to the Hyatt 10, to the opposition sympathizers in the military, even to Cory Aquino, and to all of you who knew so much yet do not understand that People Power is not coming: Please STOP whatever you are doing. You are not helping the country but putting us all down together.

Six Reasons Summary

So here they are, the six reasons why PGMA is still in Malacanang:

Reason #6: Our Mass Media's total lack of credibility failed to instigate public uproar versus PGMA, although PGMA's crime seems to be worth such an uproar.

Reason #5: There is No Coup that can depend on itself and not on the support of the people.

Reason #4: Corruption in the country is Systemic and our leaders are so sensitized that they do not see it as bad as they ought to see it.

Reason #3: The Opposition to PGMA are Lacking in Intelligence and are always beaten on every move.

Reason #2: There is No Answer to What's Next? We do not have an alternative direction, nor do we have anyone credible enough to lead the country after the encumbent is booted from office.

Reason #1: Everyone cheated in the elections that is why no one can really point an accusing finger without exposing himself.

No Real Interviews

A Time magazine correspondent, Ms. Nelly Sindayen, was said to have been in a dinner meeting with supposed coup plotters while the latter is hatching a coup plot (Time Magazine article here).

The meeting, which stretched into the early-morning hours, took place at the Makito home of Jose Cojuangco, brother of former President Corazon Aquino. While Cojuangco's daughter kept a buffet table piled high with chicken sandwiches, macaroni salad and cookies, Pastor Saycon, a businessman and longtime Arroyo critic, outlined plans for a new government. (Saycon invited
TIME's Nelly Sindayen to witness the meeting.) While more than a dozen businessmen and politicians listened, Saycon phoned a person he identified as a U.S. official in Washington. "You will still be our friend, not China," Saycon assured the man. Saycon then phoned someone he identified as Brigadier General Danilo Lim. Over the speakerphone, Lim said it was "all systems go." A military contingent would march to a shrine in Manila where the 20th anniversary of the
People Power revolution (which toppled Ferdinand Marcos) was to be celebrated. There, the military men would meet a group of Catholic bishops, and a Philippine marine officer would read a statement withdrawing support from the government. The bishops made one request: that the coup be bloodless.

If you are a member of the press, and you heard of this news, what does your instinct tells you to do? Of course, get an interview with Sindayen, and then with Cojuangco and Boy Saycon, and all those supposedly in that meeting.

Well, we now know that our mass media people have a different set of instincts. No they are not interested so much to verify the Time Magazine report. No they thought they don't neet to get those interviews. Since the news could find favor and justify Malacanang's coup paranaoia, perhaps, our local Press thought, Malacanang ought to pay them to have it further publicized.

It is very clear what instincts control our Mass Media: those instincts that had Peso or Dollar signs in them.

The Question of the Day: Why No Real Surveys?

There were so many polls done by popular survey groups about so many things that has the potential to affect the political landscape of the country. There were surveys about who's leading toward a forthcoming election. There were surveys about the approval rating of a sitting president (even just recently). There were surveys about perceptions of which government agencies are most corrupt. There even were surveys about which TV or Radio Station is leading. And yesterday, there was a survey by Pulse Asia that shows 65% of the people want PGMA either resigned or booted out.

But there is one thing we are obviously missing: it is whether the people approves of booting PGMA out of Malacanang by people power or by coup d'etat. Is this not the question of the day that everyone could be most interested in knowing the answer to?

Hmmm. Reading from the Phil. Star report on the Pulse Asia survey, it says there that 59% of the people wanted PGMA to resign. I go with that 59%, I think PGMA should resign. Then if you add 6% who wanted PGMA to be ousted by a coup d'etat, the paper concludes (or was the conclusion coming from Pulse Asia) that a 65% total of the people want PGMA to be out of office by any means!

In its latest quarter survey, pollster Pulse Asia found that nearly six in 10 Filipinos (59 percent) believe that an Arroyo resignation is in the country's best interest as she continues to fend off allegations that she cheated in the 2004 presidential election.

Pulse Asia also found that an additional six percent of Filipinos find it acceptable that Mrs. Arroyo be forced from office either by a coup or through the intervention of a foreign government. That brought up to 65 percent the number of Filipinos who believe that Mrs. Arroyo should resign.

What a twist!!! Looking at the numbers, the significant conclusion there should have been that only a miniscule percentage of people approves of a coup. The report did not say whether the respondents were asked about staging a "people power" revolution, or whether that scenario is part already of the "coup" question. (Note: I just found an analysis by Mareng Winnie on her PDI column on the same Pulse Asia Survey)

It is obvious that results of surveys are used so many times in the past and present to push for some hidden agenda. In fact, I am sure that so many surveys are made which results are not released because the information does not benefit those who commisioned them.

It is the mass media's job to tell everyone the truth, and not withold them. It is their job too to get the correct information the best way they can. This is the essence of a free Press: the freedom to get at and tell everyone the truth. Obviously, we do not have such free Press.

Obviously, our mass media is not free to tell us news. You have to pay them to get them tell the news the way you want it. Even truth would have to pay for itself to get published. Ironically, our free press is not "free" but "paid" press. The saying, nothing in the world is free, proved applicable to them as well.

And for those journalists who join the chorus of empty slogans in defence for freedom of the press, what "freedom" are you all talking about? You long ago have already lost your freedom when you sold your voice to the highest bidder!

Six Reasons Why PGMA is still President: Reason #6

Reason #6: Our mass media's total lack of credibility.

If only our mass media have done their job, then PGMA would have been forced to resign in total embarassment. In fact, PGMA would not have run in 2004 in the first place. But that is expecting too much from the media.

When the Garci tapes are broadcast (first by Anthony Taberna of DZMM) last year, everyone rode on the controversy without so much trying to do a decent job. These are some of the things that media did not do:

1. They did not verify and investigate the source of the "Hello Garci" recordings, and
2. They did not investigate the authenticity of the recordings, they did not make any scientific investigation to identify the voices on the tapes (even up to this date).
3. They did not acquire nor did they have/show any information of poll fraud that is not tainted as to its source.

In short, although it looks like that our mass media want PGMA out at this time, they do not want to do their job by carefully laying on the ground work. They do not want to spend the time nor money to prove the veracity of the tapes. All they did was air or print different spins from all sides. And then, now, they just want us to believe that they have proven that PGMA cheated, beyond reasonable doubt. Of course, the people are not totally convinced. And little by little, our countrymen got sick of the same unvalidated charges versus PGMA, which cannot stand in court, especially when the source of the charges are Erap and Marcos loyalists.

While staunch oppositionists (even myself) believe that PGMA indeed cheated in 2004 and should resign, the rest of the country did not give a damn.

The Inquirer Hiding Behind "Sources"

The Inquirer today had a headline that refers to a "source" that says rebel soldiers are demanding an explanation regarding some general's involvement in 2004's alleged poll fraud. I am amazed how newspapers can easily point to a source on controversial news. I am doubly amazed how newspapers has been given false information many times over in the past by their supposed "sources", yet they retain credibility and use the same source-referring technique. For all we know, the unnamed "source" could very well be a propagandist - spreading rumors for further destabilization.

ANY TALKS between President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo and restive soldiers on defusing the political crisis must include the issue of the involvement of generals in probable fraud in the May 2004 election.

A source close to a military group that had threatened to withdraw its support from Ms Arroyo yesterday told the Inquirer that this was the position the group had taken in response to Malacañang's statement that the President was "ready to hold a dialogue" with different sectors of the Armed Forces.

This specific "source" meanwhile is not even said to belong to the military. He/She is said to be "close" to the military group that had threatened to withdraw support from the government. I wonder what that means? There is not even a verification of the source. His/her words are taken as it is.

In fact, we may not even need to point to a source as this news obviously comes from the opposition or someone who prays for the downfall of PGMA. This is plain propaganda.

I think the Inquirer and other news organizations should make an accounting on how many times they are given wrong information by their "sources" in the past. They should put their credibility at stake when referring to "sources" and not just let their readers forget the controversy spread by those "sources".

Or perhaps the papers just use this practice to spread paid propaganda for they are propagandists themselves? It is easy for any media organization to sow controversy from unnamed sources for such are easily forgotten, since it is also their, the "media's", job to remember.

Failon for President

I must really be a Ted Failon Fan. I just can't help listening to him in the morning. Yesterday, he did it again. His "news" again said that Thailand is experiencing mass actions asking Prime Minister Thaksin to resign, but their government is not declaring a state of national emergency, obviously taking a shot at the controversial PP1017 in the guise of world news.

Yes, Ted Failon insists that this is "news" reporting, just as he thinks that Pinoy Big Brother updates are. After his news program, he even prays to God and reads some passages on the bible. Whew.

Such brazen disregard for his own credibility is astounding. What a talent! He could indeed be President someday!!!

Where is Cory's Magic?

I still remember the time when Cory's calls for mass actions are immediately responded by droves of people to join her. This was called the "Cory Magic" at that time, seen even as recently during Erap's administration. But more recent events prove that "Cory Magic" is not anymore. Where are the droves of people who did not join her last Friday in Ayala (Makati) and last Sunday at Fort Bonifacio?

Is Cory way past her prime as far as Filipinos are concerned? Or is it because she now has no support from someone similar to Cardinal Sin?

I have a different point of view. I think that Cory failed to gather interests in her mass actions (disguised as "joining in prayer" and "commemorating EDSA") because he is at the wrong side of the fence this time. Before, most Filipinos already hate Marcos thus they readily joined her call to oust him. Now, Filipinos, although hating PGMA (but not at the same level versus Marcos), does not want to oust her through people power.

I think most people would call for PGMA's resignation but not to the point as to support a Coup D'etat or People Power. Cory's recent calls for action therefore fell on mostly deaf ears, which lessened her credibility. If she continues to do the same, she will lessen further her credibility, while PGMA will hold more strongly to her Presidency. Perhaps she failed to read the events and the people's reactions. I am sure she misses Cardinal Sin who is better than her listening to the ground.

But our Mass Media could have helped her if the latter is not embroiled in partisan politics. A quick survey should have revealed the people's reluctance to do mass actions at this time. Cory must have been reading, watching or listening to a lot of local media stuff which rendered her judgement useless.

You see, even our countries leaders could gravely be misled by propaganda peddled by our mass media.

Media Joke

Good News: The Philippine mass media is fair in their news reporting.

Bad News: Yes they are fair because anyone, from any party, can pay to get their news reported!

Survey: Would you support writing a letter to Advertisers?

I want to know whether people would support writing a letter to advertisers to ask them not to advertise on radio or TV programs that play partisan politics disguised as news (propaganda)?

Also, I would like to ask people if they would support writing the same letter to advertisers of perverting programs such as Pinoy Big Brother?

Hmmm.. what would you say?

DZMM's Ted Failon calls this news!

This morning, I was able to listen to Mr. Ted Failon delivering a news on DZMM that unbelievably goes something like this:

In Thailand, Prime Minister Thaksin is encountering intensive calls for his resignation. Rallies are happening left and right. However, in Thailand, the prime minister did not proclaim a "state of emergency", they did not have "warrantless arrests", nor do they implement any preemptive "calibrated police response" (CPR) to disperse the rallies.

No. no..... this is not in the opinion portion of his program. This is strictly news reporting (7-7:30AM) at DZMM.

Amazing? (I am sure Ted Failon didnt even bother to know what really is happening in Thailand where there are less civil liberties than in the Philippines!).

My question is: How can one (Ted Failon, and many others by the way) be a news reporter, when he is obviously against one party involved in the news? How can reporters give us factual news when they prefer some facts over another? How can you be an election news reporter, for example, when you are part of one party?

There is very very very very obvious lack of credibility here but it seems DZMM does not notice. I think it is either DZMM management is so corrupt or so stupid. Take your pick.

Among the sponsors for Ted FAilon's morning news report are Ford (Everest), Bactidol, Smart and Enervon (May energy mas happy). Do these respectable advertisers approve this kind of news reporting? Or should we write them to do something about this?