Promoting seminars

We officially opened the social hall of the Negros Press Club last night with the unveiling of the marker by Dr. Ricardo B. Yanson and Atty. William N. Mirano, chairman and assistant, respectively of the Sunshine Boys who donated the airconditioning units.

Two days ago, Rodolfo "Babes" Alvarez, manager of the famed national champion Negros Slashers came during our NPC board meeting and offered to sponsor a seminar for our media people. So, today's seminar is what we call "buena mano."

In the language of business, it is the lucky first sale.

So, last night the Negros Press Club honored the Sunshine Boys.

We invite friends who may have seminars or conferences to hold them at the Negros Press Club. We charge a very minimal amount.

The NPC social hall is free to anyone who wants to hold a press conference which we have very often. Anyone who has issues to take up or to promote, can come to the NPC and hold their press conference.

It is free if they don't use the electricity.

* * *

We might name the NPC hall later a Press Freedom Hall.

While in Metro Manila they are still debating on the Freedom Park, we have ours long ago in Bacolod in the public plaza, right across the street from the Negros Press Club.

There we have a marker installed during the NPC presidency of Mayor Bing Leonardia in 1985-86. Congressman Monico Puentevella was the president two years earlier.

There was a contest among students for the text of the marker. It was Josephine Natalaray, a high school student, daughter of former NPC president, the late Joe Natalaray who wrote it. Jo is now a lawyer.

The text reads: "Few men have pens for power,/ Some use their skills, Others let it still./ Fewer still are they who have the art/ Who take the pursuit of truth, justice, and liberty at heart.

"Let those who fell in the night/ With pen as their might/ Be not forgotten." The marker was for the memory of our press people who have gone ahead to the other life.

* * *

A Freedom Park is needed for every city. It was then Mayor Carlos P. Benares who declared this south-western corner of the plaza our local Hyde Park.

Hyde Park is the largest Royal Park in London of around 340 acres or 138 hectares. In its northeastern corner is called the Speakers' Corner where freedom of speech is honored. You can denounce anyone with any kind of language without the fear of being arrested or charged. Here also converge all kinds of characters. I recall in 1987 we saw at Hyde Park a group with placards denouncing all denunciations and demonstrating against all demonstrations.

But the problem is nobody in media seemed to care. They are not news to Londoners.

Mayor Leonardia might be interested in officially declaring the corner of our public plaza as our own Freedom Park. Just in case there are media people who want to cover it, they can just sit in the balcony of the Press Club and can hear the sound system below. That is, if they find the harangues worth writing about.

* * *

ABS-CBN's Mitch Lipa interviewed me yesterday at the Mediation Office at the Justice Hall on the controversial topic "454," otherwise known as the gag law of President Arroyo.

For me, I have no quarrel with it, believing there also would be a need of some discipline in media. Some of our media have become licientious which is not also good.

The problem is to what extent will the gag be? If it is intended to suppress the truth, then we must all stand up against it. I know the target is broadcast. It is difficult to control print.

In broadcast they are using the airlane which must be approved by the National Telecommunications Commission. They cannot do this with print.

Government must never suppress the truth. The other night, Sen. Sergio Osmeña III said Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo resigned because of Malacañang pressure on the anti-graft case against former Justice Secretary Hernando Perez.

This is one news that should not be gagged.

* * *

The problem of suppressing the truth or any anomaly is it whets one's apetite to learn and know more being forbidden. And truth cannot be suppressed. Even if you are a Bishop.

"Truth crashed to earth, shall rise again,/ The prize of eternity is hers;/ But lies, wounded, writhe in pain,/ And die among their worshippers." I think that came from William Gullen Bryant.

But one best advice I don't forget is to live a life where your friends and the priest will not tell lies during your necrological services.

Campbel wrote "Truth, ever lovely, since the world began/ The foe of tyrants and the friend of man." And Dryden added, "For truth has such a face and such a mien; As to be loved only needs to be seen."

And John in the Bible says, the truth shall make you free. True, but many also do not want to tell it. Otherwise, they'll go to jail.*

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