WHO WILL GET THE LAST LAUGH
by Gregorio V. Bituin Jr.
published as editorial of the Fourth Estate, March-April 1998, p. 2
One prolific columnist in a national daily once said that the Philippines enjoyed three types of seasons: the sunny season, the rainy season and the election season. And it is election time again. Media played a very vital role in this nationwide exercise of the people's right. No questions asked about that. They are the chroniclers of events, writers of our country's history, messengers of information, guardian of public welfare, etc.
The national and local elections are something that the people are preparing. This election also brings another system, the first to happen in our election system, which legislators believe will give a voice to the marginalized sectors of society, such as workers, urban poor, women, youth, indigenous peoples, etc. This is the RA 7941 or the party-list system. As the election draws near, the Comelec still failed in disseminating information on this new law. The party-list system is a new election measure that seeks to ensure that the marginalized sectors can vote for a representative in Congress and have a voice to advance their particular interests. The party-list system is different in the sense that we do not vote for a particular individual or personality, but on organizations or parties whose platforms and programs we support. There are at least one hundred twenty two (122) party-list candidates in the coming election. They will comprise the 20% of the representatives in the Lower House.
Less than a month before the election polls this May, Sanlakas, a multi-sectoral people's organization who pledges to fight for social progress with social justice, conducted a rally in front of the Comelec headquarters in Intramuros to push the Comelec to disseminate efficient and accurate information drive about the incoming election, particularly about the party-list system. The Comelec does not yet inform the public about this new scheme, how it is conducted, who tops its three nominees are, etc. The public should know the ins-and-outs of each party-list candidate which is very important for them to wisely choose who will represent them in Congress. In our estimation, there are less than one individual per a hundred persons who really understand the party-list system.
There is an analogy that goes like this: "How can the carabao take a bath in the river? Can the river go directly to the carabao or is it the carabao who shall go to the river?" In that simple analogy, we can say that if the Comelec failed to disseminate an information campaign regarding the party-list system and they find it hard to fulfill its mission of giving the people enough information about this new scheme, there should be someone who should take the job.
In this case, the media is the best one who can inform the public of this new election law. This is where the media should act. As they play a very important role in the coming election, the media should be vigilant, accurate and fast enough because there is less than a month to give the public an information campaign on the party-list system. That is the media's responsibility to inform the public what is or what will be going on in the coming May 11 national and local polls. That they recognize the people's right to know so that we will have an honest, orderly, peaceful and efficient (HOPE) election. The public should know more about these so that the next leaders of our country shall not put our nation to ruin. But one question needs to be answered: Do the media do its job? Probably.
Although the Comelec failed because of some reasons they only knew, it is our duty as writers to inform the voting population about the party-list system. In the long run, it is the people who will suffer from this negligence of the Comelec, that is, their turtle-type kind of work. Is this a ploy so that the administration's satellite parties, which do not represent the marginalized sector, win, who will get the last laugh? Maybe, the Comelec or the people who want to stay in power. Or perhaps the capitalists, most especially those who have their own media.
by Gregorio V. Bituin Jr.
published as editorial of the Fourth Estate, March-April 1998, p. 2
One prolific columnist in a national daily once said that the Philippines enjoyed three types of seasons: the sunny season, the rainy season and the election season. And it is election time again. Media played a very vital role in this nationwide exercise of the people's right. No questions asked about that. They are the chroniclers of events, writers of our country's history, messengers of information, guardian of public welfare, etc.
The national and local elections are something that the people are preparing. This election also brings another system, the first to happen in our election system, which legislators believe will give a voice to the marginalized sectors of society, such as workers, urban poor, women, youth, indigenous peoples, etc. This is the RA 7941 or the party-list system. As the election draws near, the Comelec still failed in disseminating information on this new law. The party-list system is a new election measure that seeks to ensure that the marginalized sectors can vote for a representative in Congress and have a voice to advance their particular interests. The party-list system is different in the sense that we do not vote for a particular individual or personality, but on organizations or parties whose platforms and programs we support. There are at least one hundred twenty two (122) party-list candidates in the coming election. They will comprise the 20% of the representatives in the Lower House.
Less than a month before the election polls this May, Sanlakas, a multi-sectoral people's organization who pledges to fight for social progress with social justice, conducted a rally in front of the Comelec headquarters in Intramuros to push the Comelec to disseminate efficient and accurate information drive about the incoming election, particularly about the party-list system. The Comelec does not yet inform the public about this new scheme, how it is conducted, who tops its three nominees are, etc. The public should know the ins-and-outs of each party-list candidate which is very important for them to wisely choose who will represent them in Congress. In our estimation, there are less than one individual per a hundred persons who really understand the party-list system.
There is an analogy that goes like this: "How can the carabao take a bath in the river? Can the river go directly to the carabao or is it the carabao who shall go to the river?" In that simple analogy, we can say that if the Comelec failed to disseminate an information campaign regarding the party-list system and they find it hard to fulfill its mission of giving the people enough information about this new scheme, there should be someone who should take the job.
In this case, the media is the best one who can inform the public of this new election law. This is where the media should act. As they play a very important role in the coming election, the media should be vigilant, accurate and fast enough because there is less than a month to give the public an information campaign on the party-list system. That is the media's responsibility to inform the public what is or what will be going on in the coming May 11 national and local polls. That they recognize the people's right to know so that we will have an honest, orderly, peaceful and efficient (HOPE) election. The public should know more about these so that the next leaders of our country shall not put our nation to ruin. But one question needs to be answered: Do the media do its job? Probably.
Although the Comelec failed because of some reasons they only knew, it is our duty as writers to inform the voting population about the party-list system. In the long run, it is the people who will suffer from this negligence of the Comelec, that is, their turtle-type kind of work. Is this a ploy so that the administration's satellite parties, which do not represent the marginalized sector, win, who will get the last laugh? Maybe, the Comelec or the people who want to stay in power. Or perhaps the capitalists, most especially those who have their own media.
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