There
is no place like home, and home is the Philippines. But living
at home is difficult, the problems of the country complex
and myriad…. We each have roles in playing out this
puzzle. I have chosen to focus on media.
“Sir! Okay na ho ba kayo? Kumusta ho ba sa atin?”
The voice roused me from my stupor, my lungs drenched with
the anesthetic pumped into me for a procedure done on my throat.
I vaguely remember having checked into Stanford Medical Center
with the recovery room being a veritable Manila. The nurses,
mostly Filipinos, worked quickly and efficiently. And they
longed for home.
The stories of Filipinos doing well in foreign lands are endless.
Businessmen, lawyers, doctors, nurses, seaman, domestic helpers
– the one consistent positive in the Philippine economic
balance sheet remains to be the remittance of overseas workers
into the Philippines. One had to make one’s future outside
the country. And as if on cue, Mr. Elmer Reyes Jacinto, a
Basilan native who topped this year’s medical board
exams, announces that he is pursuing his quest of a nursing
career in the U.S.
But while some have gone abroad to better their lot and have
been hailed as today’s economic heroes, many, in spite
of or because of the struggles of Philippine daily existence,
have remained at home. Among these are the balikbayans who,
having made their pile, have opted to return and retire in
their home country. Indeed there is no place like home, and
home is the Philippines. But living at home is difficult,
the problems of the country complex and myriad. They range
from an exploding population rate without the accompanying
growth in economic production to the degradation of one’s
inner values. No new jobs, no job security, a deteriorating
peace and order, a ballooning fiscal deficit, the high cost
of medical products and services, a drop in the literacy rate
– a task too daunting for one person to solve; and yet
we can never give up. We each have roles in playing out this
puzzle. I have chosen to focus on media.
One of the basic assumptions I cling to is that the Filipino
is not dumb. Many Filipinos lack a clear understanding of
what is truly happening in the country. Given all the facts,
the Filipino, whether belonging to class A, B, C, D or E,
will make the right choice. One of media’s responsibilities
is enlightening its audience on the truth behind the news.
The disqualification of Mr. Eddie Gil in the 2004 presidential
election by the Comelec is a testament to media’s responsible
reporting. Lente (a public affairs talk show produced by Cheche
Lazaro for ABC) first exposed the obvious inadequacy of his
qualifications in its election coverage series.
Secondly, media is an effective tool with which to shape and
mold a country’s ethical values. The problems of corruption,
crime and violence stem not only from economic want but also
from the lack of character formation at home and in the schools.
As television commands the bulk of waking hours spent at home,
its programming will have a great impact in shaping the Filipino
moral fiber. The programming in today’s leading networks
have reduced shows to a level of debauchery and freakishness
with its use of midgets, screaming faggots, bikini-clad ladies,
and lately mermaids. Peryang-perya and dating. The absurd
has become the norm. We even seem to take pride in our deficiencies
as we laugh and say “only in the Philippines.”
Lastly, one of the few remaining world-class skills the Filipino
is known for is our artistry. The legendary Ms. Saigon cast
of Filipino actors, culminating in Ms. Lea Salonga’s
Tony award, has put us on the radar screen of the performing
arts. It is my intent to help keep our audience aware of the
high level of performance of our talents preserving, as it
were, one of the few remaining bastions of pride in our country.
We each have our favorite soul food, be it the breakfast tapsilog,
the proverbal kare and adobo, and the soothing ginger taste
of chicken tinola broth served piping hot. We miss them now
and again and we would like them served in the comfort of
home. And for most of us, home is the Philippines. And survive
it must.
