How to fight graft
Transparency International’s annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ranked the Philippines 141 out of the 180 nations included in the survey. Last year the Philippines was ranked 131.
Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) chair Constancia de Guzman pooh-poohed TI’s survey.
She said,
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“The report of Berlin-based Transparency International was based solely on a survey of public perception, and not on a factual assessment of the actual situation. As such, it does not reflect the realities on the ground.”
She added,
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“perception is based on what one hears on the radio, reads in the newspapers, and sees on television and the Internet. And since the practice of press freedom in the Philippines tends to give greater prominence to negative news because these attract greater public attention and conform to the media’s role as the people’s watchdog, naturally the basis of perception is leaned on the negative.
But it doesn’t mean that there is no corruption in the countries that have scored high in the CPI. One factor may be their press is more contained, especially in less democratic countries.”
Oh, I see the problem now…. Let’s kill all the reporters, right?
on September 27th, 2008 at 7:40 am
She needs something similar to Paulson’s email that is going the rounds in cyberspace……..
on September 27th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
The people who run this Administration are true Postmoderns in their appreciation and manipulation of reality. That’s why lack of transparency is highly valued by Macapagal-Arroyo, Neri, Puno et. al.
on September 28th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
To our great misfortune, the Fourth Estate in the Philippines is a closed clique of TV stations, newspapers and magazines owned wholly by a handful of the ruling elite families. King crabs towering over the pea crab hoi polloi. Reading or listening to these various mediums is akin to watching two bitchy socialites have a cat fight.
The elite talk to each other through the broadsheets; floating, probing, and feeding disinformation to the poorly informed public. They Condition peoples minds and dumb down the populace with low mentality programing and game shows hosted by elite family children whose only interest is to talk about themselves while pretending to be caring and interested in the public good. They protect their vested and political interests viciously while pretending to call it news, or entertainment.
Someone should tell Ms. de la Paz of the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) that the press in the Philippines is not noisy because we are more a democratic nation, rather it is noisy due to the continuous infighting and backstabbing going on between the elite families, fighting for the scraps of ever shrinking opportunities in the economic pie, as their corruption brings the country of greater and deeper debt. They do this while taking credit for the hard work and savings of the OFW’s who are the only real heroes this country has ever had.
on September 29th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
criticalcontrarian,
It’s true that elites own media. I mean you have to be rich to own a newspaper or a tv station. But here’s the irony, it’s not the elite who write news or create gameshows, it’s the people from the working class who are doing all the work. So the rich will do as the rich does but strangely enough the working class do the work for the rich which to keep the rich wealthy and the working class working and poor, if I were to follow on your observation.
on September 30th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
manuel, I agree with you, the working class do the work, write the scripts, etc. But who chooses the programming? If the elite owners would “really” have the interest of the Filipino at heart, then would they not elevate the programming to reflect a more uplifting and intelligent mindset? After all, when one has been making loads of money through the sweat of the working class, shouldn’t one be willing to give something back?
Of course, elevating the mindset and capacity of the working class would inadvertently increase the level of competition for the elite, God forbid! Case in point, Saudi royalty, look how they cringe when the camel jockeys they send to the London Business School come back with progressive thinking and ideas. It’s really about selfish interest, isn’t it? That and profit too.
on September 30th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
criticalcontrarian,
I think the question to ask is not who chooses the programming, that is obvious, but what are the criteria governing the choice.
Owners choose on the basis of ratings. If a show rates well it means the public likes it and so advertisers will buy time and the owner will make money.
Owners are in the business of profits not elevating consciousness.
Owners tell their workers : create shows that the public will like.
So workers create those types of shows so the company they work for can continue to grow and they can earn more salary.
If by accident a good show is created and it finds an audience then well and good but the bottom line is the bottom line. That is what drives what we see read and hear in mass media.
Elevating the mindset and capacity of the working class does not affect the competition among the elite as long as the working class stays in the working class. Elevating only increases the competition among the working class for good paying jobs.
on September 30th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
“If the elite owners would “really” have the interest of the Filipino at heart, then would they not elevate the programming to reflect a more uplifting and intelligent mindset?”
The elite are not smart enough to do that. The elite know how to make money and to appreciate things that money can buy but don’t expect them to be creative.
The burden falls on the writers etc. they should be able to create uplifting programs that the Filipino consumer will go for.
on October 1st, 2008 at 11:42 pm
uniffors, Your point of view is well taken. However, following your line of reasoning, if the educational system in this country (whose directors we can assume are in it for the money, not for charity) were to apply the same rational to their curriculum, then we would have ebonics and break dancing as electives, and maths and history would go out the window. This is what the kids want, so give it to them. The school would undoubtedly become the most popular student destination.
Similarly, the Catholic Church would allow same sex marriages and priests and nuns would be allowed to get married. This would certainly increase the Sunday collections, not to mention the number of people applying to be priests and nuns.
But, reality dictates that it is about the agenda of the School Directors and the Church leadership, doesn’t it? That is despite their being in the “business” to uplift the intellectual and religious quality of their students and flock, albeit while making money too, of course. The point being they can do what they want within reason when they want to. Why? Because they can.
Remember when TV first came to the Philippines? Do you remember Bob Stewart, and how English and Pilipino were spoken singularly and properly? It was proper, it was lettered, and people watched not just because it was a novelty, but also because they had nothing else to watch.
Honestly, who would believe that if the networks were to improve and elevate their programming that people would stop watching their programs and they would loose money? Maybe a willfully ignorant bading, who speaks cursory pidgin taglish?
If instead of hiring the cheapest, least talented scriptwriters (for profits sake), the networks would instead pay top peso for the smartest, most talented University grads, would that not encourage the brighter more talented young people to step up and fill those shoes. Thereby giving everyone vastly improved viewing. As the top genus on the planet we are supposed to be progress as a species, not regress. We can choose to stop mimicking US reality TV programming (which is designed to dumb down people, while filling their heads with useless trivia). How bad can improving ourselves as a people be?
on October 3rd, 2008 at 10:20 pm
criticalcontrarian,
about the schools: you’re correct except that parents won’t send their children to those schools. In other words, it’s the wrong way to sell that kind of product. Parents foot the bill and they won’t buy that kind of education for their kids.
Same thing with the catholic church. They won’t be catholic anymore if they do it.
I am not against hiring real talents to write scripts and create programs. And I don’t think scriptwriteers and other showbiz people are poorly paid. I believe they make a bundle. I think what discourages the intelligent is the company of so many idiots in the business. Idiots dominate the business. I’m being kind when I say they cater to their imagined audience. Honestly, I think that’s all they are capable of doing and the audience for lack of anything else to waste their time on learn to love the crap they are fed..
on October 5th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
manuel, uhhh, what I was referring to was your line of thinking not actually putting up a school or reforming the church. I was juxtaposing your concept onto the two as examples. Nevertheless, as far as the school is concerned are you kidding? The kids would riot until their parents sent them there, LOL. As for the church, well, give them enough time and they will get there themselves. Remember, contrary to what the “faithful” believe, with the clergy it’s really just about the money. God left that house a long time ago. How else would you explain Christians praying to the same Christ to kill their enemy in WWII, or in Ireland? Waco? And even if they stop being catholic, they will always be Romans.
With regard the scriptwriters situation, point taken, we cannot expect the idiots in business to improve the society that has so generously given them everything they have. Their sense of entitlement is such that they attribute their success to their singular effort and genius. To make my point I will just use two words, Estrada - Bush. Must be all the inbreeding going on at the top. To borrow from my good friend, Forrest, “Stupid is, as stupid does.” Heh.