In the Philippines, the Office of the Press Secretary gets transformed into a “communications group” with three heads instead of one. What used to be the government portal is now called the Official Gazette. The Aquino administration is also maximizing social media in trying to reach out to the people.

One of the three heads, Herminio Coloma, said that the new communications group wants to establish “free-flowing communication” between the people and the government. Coloma said that his group would use the three Fs in public communication — feed in, feed forward and feedback.

With the help of a centralized website and social media like Facebook and Twitter, the Aquino administration hopes to get “all kinds of input and feedback.” Even if Coloma and the two other heads (Ricky Carandang and Manuel Quezon III) did not explicitly say it, they are apparently open to getting input and feedback both positive and negative. How can they, after all, get the people’s perception if they ignore the latter?

How the website is created could help in getting input and feedback from online users. Analyzing the source code of selected pages in the Official Gazette, one immediately notices the use of WordPress (WP) as a content management system (CMS). Its source code needs to be reviewed as there is no disclosure in the footer as regards the use of WP as CMS (which is usually the case for many WP-generated blogs and websites).

That the website uses WP simply means that articles could be designed and laid out like blog entries where it becomes convenient for an online user to leave a comment. This is apparently the case with some entries like President Benigno S. Aquino III’s state of the nation address (SONA) last July 26. However, there are pages where comments are not allowed, as in the case of an article titled “A Social Contract with the People” which outlines President Aquino’s campaign platform which he intends to implement.

It is too early to tell if this is a case of selective openness on the part of the administration. The website, after all, is still a work in progress as more content needs to be uploaded. One can only hope that the Aquino administration’s communications group would enable comments in all posts and pages.

While it is laudable for the Aquino administration to maximize social media in trying to get its message across, there seems to be no explanation from the communications group on the nature and orientation of the message it wants to convey. Yes, the powers-that-be always harp on truth and accountability in governance, but what is lacking in their policy pronouncements is how they would set up an effective public information system in the country.

As I noted in a previous post, public information has become synonymous with pro-government propaganda through the years: “Unfortunately, the public has come to accept the likes of the PIA [Philippine Inforamtion Agency] and NBN [National Broadcasting Network] to always toe the government line. They have been conditioned to think that this is the normal state-of-affairs and that the people will just have to live with it… As a result, it becomes unthinkable for a government-owned or controlled news media organization to become independent or hard-hitting. That a public information system could be independent but still subsidized is possible but the government prefers not to do this.”

If the Aquino administration really aspires for transparency in all government affairs, it should start by openly declaring that the new public information system is the exact opposite of what past administrations had. As the term “public information” suggests, the Aquino administration should not think twice about disseminating information that matters to the people, even if these do not put some government officials in a good light. Public information is not about giving good publicity to the powers-that-be. As I wrote before, it should be “free from any political color and could therefore come from any source,” including the opposition.

If the powers-that-be have a firm grasp of the definition and essence of public information, they would know that sugar-coating reality through one-sided reports is counter-productive to the shaping of public opinion.

It is obviously not too late for the Aquino administration therefore to answer this very basic question: What is your concept of a public information system? For the administration’s sake, however, it should be answered at the soonest possible time.

A student from the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman emailed some questions about election coverage in the new media. Allow me to share with you my short answers.

What are the major challenges in doing online coverage of the elections?

Online journalism is said to have the “permanence of print and the immediacy of broadcast.” Convergence, however, is not just limited to relative permanence or immediacy. It also has to do with combining various kinds of media texts and hypertexts (i.e., words, hyperlinks, images, streaming audio and video).

Just like the coverage of other issues, election coverage through the new media requires the immediate uploading of media texts without compromising the highest professional and ethical standards of journalism.

At the same time, the online publication should maximize social media to promote its contents. The uploading of media texts, after all, does not guarantee the immediate sharing of information.

How is it different from the coverage of traditional media (i.e. print and broadcast media)?

Unlike in the so-called traditional media, online publications do not have deadlines in the strictest sense of the word. Articles and other forms of media texts (e.g., photographs, video files) are uploaded as soon as they are ready. It is therefore possible for an online publication to have various “banner headlines” in one day. In the same way, an article could be updated several times especially in the case of breaking stories where new developments happen, say, every hour.

In the new media, feedback from audiences is made more expedient. Despite the moderation of comments in many online publications, the feedback is still relatively faster in terms of its publication.

What ethical issues are usually encountered in election coverage?

Given the nature of the new media, the temptation to immediately upload unverified information remains. Those who don’t have a firm grasp of journalism ethics argue that this practice is acceptable since the initially wrong information could be corrected anyway. This is obviously wrong because online visitors would be led to think that the unverified information is true.

Notwithstanding the nature of the new media, the professional and ethical standards should remain the same, and should remain high. It is unthinkable and unacceptable for anybody to adjust (read: lower) the high standards of journalism to justify the immediate uploading of information, even if unverified.

The convenience of taking photographs or footage could also make an online journalist forget the need to strike a balance between the public’s right to know and an individual’s right to privacy, especially in the cases of rape victims and juvenile delinquents.

Though the two cases rarely crop up during elections, photographs and footage of election-related violence should be treated with utmost care to ensure that the dead are properly given respect and what is presetned to the public is in “good taste.” This is the reason some crime scenes are pixelized (or rendered in black and white) to ensure that the sensibilities of audiences are not affected, especially the children who are watching.

How are these issues connected to the nature of the medium?

Technology makes it easy for people to publish online. A content management system (CMS) like WordPress, for example, makes it easy for anybody to put up an online publication or a personal blog. Notwithstanding the high cost of gadgets, there are many user-friendly, high-resolution digital cameras that can take quality photographs and footage which could be shared online even without the use of an Internet-connected computer. One can even argue that a high-technology cellphone which has a built-in video camera is more than enough for a blogger or journalist to take pictures or footage.

Are there any landmark ethical issues that occurred during this year’s elections, particularly in online media?

It’s hard to define “landmark,” but a blogger-supporter of a presidential candidate was removed from a newly-established Asian news website after the latter got complaints due to his irresponsible articles. This blogger became notorious not only for ungrammatical writing but also for engaging in character assassination. Incidentally, his favorite target during the election campaign was the leading presidential candidate. He took a leave of absence for a while but he is now back blogging in his old, irresponsible style. I’m sorry if I refuse to identify him as I might end up giving him the popularity he doesn’t deserve.

Were they resolved? If yes, how? If no, what would be the best course of action?

His being removed from an Asian news website did not prevent him from setting up not just one but several blogs. He still engages in maligning his pet peeves, though I noticed that he has gone soft lately on President Noynoy Aquino. For me, the best course of action is to ignore him publicly and to use his blog entries as case studies in media ethics, particularly on how NOT to blog.

Why do you think they occur?

The answer is simple: There are a few bloggers who don’t know the responsibility that goes with sharing information in the public domain, which is what cyberspace is (whether we like it or not).

What should online media practitioners work on to overcome such ethical issues?

They should be more conscious of the consequences of their actions, particularly the harm they would do to audiences if they give wrong or unverified information. I think a good start is to read and understand A Bloggers’ Code of Ethics.

Three journalists from the Philippines, Indonesia and Myanmar emailed a few questions about the media situation in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Allow me to share my answers.

What is the overall media situation in the Philippines?

There exists a culture of impunity in the Philippines which gives rise to the killings and other forms of harassment and intimidation of journalists. Aside from extrajudicial killings, the government tries to creatively interpret laws like libel to silence dissent. Some legislators have also tried to introduce laws that suppress media like the so-called “right of reply” which essentially compromises editorial independence in the choice of what to publish or air.

The media situation remains bad. Recently, a journalist (Marites Vitug) received a death threat for a book she wrote about the Supreme Court. A government agency (Movie and Television Review and Classification Board) gave an X rating to two films that analyze poverty in the country and is critical of government policies. The details may be found in the recent statement I wrote titled “Resist the Arroyo-fication of media, culture and the arts.”

How did Philippines media report the Ampatuan massacre which claimed the lives of 58 people, including 32 journalists last November 23?

We saw the complementation of social networking sites (e.g., Twitter, Facebook) with media organizations on the day that the massacre happened as the initial information came from some concerned citizens who were not professional journalists. The days that followed showed interest in the massacre. There were efforts to sustain coverage with the establishment of the November 23 Movement consisting of both mainstream and alternative media, not to mention the activities that were held every 23rd of the month so that people would not forget. Unfortunately, the interest was unfortunately waning as the massacre took its 100th day last March 3. It is hoped that we will not forget about what happened and still fight for justice. Right now, our responsibility is not just to cover events but to also be part of the struggle to end the culture of impunity.

What is the situation of the ASEAN media?

The ASEAN press is as varied as the history, culture, and economic situation of its 10 member-countries. Based on press freedom data from the US-based Freedom House, the ASEAN press may be classified as “Not Free” because the political, legal and economic environments are not conducive to the practice of the journalism profession.

ASEAN journalists are generally repressed. Censorship comes in various forms and may be directly or indirectly done by the governments. The killing of journalists is the highest form of censorship, a situation that happens mainly in the Philippines though Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand had their share of media killings from 1992 to 2009, based on data from the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

You’ve met some journalists from Myanmar. What is your impression of them?

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting young journalists from Myanmar who are dedicated to the responsible practice of the profession. They are also very eager to know the experience of other journalists. If and when they become gatekeepers of information (i.e., as editors or station managers of their media organizations), they could make a difference in professionalizing the media in Myanmar by helping raise the standards of journalism there. It is also hoped that they would also help in fighting for press freedom in Myanmar.

What are the responsibilities of journalists when the political situation becomes volatile, as in the case of Myanmar and the Philippines?

The media help in the shaping of public opinion mainly through their news and public affairs programs. They serve as the people’s main sources of information in making sound decisions. Journalists must therefore engage in truth-telling at all times. Any changes in the political situation must be reported objectively and fairly as the people deserve nothing less. Their analyses of issues must be based not on hearsay but on facts. They should report in a sober manner and not let their emotions get in the way of the presentation of the issues.

As an educator and practicing journalist, I often get interviewed by students for academic requirements they are required to submit. The interviews usually cover a wide range of topics in the fields of media, communication and journalism. For those who can’t make the time to see me personally, we normally just correspond via email. Last March 5, a student emailed some questions on campus journalism and it is only now that I realized my failure to get back to her. Nevertheless, it’s never too late to answer her questions which I find to be both probing and timeless.

In a few words, what do you think is the role of the student press in a college community?

Just like the role of the press in society, the student press (or campus press) helps provide relevant information to students so that they could make informed decisions. There are so many issues confronting students. Campus journalists should help make sense of the reality not only by providing the data but also the analysis.

To borrow a mathematical equation, INFORMATION = DATA + ANALYSIS; where the term DATA refers to “observable reality” and the term ANALYSIS refers to the framework used in making sense of what one observes through any one or a combination of his or her five senses.

In changing times like ours where several distractions abound, how can the student press disseminate information effectively?

Ironically, the so-called distractions could also be the vehicles for information dissemination. Many of today’s youth (especially those in urban areas) spend a substantial amount of time in front of a computer. For those who use the latter for recreation, social media are indeed distractions. But social media could also be used to share relevant information to one’s defined network.

The challenge for campus journalists therefore is to not just confine themselves to the print medium. Their publications should maintain a Web presence. They should seriously consider opening accounts in popular social media like Facebook and Twitter and encourage their target audience (students) to be part of their “virtual groups.”

To become catalyst of change, what do you think is the characteristic or the characteristics a student journalist must possess?

In terms of writing skills, a campus journalist should be able to write well and to write fast. In terms of disposition, he or she should develop the “nose for news” or the ability to discern which is newsworthy in analyzing issues and events. But the ability to provide in-depth analyses comes a campus journalist’s understanding of the history and context of the prevailing social reality. Through a much deeper understanding of what is happening around him or her, a campus journalist is able to analyze the prevailing social contradictions, as well as realize the reasons for the age-old social conflicts.

In one way or another, student journalists are considered ‘torch bearers’ of the college community. What advice can you give to aspiring student journalist to become real ‘torch bearers’ by correctly distinguishing ‘truth’ from those that might disguise as ‘truth’?

They are torch bearers in the sense that they try to shed light on issues. As regards the latter, there should be no distinction between local and national issues, but simply issues that affect, directly or indirectly, the lives of students. In the discussion of issues, what makes campus journalists different from their so-called professional counterparts is their duty to relate all issues to their respective communities.

A discussion of low wages, for example, should take into account how students are affected by having an equally lower allowance. In other words, campus journalists should not try to imitate the discussion in, say, the mainstream media where analyses are often done in the context of a much broader audience. The main responsibility of campus journalists is to their communities, and their analyses must therefore have that necessary focus.

Campus journalists must therefore keep in mind their role in their respective schools. To become real torch bearers, they should help open the minds of students to the situation not only on campus but also in society as a whole. Truth-telling is fulfilled when they are able to present both the data and the analysis of issues.

A handful of factors surrounding the student press might influence them not to disclose the truth. This could be happening at this very moment. Do you think student journalists today are still possessing the courage to fight for the truth? Or are they easily manipulated by their environment?

I personally know campus journalists both in high school and college who know how to fight for their rights. At the same time, there are those who get harassed and intimidated by school officials. By joining student organizations that promote and uphold campus press freedom, campus journalists are better guided not only in going about their work but also in helping fight for their rights. What’s important to stress at this point is that campus press freedom is integral to student rights. Related to this, campus journalist should see themselves as part of the student movement and not separate from it.

Korea’s Internet connections are a luxury not shared by most Asian countries.

Many Koreans perhaps do not realize that their Internet connections are the fastest in the world, and other Net-savvy Asians have every reason to be green with envy.

Coming from a country where dial-up connections and 56K modems are not yet a thing of the past, I am, not surprisingly, amazed by the lightning-speed Internet connections in Korea.

Since they are exposed to high technology in their everyday lives, some Koreans may not appreciate what they have until they travel to other less developed countries and see for themselves technology there that pales in comparison to theirs.

Some visiting Koreans I know have every reason to criticize the slow Internet connections in the Philippines, among other things. Internet surfing in my country, after all, requires patience and anger management given the sometimes intermittent signals. The current rotating brownouts make access to the Internet even worse even in the supposedly more developed cities like Manila.

From my experience, gigabyte-plus files that take minutes to download in Korea take days in the Philippines. Logging on to Web sites proves to be a breeze in Korea as they load almost instantly. For someone like me who enjoys watching high-definition streaming videos, Korea is indeed an online paradise!

And take it from someone who has executed online remittances from Korea several times: Internet banking in Korea is safe and secure, not to mention quick and efficient. Aside from the security plug-ins automatically installed in one’s Internet browser, my bank (Nonghyup) requires the use of two passwords (one for logging in, the other for money transfers), a digital certificate (normally stored on a flash drive) and a card with numbered codes.

Of course, the downside here is the bank charge in Korea ($20, as of my last transaction) which is expensive by Philippine standards. Then again, who says that high-technology security and convenience are cheap?

I take consolation in the fact that I only paid a fixed monthly fee of 20,000 won ($18) for the Internet connection in the apartment I occupied on campus when I was still a visiting professor at Hannam University in Daejeon.

At our house in the Philippines, I am currently paying 999 Philippine pesos ($22) monthly. Needless to say, my Internet connection in the Philippines is very slow by Korean standards.

In a study by Akamai Technologies, a U.S.-based network provider, South Korea, Hong Kong and Japan are said to be “the best wired in the world with the highest number of fast broadband connections to the Internet.”

According to a news article published on Inquirer.net, “South Korea boasts the world’s highest average connection speed at 14.6 Megabytes per second (Mbps) and also has six of Asia’s 10 cities with the fastest link-ups, all with average speeds above 15 Mbps.” Akamai’s study also showed that 74 percent of Internet connections in Korea are classified as “high broadband,” which means speeds of 5 Mbps or above.

For a webmaster like me who uses search engine optimization tactics to drive traffic to my Web site (www.dannyarao.com), Internet speed is necessary to conduct experiments with codes, plug-ins, widgets and other content written in static HTML pages and database PHP files.

Modesty aside, the “techie evidence” of my stay in Korea is the boost in my Web site’s global traffic rank in Alexa (www.alexa.com), currently a major indicator of a Web site’s influence online. Thanks to Korea’s lightning-speed Internet connections, my Web site was, at one time, ranked second in Alexa’s “Journalists” category.

Of course, the celebration was short-lived as my return to the Philippines late last year resulted in my Web site eventually losing its high traffic rank. As of this writing, its global traffic rank has fallen to 411,668. When I was still in Korea last year, its global traffic rank reached as high as 68,952.

Indeed, there is reason to be envious of the technological infrastructure in Korea. Data from Internet World Stats (http://internetworldstats.com) show that in Korea, the Internet penetration rate is 77.3 percent, while in the Philippines, it’s 24.5 percent. This means that almost eight out of 10 Koreans use the Internet, but only two out of 10 Filipinos.

Korea has the highest Internet penetration rate in Asia, followed by Japan (75.5 percent), Singapore (72.4 percent), Hong Kong (69.2 percent) and Taiwan (65.9 percent). Those with the lowest Internet penetration rates in Asia are Timor-Leste (0.2 percent), Myanmar (0.2 percent), Bangladesh (0.4 percent), Cambodia (0.5 percent) and Turkmenistan (1.5 percent).

In the context of the entire continent, only 114.3 million out of all 3.8 billion Asians use the Internet, which translates to a low penetration rate of 19.4 percent for Asia, a figure that is slightly below the Philippines’.

Aside from Korea, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan, two other Asian countries have more than half of their citizens as Internet users: Malaysia (65.7 percent) and Brunei Darussalam (55.9 percent). Their virtual paradise is obviously not shared by most countries in Asia.

One can easily understand the digital divide among different countries, but it takes an actual visit to developed ones like Korea to realize the magnitude of the disparity. Just like other returning professionals whose line of work requires everyday access to the Internet, I had my reality check, as I now readjust to an Internet speed in the Philippines that, by Korean standards, is Jurassic to say the least.

By Danilo A. Arao

What do you think is the impact of Internet on journalism over the next five years in the Philippines? Will it be helpful or detrimental?

Notwithstanding the current limited reach of the Internet, we expect the number of active Internet users in the Philippines to exponentially increase (as it did in the past) even if the Internet will not likely reach half of the population. Social networking sites like Facebook will remain to be popular. Internet access through mobile phones will become more popular, although this will be confined to those with high purchasing power. In this context, the practice of journalism will still incorporate the opportunities provided by the new media either as one of the tools of the trade (e.g., mobile phone, digital camera), sources of information, or tips for potential stories (relevant status updates or tweets).

In a sense, the Internet will be helpful because it facilitates faster communication. The downside is the reliability of information shared on the Net which can be easily solved by the journalists’ constant checking of its provenance and accuracy.

Do you think it will affect how journalists go about with their jobs? How?

Journalists will be all the more challenged to straddle the different forms of media. In the same way that the new media cannot be dismissed as just a passing fancy of the youth, the traditional media still have their own functions in reaching out to various audiences. Of course, it’s also necessary to maintain the same high professional and ethical standards because of the temptation provided by the new media like immediate uploading of stories even if the data are not yet verified. Only an ethical journalist would know the mistake of doing so since he or she does not have a “scoop” mentality (i.e., in the context of new media, “commit mistake now, correct later.”)

Will it change how Filipinos get their news? How?

I sincerely doubt that print journalism will die in the next five years as a result of new media. In the case of traditional broadcast journalism (radio and television), we are seeing its integration with the new media as the term “broadcast” is being re-defined to include webcasting (streaming audio and video). As stated previously, there still exists a limited reach of the Internet though it is possible that the Internet-savvy generation of the youth would start depending on getting information from the Web, either through the websites of media organizations, aggregates, or social networking sites.

In your opinion, will it affect how media outfits get revenue? In what ways?

Media organizations are now changing their strategies in generating profits. If Rupert Murdoch were to have his way, he would charge fees for content that online visitors want to read in his news media websites. We might see the prevalence of stealth advertising or product placement on the Net in the next few years, a situation that is already happening on radio and television.

Finally, compared to other countries, how well do you think will Philippine journalism be able to adapt to the Internet age?

The presence of mainstream and alternative media is already evident in the new media, and the Philippines proves to be an interesting case study. The country’s history helped shape the media into what they are right now, as EDSA 2, for example, gave rise to alternative publications like Kodao Productions, Bulatlat and Pinoy Weekly.

Just like their counterparts in other countries, Filipino journalists generally seem to adapt very well to the Net as blogs, social networking sites and most other features of the Web are user-friendly. They, along with other computer-literate Filipinos, therefore find it easy to use new media. Whether or not journalists can effectively use new media, however, in their profession is another matter. But it is good to know that there is an increasing number of journalists who maintain blogs, for example, to reach out to a wider audience.

Ang medyo maluwag na panahon sa aking pansamantalang pamamalagi sa Korea ay naging masikip sa aking pagbabalik sa Pilipinas.

Sunud-sunod ang mga kailangang gawin, maraming artikulong kailangang tapusin. Nagsisimula na ring dumating ang mga imbitasyon para magbigay ng iba’t ibang lektyur, seminar at workshop at unti-unti nang napupuno ang aking kalendaryo. Enero pa lang ngayon pero may mga nakatakda na akong puntahan hanggang Abril. Sa gitna ng tuluy-tuloy na pagsusulat at pagsasalita, nariyan din ang medyo napapadalas nang pagbibigay ng panayam sa midya.

Nakakadagdag din siyempre sa napupuno kong iskedyul ang dumarami nang pagtugon sa mga pabor na ibinibigay ng ilang kasamahan sa trabaho, pati na rin ang mga estudyante ng iba’t ibang eskuwelahan. Puwede po ba kayong mainterbyu para sa pang-akademikong papel na sinusulat ko? (Sige. Libre ako sa mga araw na ito…) Maaari ka bang mag-referee ng isang artikulo tungkol sa midya? (Tingnan muna natin kung nasa posisyon akong magbigay ng komentaryo.) Puwede ka bang patnugot para sa isang proyekto? (Walang problema, pero ayusin natin ang iskedyul para hindi bumangga sa iba pang kailangan kong gawin.)

Oo, oo, oo. Masasabi bang kahinaan ang bihira kong pagsabi ng hindi? Tulad noon, tinitingnan kong bahagi ng gawain bilang peryodista’t guro ang pagtugon sa napakaraming tanong o pabor na minsa’y kumakain kahit sa aking Sabado’t Linggo. Halimbawa, sinusulat ko ang sanaysay na ito ngayong madaling araw ng Sabado dahil kararating ko lang kagabi mula sa Pampanga na kung saan may isang seminar para sa mga peryodista. Pagkasulat nito, kailangan kong maghanda para sa isang pulong sa aming kolehiyo hinggil sa isang proyekto. Aba, sa sobrang dami ng trabaho, tila wala na rin akong panahon para magreklamo!

Buti na lang at naiintindihan ni Joy ang aking trabaho, bagama’t nakokonsensiya ako’t hindi ko natutupad ang pangako kong maglaan ng mas mahabang oras para sa aming mag-asawa. Minsan nga’y binibiro niya ako kung kailangan na niyang humingi ng appointment para makausap ako. Ang pabirong sagot ko naman, kailangan ko na siyang kuning personal na sekretarya!

Sa tulong ni Joy, nagiging mapanlikha na rin kami sa pag-aayos ng aking masikip na iskedyul para magkasama. Sa aking nakatakdang pag-alis papuntang Indonesia sa Pebrero, sasama siya sa akin at nangako ako sa kanyang maglalaan ako ng kahit kalahating araw para maglibot-libot sa Jakarta o iba pang karatig na lugar. Oo, magastos ang ganitong plano, pero hindi dapat tapatan ng presyo ang makabuluhang pagsasama.

Napapailing na lang ako kung bakit kailangang bumangga sa mga importanteng petsa ang ilang pagsasalita. Maniniwala ka bang kailangan kong magtrabaho sa Araw ng mga Puso ngayong Pebrero kahit na ito ay tumatapat sa Linggo? Gayundin ang mangyayari sa Semana Santa ngayong Abril.

Pero minsa’y nagkakataong pumapabor sa aking personal na interes ang pagtanggap sa anumang hinihiling ng ilang kaibigan. Noong nakaraang taon na kung saan nasa Korea ako bilang visiting professor, nagkaroon ako ng mapanlikhang palusot para bumalik sa Pilipinas sa okasyon ng aking kaarawan nang magsalita ako sa isang komperensiya ng mga blogger. Para masiguradong sulit ang aking maikling pagbisita, nag-organisa rin ako ng isang pulong para sa isang proyekto. Kapansin-pansin lang ang maliit na kompromiso sa sitwasyong ito: Sa pagsapit ng hapon sa araw ng aking kaarawan (Setyembre 21), kailangan ko nang pumunta sa paliparan para sa aking biyahe pabalik ng Korea.

Hindi lang punong abala, kundi puno ng abala! Biro ko sa aking sarili, para akong punong hitik sa bunga, at sana’y hindi dumating ang panahong magmimistulang tuod akong walang silbi sa bayan. Huwag sanang mangyari ito sa aking pagtanda!

Tulad ng iba pang punong hitik sa bunga, hindi maiiwasan ang paminsan-minsang pambabato sa akin pero bahagi na ito ng trabaho’t hindi ko tinitingnan bilang personal na atake. Kailangan ko lang sigurong humingi ng dispensa sa mangilan-ngilang gustong sirain ang aking reputasyon dahil wala na akong panahon ngayon para sagutin ang mga paratang nila.

Noong 2006, sa gitna ng Proklamasyon 1017 na kung saan nakansela ang programa sa radyong isa ako sa mga co-host, kinailangan kong tumulong na sagutin ang paratang ng isang testigo ng gobyerno na propaganda arm diumano ng mga komunista ang nasabing programa sa radyo. Ngayon, may nagpapakalat na naman ng misimpormasyon sa isang social networking site tungkol sa aking nakaraan. Payo ko sa mga dating katrabahong nananatiling personal kong kaibigan – ilan sa kanila’y binanggit din sa nasabing misimpormasyon – hindi na kailangang patulan ang mga paratang na iyon dahil may mas mahalagang paglaanan ng oras.

Sumisikat na ang araw at kailangan ko nang tapusin ang sanaysay na ito para pansamantalang makapag-almusal kasama si Joy. Pagkatapos nito’y maghahanda na ako ng aking presentasyon para sa isang mahalagang pulong ngayong hapon.

Sa susunod na linggo’y nakatakda pa rin akong magsalita sa isang porum, pero sa Martes na siguro ako magsisimulang maghanda para dito. Wala akong panahon sa Lunes dahil may kailangan akong isulat para sa isa pang kolum sa wikang Ingles. Siyanga pala, kailangan ko ring ipadala sa isang diyaryo sa Korea ang isang mahabang artikulo sa mismong araw ng aking nakatakdang pagsasalita sa isang porum sa Biyernes, kaya malamang na magsisimula ang aking pananaliksik at pagsusulat sa Miyerkules at Huwebes.

Muntik ko na ring makalimutang kailangan ko nang ayusin ang aking website at magsagawa ng ilang taktikang search engine optimization (SEO). Kung sabagay, makakapaghintay naman ang mga ito dahil mas mahalaga ang direktang pakikipag-ugnayan sa iba’t ibang tao bilang bahagi ng aking trabaho.

May kritisismo ka sa aking ginagawa? Handa po akong makinig dahil may malaking maitutulong ito sa akin. Pero kung personal na atake lang ang gagawin mo (tulad ng pagmumurang ginawa ng isang nagkomento sa aking blog), pasensiya na’t pipiliin kong hindi sagutin ang anumang mensahe mo. Masyado akong abala para pag-aksayahan ka ng panahon kung sakali.

Gusto mo akong kausapin sa aking opisina? Handa po akong makipag-usap basta’t ayusin natin ang ating iskedyul. Nais mo bang humingi ng payo tungkol sa iyong pagsusulat o pagtuturo? Hindi po ako eksperto pero pipilitin kong tulungan ka. Iyon naman ang nais ko sa aking buhay, ang makatulong kahit paano.

Paano ko ba dapat tapusin ang sanaysay na ito? Siguro’y kailangan ko lang magbigay ng klaripikasyong wala po akong reklamo sa pinili kong buhay. Kahit kailan, huwag kang mag-atubiling makipag-ugnayan sa akin kung sa tingin mo’y kinakailangan. Para sa akin, hindi kalbaryo ang pagsisikip ng aking kalendaryo.

Para makipag-ugnayan sa awtor, pumunta sa www.dannyarao.com.

Why is there resistance in the Philippines to a technology that is widely used in many countries like South Korea?

Starting this year, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) requires the installation of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags in vehicles. Various transport and cause-oriented groups have called on the government to stop its implementation, arguing that the technology is being used to raise funds for the coming elections and to “spy on organizations perceived as left-leaning.”

Just like other countries, the Philippines requires an annual registration of vehicles. In the past, the LTO’s only requirements for vehicle registration are payment of the registration fee, a passing mark in emission testing and an insurance for the vehicle.

According to the LTO, vehicle owners will be charged an additional PhP350 (US$7.65) for RFID stickers which must be prominently displayed in the vehicle’s windshield. Through the introduction of the RFID technology, the LTO expects to generate an additional PhP2 billion ($43.74 million) in revenues.

How did the LTO arrive at this figure? Official data show that in 2008, there were 5,891,272 motor vehicles (MVs) registered with the LTO. Multiplying the number of MVs by 350, one gets 2,061,945,200. Considering an annual increase of 3.72% and 6.53% in 2007 and 2008, respectively, it is likely that the number of registered MVs in 2009 will reach six million so the income from RFID could be more than what is projected.

Interestingly, the fees collected by LTO for the registration of MVs in 2008 amounted to PhP785,492,574 (US$17.18 million), a mere 7.11% of the total revenue collections amounting to PhP11,048,015,054 (US$241.59 million).

In analyzing the argument of the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON; Unified Association of Drivers and Operators Nationwide) and other groups that the funds from the RFID technology might be used in the May 2010 elections, it must be remembered that they are not referring to the total estimated PhP2 billion but mainly the collections from January to April.

As regards allegations that the Philippine government might use the RFID for surveillance, one only needs to be aware that the Soviet Union has used radio waves as early as 1945 to spy on its perceived enemies. For its part, the Allies during World War II used a similar technology like the transponder during World War II to identify friendly or hostile aircraft.

But what cannot be denied is that other countries are using RFID to facilitate cashless transactions. In South Korea, for example, the T-money (described as “pre-paid RF smartcard embedded with CPU to enable self-calculation”) is being used in public transportation like trains, buses and taxis. The T-money basic card can be bought by anybody over-the-counter so it cannot be used by the Korean government to monitor the movement of a specific person.

The RFID has helped South Korea manage its transportation system. For example, it is able to allocate bus routes and control bus intervals. The discounts provided by T-money (e.g., a subway fare of KRW1,000 amounts to only KRW950 when using T-money) also reportedly help motivate Koreans to take public transportation.

Then again, the situation in South Korea greatly differs in the Philippines. The concern of cause-oriented groups as regards the RFID can hardly be called subjective paranoia.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who is currently running for a seat in the House of Representatives is deeply unpopular and not trusted by majority of Filipinos. Aside from being widely regarded to be pushing for charter change to perpetuate herself in power, she is being held responsible for the increasing number of extrajudicial killings, abductions and other forms of human rights violations.

Under her watch, the  Human Security Act (HSA) was passed in 2007 which is widely perceived to be repressive as it allows, among others, the wiretapping of conversations and the freezing of bank accounts of people suspected to be involved in terrorism, a term so nebulous that legitimate protests may be construed as such.

It is in this context that a supposedly beneficial technology becomes a bane to human rights, particularly a person’s right to privacy. No wonder the RFID is being met with opposition in the Philippines as other countries embrace it to improve the people’s lives and livelihood.

Note: US$1.00 = PhP45.68 (based on OANDA’s Currency Converter as of January 11, 2010)

Today you celebrate your 41st birthday. It’s unfortunate that we’re thousands of kilometers apart so we cannot be together to enjoy your very special day.

Since two weeks ago, I have thought long and hard about my gifts. Finally, I decided to give you two things that come not from my bank account and wallet but from my heart and mind. Just like me, I know that you prefer the inherently priceless over the atrociously expensive.

But before I tell you what my two gifts are, a short explanation is in order: My preoccupation with so many concerns sometimes leads you to think that I do not listen to you, and that I only pretend to do so as my mind wanders off to “more important things” even if I’m with you.

Well, I should clarify a couple of things right now. First, I do listen to every word you say. Second, nothing is more important than nurturing the relationship we have. You are my raison d’etre, in the same way that you always say that I am yours.

Underneath the public image of a serious journalist is a husband yearning for his wife, constantly trying in her absence to answer the proverbial 5 Ws and 1 H — What is she doing right now? Why is she not calling? Who (if ever) is on the other line? When will she call me? Where is she? How is she right now?

With you, I am irony personified as I get flustered by your online presence. I am always at a loss for words whenever we end our day with a two-hour or so conversation on Skype. The reason for my odd behavior is simple: It’s not that I don’t want to talk to you. It’s just that seeing you (albeit virtually) more than makes up for my otherwise tiring day teaching students, checking papers, attending meetings, conducting workshops, writing articles, editing papers, among others.

That you are married to a teacher is something you could live with, as your parents used to be college professors. But I know that being married to a journalist is tortuous at the very least, what with the constant necessity for me to spend a lot of time reading, writing, editing, among a million other tasks.

I do apologize if my work gets the better of me and I sometimes forget that we should be spending more time together. On the occasion of your 41st birthday, consider this promise as my first gift to you: I will spend more time with you.

What’s my second gift? To prove that I do listen to every word you say, I know that shortly before we got married, you had the chance to listen to all of the 12 songs in the Rosas ng Digma (loose translation: Rose of War) album. I distinctly remember that your favorite cut is titled “Sa Duyan ng Digma.”

Allow me at this point to make it our song as I translate it into English, a feat that you know is very hard because translation is not my specialization (aside from the fact that singing is my Waterloo). Even at the risk of public embarrassment, I admit that I spent the whole day yesterday doing this.

I know it’s not perfect, but the perfection I strive for is not mastery of the language but the shaping of my identity to be deserving of you.

Happy birthday. I hope you enjoy your day and sing our song of joy.

(Huli sa dalawang bahagi)

Walang problema sa intensiyon pero may malaking isyu sa implementasyon.

Hindi dapat pagdudahan ang motibasyon ni Ella noong Oktubre 21 na ipakalat sa pamamagitan ng kanyang blog ang diumanong pananatili ng relief goods sa warehouse ng Department of Social Work and Development (DSWD). Hangga’t walang ebidensiyang ginawa niya lang ito bilang taktikang search engine optimization (SEO), mainam na iwasan ng ilang bloggers ang pagbibigay ng walang batayang kuro-kuro.

Usapin kasi ito ng empirikal na datos. May limitado man akong kaalaman sa SEO (patunay nito ang mataas na Alexa traffic rank at Google PageRank ng dannyarao.com), wala akong karapatang husgahan si Ella na sinulat niya ang nasabing post para lang makakuha ng web traffic batay sa kanyang itinakdang search strings. Nasaan ang datos bilang pagpapatunay dito? Anong viral campaign ang diumanong nais na gawin ni Ella at ano ang kanyang layunin? Kasama ba siya sa diumanong destablizers na nais pabagsakin ang pamahalaan? Binayaran ba siya ng oposisyon para magpalaganap ng impormasyon laban sa DSWD? Kung oo ang sagot sa huling dalawang tanong, kailangang maglabas ng pruweba.

Walang lugar ang spekulasyong isinasapubliko sa pagpapataas ng panlipunang diskurso. Iba ang obhetibong paglalahad ng pagsusuri sa subhetibong pagbibigay ng unang pumasok sa isip. Ang una’y malalim na pinag-iisipan, ang huli’y mabilis na pinapalaganap.

Ang pakikipag-unahan sa pagpapakalat ng hindi-beripikadong impormasyon ay tuksong dapat labanan sa panahon ng new media. Ang pikit-matang pagdedesisyon ay gawain lang ng isang indibidwal na madalas na ginagamit ang mga katagang “puwede na” at “bahala na.”

Maaaring maiugat ang pagpapadala sa “tukso” sa “angking kagandahan” ng teknolohiyang kontrolado ng maraming blogger. Alam nating lahat na malaking tulong ang convergence na hatid ng new media (na kung saan bahagi ang blogosphere) sa pagbibigay hindi lang ng teksto kundi ng mga larawan at streaming audio at video. Bukod sa pinagsamang katangian ng print at broadcast, kayang-kaya ng new media ang mabilisang pagpapakalat ng impormasyon. Dahil sa katangiang ito, nauunahan ng blogosphere at social media ang mga organisasyong pang-midya sa print, radyo at telebisyon sa pagbabalita, lalo na sa panahong mabilis ang mga pangyayari tulad ng bagyo o coup d’etat.

Sa aking pagsusuri ng maraming blog entry, minsa’y may nararamdamang tagumpay ang maraming blogger tuwing nauunahan nila sa pagbabalita ang tinatawag na tradisyunal na midya. Halimbawa, maraming blogger at social media user ang bumatikos sa mga organisasyong pang-midya nang may nagpalaganap ng balitang walang peryodistang nasa House of Representatives (HOR) noong gabi ng Hunyo 2 nang aprubahan ang House Resolution No. 1109 na naglalayong buuin ang constituent assembly para baguhin ang Saligang Batas. Pero lumabas na hindi pala totoo ang balita.

Puwedeng dala ito ng emosyon dahil kahit naman sinong nagmamahal sa bayan ay natural na magagalit sa gawi ng mga tiwali sa pamahalaan. Pero sa kabila ng galit, kailangan pa rin ang hinahon sa pagpapalaganap ng impormasyon. Ang isang emosyonal na blog entry, status update o tweet ay hindi nakakatulong sa paghuhubog ng opinyong pampubliko lalo na’t kung batay lang ito sa subhetibong pagtingin sa isang pangyayari.

Isipin mo na lang: Ano ang magiging epekto sa iyo kung sakaling gumamit ako ng malulutong na mura sa aking pagsusuri ng anumang katiwalian sa lipunan? Paano na lang kung puro personal na atake lang ang gagawin ko sa aking mga katunggali? Kung sakali, makakatulong ba ang mabilis na nakuha pero maling impormasyong gagamitin ko sa aking mga artikulo? Bukod sa makakaapekto ang mga ito sa aking kredibilidad, hindi nito mapapataas ang antas ng diskurso na lubhang kinakailangan para mamulat ang mga mamamayan sa pamamagitan ng panulat.

Kung susuriin ang post ni Ella, wala kang pagdududa sa intensiyon niyang magbigay ng impormasyon sa publiko. Kahanga-hanga pa nga ang tapang niyang kunan ng litrato ang loob ng DSWD warehouse para patunayan ang napakaraming relief goods na sinabi niyang hindi naipapamigay sa mga nangangailangan.

Pero sa kabila ng malinis na intensiyon, ano ba ang nilalaman ng kanyang artikulo?

Sa unang talata pa lang, kapansin-pansin ang sensationalism sa paglalahad ng detalye. Halimbawa, dahil sa kahalagahang maipalaganap ang mahalagang impormasyon, sinulat niyang “I disabled a plugin so you can copy the photos of relief goods rotting in DSWD warehouses.” Kung ang relief goods ay tunay na nabubulok, ibig sabihin nito’y perishable items ang mga nasa warehouse ng DSWD. Pero ang kitang-kita sa mga larawan ay mga kaldero, tubig, banig, kumot, laruan, sabon at mga de-latang pagkain tulad ng sardinas at pork and beans (na hindi malinaw kung kailan ang expiration).

Malabo rin ang paglalahad ng importanteng datos. Sinulat niyang nakapanayam ng isang patnugot ng Philippine News si DSWD Sec. Esperanza Cabral pero lumalabas na ang sekretarya lang ng huli ang nakausap, batay sa sumunod na talata at sa hiwalay na pahayag ng nasabing patnugot (na kung naging maingat lang si Ella sa atribusyon ay sinulat sana niyang columnist at contributing editor ng Philippine News). Kahit na hindi niya alam ang kaibahan ng editor sa contributing editor, malaking tulong ang paglalahad ng tamang datos sa pagpapaliwanag ng mahahalagang punto.

Kailangan ding banggitin ang kanyang mga spekulasyong hindi nagpapalalim kundi nagpapababaw sa diskurso: “The relief goods are not moving. By the way things look, they are not going anywhere. Hindi maglalakad mag-isa ang mga donations na ito papunta sa mga evacuation centers.”

Walang lugar sa responsableng blogging ang huling pangungusap dahil mas mahalagang ipaliwanag nang malalim (at nang mahinahon) kung bakit sa tingin ni Ella ay mananatili sa loob ng DSWD warehouse ang relief goods, batay sa mga naobserbahan niya.

Tungkol na rin sa kanyang obserbasyon, nabanggit ni Ella na pinagbawalan silang kumuha ng litrato sa loob ng warehouse. Hindi sapat ang sinulat niyang “I wonder why.” Ang sinumang pinagbawalan ay pinagsabihan, at madali namang itanong kung bakit ganoon ang patakaran. At kung sakaling ayaw magbigay ng dahilan, ito ang puntong mahalagang isulat dahil ipinapakita nito ng kawalan ng transparency at accountability ng kasalukuyang administrasyon kahit sa panahon ng trahedya. Sa kontekstong ito, magkakaroon din ng malakas na batayan ang patagong pagkuha ni Ella ng mga larawan.

Kahit na sabihing personal na naratibo ang nasabing post ni Ella, hindi nakakatulong ang sumusunod na pahayag kaugnay ng isyung ang lokal na relief goods lang ang nire-repack ng grupo niya: “Mahiwagang mga kahon from Japan Aid…Hindi rin ito kasali, of course. Hindi namin alam kung ano ang laman nito. ‘Imported’ are not included, we have concluded.” Napakaseryoso ng mga ganitong alegasyon at lubhang kinakailangan ng sapat na datos bilang batayan ng nasabing konklusyon. Malinaw na hindi sinusuportahan ng mga larawan ang kanyang mga argumento.

Bukod sa pagtalon sa konklusyon, halatang-halata ang kawalan ng hinahon sa paglalahad ng argumento. Sa puntong ito, hind ko tatanggalin ang mga nakasulat na mura at mga salitang inilagay sa malaking titik na nagsisilbing paliwanag sa litrato ng isang trak ng DSWD na may nakasulat na Do Not Delay: “YOU THINK?? WTF is the matter with these people? Mag-iisang buwan na mula nang masalanta ang mga kababayan natin. ISANG BUWAN!! Do you mean “do not delay ang dati nang delayed”?? Shet…Anong ginagawa ng mga donations na ito sa warehouse?? APAT na warehouse ang nasa loob ng compound na ‘yon! APAT na warehouse na punong-puno ng inaalikabok na relief goods! Relief goods na ayaw yata ibigay sa mga nasalanta. Halatang-halata.”

Sa kabila ng mga kahinaan sa pagbibigay ng makabuluhang impormasyon, masasabing may positibong epekto ang sinulat ni Ella dahil napakilos nito ang DSWD sa pamimigay ng relief goods. At kung noon ay bawal diumanong kunan ng larawan ang loob ng warehouse, pinapasok na ang midya para siyasatin kung ginagawa nga ba ng DSWD ang trabaho nito.

Masasabi tuloy na nakamit ni Ella ang layunin niyang mapakilos ang DSWD at makatulong sa mga nasalanta ng mga bagyo. Bagama’t karapat-dapat siyang bigyan ng papuri, sa aking palagay ay kailangan pa rin siyang paalalahanang may kaakibat na responsibilidad ang pagpapakalat ng impormasyon sa pamamagitan ng blog. Totoong limitado lang ang kasalukuyang naaabot ng Internet dahil 24 milyong Pilipino lang ang gumagamit nito. Pero nagiging batayan ng mga ulat ang anumang importanteng impormasyong nasa Internet, lalo na sa blogosphere at social media.

Sa kaso ni Ella, kailangan lang asahan ang paggamit ng nasabing post at pagsisiyasat ng midya sa mga alegasyon niya. At nang mapatunayang may ilang kamalian sa datos, karapatan ng midyang iulat ang mga ito hindi para pahiyain si Ella kundi para iwasto ang anumang kumakalat sa Internet. Tungkulin ng midyang suriin ang katotohanan at alamin ang konteksto sa kawalan ng kakayahan at kahandaan ng mga ahensiya ng gobyerno sa panahon ng trahedya.

Sa aking palagay, nararapat na ipagpatuloy ni Ella at ng mga blogger ang pag-uulat sa mga nangyayari sa ating lipunan. Pero ibayong pag-iingat ang kailangang gawin sa proseso ng blogging.

Hindi katulad noong dekada 90 na kailangan ng kaalaman sa web publishing, ngayon ay napaka-user friendly ng content management system (CMS) na ginagamit sa blogging tulad ng WordPress.

Dahil dito, kahit sino’y puwedeng magkaroon ng blog, mula sa mga responsableng peryodistang bukas na niyakap ang bagong teknolohiya hanggang sa mga may-edad nang tila walang pinagkatandaan (at patuloy na nagsusulat ng mga walang katuturan). At, siyempre pa, hindi natin dapat kalimutan ang kabataang tulad ni Ella.

Sana’y ang simpleng pahaging na ito sa responsableng blogging ay magmistulang bulong na parating maririnig sa proseso ng pagkakalap ng datos, pagsusulat ng post at pagpapakalat tungo sa pagmumulat.

Para makipag-ugnayan sa awtor, pumunta sa www.dannyarao.com.