Can government add
to media guidelines?

I was just wondering why government is insisting on drawing up guidelines on media ethics different from what the Philippine Press Institute and mediamen themselves have formulated after a prolonged period of time.

All they have to do is go over it and just ask the Press (yes, it is for the print media) to just abide with the guidelines on ethical behavior for media practitioners. After all, journalists have used that as their standard of conduct over the years.

That's why that pompous announcement of devising guidelines for media is simply that - a threat to use oppressive sanctions on mediamen when they err against the government guidelines.

As a matter of fact, I'd like to reveal to government leaders that it was us, the trustees of the PPI, who had opposed the decriminalization of libel as originally embodied in a bill submitted to the Congress by then Senator Butz Aquino.

While many had hailed that move as "liberating", we, the PPI trustees, in consultation with other media officers, considered it dangerous in the light of our own culture. In short, the point we raised against decriminalization of libel was simple - when the Filipino reader believes that he no longer has a chance for redress from harm or damage, the likely thing he or she would do is to avenge it extra-legally. That, we believed, could mean threats to the lives of the mediamen. Thus, that move was abandoned. Never did Sen. Aquino (then) expect that the PPI trustees, ourselves, would have opposed his move even if some of us considered it as laudable.

In short, there are laws which could be applied to errant media practitioners. For one, there is the law on sedition. That does not exculpate journalists. It applies to anyone. The same with libel laws. We have a handful whom the courts had found guilty of libel.

There are enough laws in our Civil Code that could be used against media practitioners. Thus, why special guidelines to regulate their practice of their profession?

The only reasonable conclusion - that is needed to intimidate media practitioners.

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Don't look now. But the Sugar Regulatory Administration seems to have secured the nod of the Regional Development Council, headed by Antique Governor Sally Zaldivar-Perez, to go ahead with its effort to address the problems of the muscovado industry. Muscovado-making is often associated with Antique Province. The target - to explore its potential not only in the domestic but also in the world market as well.

Nick Calawag, technical working group chair, presented a resolution for endorsement to the Economic Development Committee which endorsed the proposed project for upgrading of the muscovado industry in Antique. This project will be assisted by the Department of Science and Technology.

The TWG noted that despite increasing demand for muscovado, its production by Antique is decreasing due to various problems. The most serious one - the need to upgrade the old mills to efficiently meet market demands.

I recall that former Administrator Nicolas Alonso had earlier launched a similar project during the term of former President Joseph Estrada. That reportedly was aborted because of the high cost of muscovado mills in India.

But one thing is evident. Alter Trade of Negros Occidental had been exporting muscovado for a long time as organic sugar. The export destination - mostly Japan. I understand that there had been exports also to Europe. In short, there is a market for the so-called "organic sugar".

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There is so much speculation that the President may lift Proclamation 1017 this weekend. But the signals from various groups involved in recommending that seems to be to have it extended until the government shall have wrapped up the "loose ends."

Perhaps, PNP chief Arturo Lomibao should be heeded. He said the PNP is not yet ready to recommend that it be lifted. And it was Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez who said that there is need to tie up the loose end, whatever that means, while Finance Secretary Garry Teves proposed that it be terminated as soon as possible. He also resorted to the excuse that the national security cluster of the Cabinet must first be consulted about it.

In short, those "loose ends" are the ones that will delay the presidential action until "I don't know when."

The recommendation of the Senate agriculture committee, headed by Senator Ramon Magsaysay Jr., including President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the P700-million fertilizer scam, could also serve to prolong the emergency proclamation. It could always be argued that that could fuel further public indignation against the administration and spur more public rallies against the incumbent President.*

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