By Greg Macabenta
The commentaries on the presidency of Noynoy Aquino have ranged from praise for economic gains and his determined campaign against graft and corruption, to allegations of laziness, incompetence and inaction over official abuses and inefficiency.
This has left the public confused. Which portrayal is true? Unfortunately, when in doubt, people choose to believe the worst. This is probably what has eroded the approval rating of Aquino.
The Malacañang communications group has been roundly castigated for failing to get out the good news about his administration’s achievements. Unfortunately, Edwin Lacierda, Ricky Carangdang and Sonny Coloma – mischievously dubbed the Three-Headed Hydra by pundits – could unleash a flood of positive press releases till they collapse from overwork, but the media will still choose and pick the most “interesting” stories. You can bet that most of that will be unflattering.
In Journalism school, you are taught that "dog bites man" is not news. What’s news is "man bites dog." People gravitate to that which is contrary, grotesque, intriguing, exciting or dramatic. In other words, news dressed up as showbusiness.
The propaganda handlers of Ramon Magsaysay (rumored to be CIA operatives) were masters of these dynamics. Thus, they depicted The Guy, during his presidential campaign and throughout his short-lived presidency, in dramatic situations. Cradling in his arms the bloodied remains of assassinated political leader, Moises Padilla. Jumping over farm ditches. Eating with his hands among the poor.
In contrast, Aquino has been portrayed with his million-peso Porsche and watching a pop concert with a beautiful girl. Hardly the kind of imagery that will enhance a presidency, especially one ostensibly anchored on anti-corruption, anti-poverty and “daang matuwid.”
These, of course, have been the work of an enterprising media sector eager to give the public its dose of entertainment disguised as current events. The failing of the palace communications group has been its inability to counterbalance that unflattering imagery.
So, how should Aquino’s advisers and his communications triumvirate handle this vexing situation? Instead of cursing the columnists, they might do well to think of ways to portray him in his most heroic, exciting and appealing presidential moments.
But not just ANY situation but those that most dramatically portray him as a champion who will slay the dragon of corruption and free the populace from the shackles of poverty.
Ideally, he should send Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, her relatives and her minions to jail. Nothing can match that for sheer spectacle. But that is unlikely to happen during his brief tenure. Look at what has NOT been done to the Marcoses, after all these years.
A more viable alternative is to tighten the screws on erring relatives and high officials in his administration, especially those reported to be his close friends. That should resonate with the citizenry.
If greater love has no man than that he should give up his life for his friend, then greater proof of sincerity has no president than that he should bring his own larcenous relatives and friends to justice.
Remember how Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew became legendary when he threatened to jail even his own parents if he caught them stealing from the public coffers? That clearly sent the message that he was a no-nonsense reformer.
In the case of Erap Estrada, the part in his inaugural speech that impressed the citizenry was his vow: “Walang kama-kamaganak, walang kai-kaibigan.”
Of course, we all know what happened to that promise. He promptly broke it.
Estrada’s friends and relatives were the monkeys on his back that eventually did him in. His “friends,” Chavit Singson and Atong Ang, fought over the spoils of illegal gambling. Estrada got caught in the crossfire. Singson sang on him. And that made Estrada history.
Rumors of rapacious relatives also spoiled the presidency of Cory Aquino. Kamaganak, Inc. became one of the dubious tags of her tenure and tainted an otherwise heroic record of service to the country.
Fast forward to the Noynoy Aquino presidency. In a peaceful reprise of People Power One, he was swept into office on the crest of citizen fury over allegations of corruption in the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, with her immediate family being accused of a number of shady deals.
Noynoy Aquino was perceived as the opposite of Arroyo. “Kung walang kurap, walang mahirap!” was his campaign promise.
So far, no one has doubted his sincerity in wanting to fulfill this promise. But his intentions, according to his critics, have not been translated into significant results.
In truth, decades of corruption cannot possibly be eliminated in one presidential term – not even in two. The cancer has so pervasively afflicted society that it will take decades to excise it.
But Aquino’s inaction in the face of demands for the scalp of his target shooting chum and undersecretary of interior Rico Puno marked him, early on, as loyal to his friends rather than to the Filipino people. Whether or not Puno did, in fact, deserve to be canned, was irrelevant to the public and the media.
The resignation of Bureau of Corrections Director Ernesto Diokno, in the wake of the controversy involving jailed former Batangas Governor Antonio Leviste, may have spared Aquino another demerit point for inaction, but it hardly served to enhance his image as a decisive president.
Washing his hands off the issue of Marcos’ proposed burial in the Libingan ng mga Bayani has further portrayed him as a cop-out.
It’s only the first year of the Aquino presidency. In fairness to him, he has done several good things, and he has NOT done many of the bad that past administrations have traditionally been known to do upon assuming office.
To his credit, he has shown no partiality to his relatives, including the intending non-Muslim candidate in the ARRM polls, his aunt, Tingting Cojuangco. His sisters have also discreetly kept out of the news.
But what the people want to see are dramatic results. In fact, heroic results. And it may be something as simple as translating into concrete action the promise that Erap Estrada, as well as Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and other past presidents failed to fulfill:
“Walang kama-kamaganak. Walang kai-kaibigan.”
(gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)
The commentaries on the presidency of Noynoy Aquino have ranged from praise for economic gains and his determined campaign against graft and corruption, to allegations of laziness, incompetence and inaction over official abuses and inefficiency.
This has left the public confused. Which portrayal is true? Unfortunately, when in doubt, people choose to believe the worst. This is probably what has eroded the approval rating of Aquino.
The Malacañang communications group has been roundly castigated for failing to get out the good news about his administration’s achievements. Unfortunately, Edwin Lacierda, Ricky Carangdang and Sonny Coloma – mischievously dubbed the Three-Headed Hydra by pundits – could unleash a flood of positive press releases till they collapse from overwork, but the media will still choose and pick the most “interesting” stories. You can bet that most of that will be unflattering.
In Journalism school, you are taught that "dog bites man" is not news. What’s news is "man bites dog." People gravitate to that which is contrary, grotesque, intriguing, exciting or dramatic. In other words, news dressed up as showbusiness.
The propaganda handlers of Ramon Magsaysay (rumored to be CIA operatives) were masters of these dynamics. Thus, they depicted The Guy, during his presidential campaign and throughout his short-lived presidency, in dramatic situations. Cradling in his arms the bloodied remains of assassinated political leader, Moises Padilla. Jumping over farm ditches. Eating with his hands among the poor.
In contrast, Aquino has been portrayed with his million-peso Porsche and watching a pop concert with a beautiful girl. Hardly the kind of imagery that will enhance a presidency, especially one ostensibly anchored on anti-corruption, anti-poverty and “daang matuwid.”
These, of course, have been the work of an enterprising media sector eager to give the public its dose of entertainment disguised as current events. The failing of the palace communications group has been its inability to counterbalance that unflattering imagery.
So, how should Aquino’s advisers and his communications triumvirate handle this vexing situation? Instead of cursing the columnists, they might do well to think of ways to portray him in his most heroic, exciting and appealing presidential moments.
But not just ANY situation but those that most dramatically portray him as a champion who will slay the dragon of corruption and free the populace from the shackles of poverty.
Ideally, he should send Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, her relatives and her minions to jail. Nothing can match that for sheer spectacle. But that is unlikely to happen during his brief tenure. Look at what has NOT been done to the Marcoses, after all these years.
A more viable alternative is to tighten the screws on erring relatives and high officials in his administration, especially those reported to be his close friends. That should resonate with the citizenry.
If greater love has no man than that he should give up his life for his friend, then greater proof of sincerity has no president than that he should bring his own larcenous relatives and friends to justice.
Remember how Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew became legendary when he threatened to jail even his own parents if he caught them stealing from the public coffers? That clearly sent the message that he was a no-nonsense reformer.
In the case of Erap Estrada, the part in his inaugural speech that impressed the citizenry was his vow: “Walang kama-kamaganak, walang kai-kaibigan.”
Of course, we all know what happened to that promise. He promptly broke it.
Estrada’s friends and relatives were the monkeys on his back that eventually did him in. His “friends,” Chavit Singson and Atong Ang, fought over the spoils of illegal gambling. Estrada got caught in the crossfire. Singson sang on him. And that made Estrada history.
Rumors of rapacious relatives also spoiled the presidency of Cory Aquino. Kamaganak, Inc. became one of the dubious tags of her tenure and tainted an otherwise heroic record of service to the country.
Fast forward to the Noynoy Aquino presidency. In a peaceful reprise of People Power One, he was swept into office on the crest of citizen fury over allegations of corruption in the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, with her immediate family being accused of a number of shady deals.
Noynoy Aquino was perceived as the opposite of Arroyo. “Kung walang kurap, walang mahirap!” was his campaign promise.
So far, no one has doubted his sincerity in wanting to fulfill this promise. But his intentions, according to his critics, have not been translated into significant results.
In truth, decades of corruption cannot possibly be eliminated in one presidential term – not even in two. The cancer has so pervasively afflicted society that it will take decades to excise it.
But Aquino’s inaction in the face of demands for the scalp of his target shooting chum and undersecretary of interior Rico Puno marked him, early on, as loyal to his friends rather than to the Filipino people. Whether or not Puno did, in fact, deserve to be canned, was irrelevant to the public and the media.
The resignation of Bureau of Corrections Director Ernesto Diokno, in the wake of the controversy involving jailed former Batangas Governor Antonio Leviste, may have spared Aquino another demerit point for inaction, but it hardly served to enhance his image as a decisive president.
Washing his hands off the issue of Marcos’ proposed burial in the Libingan ng mga Bayani has further portrayed him as a cop-out.
It’s only the first year of the Aquino presidency. In fairness to him, he has done several good things, and he has NOT done many of the bad that past administrations have traditionally been known to do upon assuming office.
To his credit, he has shown no partiality to his relatives, including the intending non-Muslim candidate in the ARRM polls, his aunt, Tingting Cojuangco. His sisters have also discreetly kept out of the news.
But what the people want to see are dramatic results. In fact, heroic results. And it may be something as simple as translating into concrete action the promise that Erap Estrada, as well as Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and other past presidents failed to fulfill:
“Walang kama-kamaganak. Walang kai-kaibigan.”
(gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment