Maria Ressa's Take

The electricity issue has been plaguing newspapers and TV news for some time now. The focus of the story is on Meralco, which is the biggest power distributor in the country. Meralco happens to be a Lopez-owned company. Same with ABS-CBN, who airs reports on such story. Criticisms surfaced regarding the alleged bias of the network towards the power firm. Here is the response of ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs Head Maria Ressa, which appeared in abs-cbnnews.com


We Are Journalists First
By Maria Ressa

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How independent is ABS-CBN News & Current Affairs?
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In the past week, several people have alluded to Lopez control of the news agenda on ABS-CBN. On May 14, Secretary Eduardo Ermita hinted that an ABS-CBN story on the NBN-ZTE deal was being used as a "diversionary tactic" by the Lopezes, who are also the majority shareholders of Meralco. He said, "it is highly probable given players of issue which is electricity." That was followed by strong words by presidential son and Congressman Mikey Arroyo effectively questioning the integrity of ABS-CBN News. Over the weekend, the Philippine Daily Inquirer ran a quote from an anonymous source who said that the prize for a dialogue between President Arroyo and Meralco Chairman & CEO Manuel Lopez would be "ABS-CBN’s cooperation." How independent is ABS-CBN News & Current Affairs?

It is a good time to be an ABS-CBN journalist because times like these define a news organization and tell us much about our society. A lot is now being said about the role ABS-CBN plays in the power struggle over Meralco.

Many believe the Arroyo government is out to silence ABS-CBN by harassing the Lopez family. President Arroyo’s allies, on the other hand, accuse ABS-CBN of reporting on the new NBN-ZTE witness to divert attention from Meralco. They say they are afraid to go against the Lopezes because of possible retaliation by ABS-CBN.

That’s not what the facts show. On April 29, ABS-CBN’s online news team broke the story of the brewing battle between Meralco’s majority stakeholder, the Lopez family, and its harshest critic, GSIS chairman Winston Garcia. At that point, neither Garcia nor the Lopezes were comfortable with us because we exposed what had been going on behind the scenes.

After the first story, Garcia said he was convinced of our impartiality and became a frequent guest on ANC, ABS-CBN and a news source of abs-cbnnews.com.

As for the Lopez family, they know where we stand. My mandate is to create a professional news group with world-class standards. Yet, in our polarized society, the idea that the Lopezes would not "use" ABS-CBN for its vested interests seems hard to believe. I believe that is a reflection of the mindset, customs and corrupt practices today rather than a reflection of the reality we at ABS-CBN live through daily.


Track record
Again, I point to our track record: let’s look at our coverage of the Ultra Stampede. On that day, our reporters asked us, "How do we handle the people angry with ABS-CBN? How do we deal with those who are grieving and blaming ABS-CBN?" I said, "put them on air." We asked our journalists to go after the most critical voices and to get the worst evidence against ABS-CBN they could find. Treat the story as if we aren’t ABS-CBN because we are journalists first.

So how do I manage the interests of the Lopezes? It’s simple: I don’t manage them because they are not the interests of the newsroom. We are a newsroom run by journalists, and our end goal is to hold the government and the private sector accountable for the public good.

In order to do that, we journalists have to first hold ourselves accountable, making sure we protect no vested interests. If we do our jobs well, all Filipinos will benefit. If we do our jobs well, we will help build a better nation with more transparent processes.

Two years ago in a Lopez company forum, patriarch Oscar Lopez lauded our Standards & Ethics Manual. Manolo Lopez asked us to "stop being so critical" because he said that the Arroyo administration takes it out on Meralco.

I said we report what we see and could not tailor the news to fit any vested interests. If what he said was true, I asked, why not come out with it publicly? He told me, "Maria, you just don’t understand."

Last Friday, he finally said it publicly – that he believed the reason why Meralco was being targeted was because the government wanted to control ABS-CBN. He also admitted he has never been able to control ABS-CBN News.

When President Arroyo asked me why ABS-CBN was "critical," I said that we do not consider ourselves "critical" of the government. We believe we demand accountability because that is our role as journalists.

We also reflect reality. After all, 76% of Filipinos in Metro Manila say they distrust President Arroyo (according to Pulse Asia’s March 2008 Ulat ng Bayan). We have no other motive than to do our jobs well. Again, my answer to the President is the same as my answer to the Lopezes: if we do our jobs well, all Filipinos will benefit because we will help build a better nation with more transparent processes.

If you watch our newscasts, you’ll see that our coverage of the Meralco issue is extensive and fair. ANC aired, live and in full, the joint congressional hearing on Meralco. Our interest is to get to the Truth because we are responsible to the people. Whether we’re reporting on the Ultra stampede, the Manila Peninsula siege, the NBN-ZTE scandal or the issue of high electricity rates, we hold nothing back.

If you don’t like the news, don’t shoot the messenger. If you have no agenda, you cannot accuse ABS-CBN News & Current Affairs of taking sides.

asian death toll

What is happening to Asia?

2 weeks ago, Cyclone Nagris ripped through the Irawaddy delta in Myanmar killing almost 30,000 people as of press time. The cyclone also left almost 2 million homeless and more than 30,000 missing. A U.S. official even estimates there could be up to 100,000 deaths.

Considered the worst disaster to hit Asia since the 1991 cyclone that hit Bangladesh killing over 140,000 people, the Myanmar cyclone has shocked the world and gave the world reasons to pour in their helping hand. The problem is, the Myanmar Junta government is too paranoid with international assistance that the aid reaches only to a few. What's worst is the fact that the government is too focus on the May 10 Constitutional Referendum instead of distributing relief goods. True, the referendum is important, but can they at least postpone it?

A few hours ago, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck China killing as of now nearly 9,000 people. Many people were trapped under rubbles of buildings as thousands evacuated their offices. Witnesses say they saw buildings swayed for over 2 minutes. The quake was felt in Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan.

Chinese President Hu Jintao ordered emergency services for the victims. This came amid the Enterovirus 71 outbreak in China which killed 34 children so far and infecting 25,000 children. The outbreak is still on going. All these just ahead of the Beijing Olympics this August.

First it was Myanmar, one of the poorest countries in Asia. Then China, one of the richest countries in Asia. All destroyed by a natural event. What does this tell the world?

What could be next?
Or where?

the central point

If anyone visits a city or town in the Philippines, most especially in the provinces, one would surely notice the church is always the center of any town's life- both figuratively and literally.

The church always has become a monument, a landmark, a face of any city or town. People pass by the area regularly and will always see the facade of that spiritual dwelling place. And in front of the church is usually a plaza, a small park or a fountain. At a distance are municipal hall, commercial area, etc. These are what one should expect when going to cities, towns, most notably at the provinces.

The church is the main point of every area. And from that main point, all else follows. Thus, a church can change the surroundings it occupy.

In the modern times, the church has remained intact, but the central point is no longer the church. What one can see the church of before are the Malls of today. Truly, if one looks at all the malls in the country, they have transformed the society in a big way. They have become the central and main points of a city.

Whenever one puts up a mall, the surroundings benefit from it. That particular area will grow rapidly for sure. Makati Central Business District will not survive without Glorietta and Greenbelt, Ortigas can't be the Ortigas today without SM Megamall and Robinson's Galleria, Fort Bonifacio wouldn't be complete without Market! Market! and Boni High Street. It will also be inevitable that Quezon City will soon become more prosperous with the opening of Trinoma and the expansion of SM North EDSA. It is also a guarantee Pasay will become a business district since the Mall of Asia is just there.

The mall has created a new lifestyle. Every area grows if one puts up a mall, most especially if the mall is popular such as SM, Robinson's, Ayala or even Gaisano. Having a mall actually has rose a standard for a particular city. Before if a huge church is built in one's city, it means the city is really growing, has big economy, etc. Now if there is a mall in one's area, it means that area is economically stable, civilized and has social life. It's like "Oh you have a Mall na in Sulu or whatever city".

The church has then become a background, a tourist spot and for some, an irrelevant structure towering over a town. While the mall has become a place where friends meet, hang out and enjoy. With these in mind, What would be the future's central point?

rice shortage

News came out this day the world is in rice shortage. The supply of rice has drop, thus the increase in its price. Rice is a common part of the meal for almost all Asians in the world, most especially Fiipinos. Rice is in every meal and with the low supply of these grains, it could only mean one thing- more hungry people everyday.

The Philippines is one of the leading rice-producing countries in the world. In fact, one of its famous landmark is the Banaue Rice Terraces. And one if its popular scenes are farmers planting rice across a wide field with carabaos. Furthermore, the country is home to the world-famous International Rice Research Institute. But why can't the country produce more rice?

It's pathetic and really sad for the Philippines to import rice from the neigboring countries. The rice bastion of Asia is actully importing rice from Thailand and Vietnam. Region 3 or Central Luzon Region is known as the Rice Granary of the Philippines due to its wide farming lands, but now there are less and less of that land in sight. Instead of rice paddies, it has been turned into commercial space, malls, golf courses and residential subdivisions.

Well no one can really blame the developers, after all these malls and golf courses can prove to be profitable and good for tourism. The bad news is...rice has been compromised. Filipinos have to suffer to pay for higher price. And with the shortage of supply, how can average Filipinos consume a healthy meal?

The government must do something about the problem. It may not be a big issue now, but surely it will be if no one does something. Since Luzon is being transformed into a commercial hub, then Mindanao would be a good place to plant those rice. It would also help the people there. One congressman in Mindanao said there are more lands for rice planting in Agusan del Sur. But when asked what he is doing to develop more rice farms. He simply replied that's the problem of the national government not his.

The Agriculture Department said there is no rice crisis yet, but admits there is indeed a low supply of rice. The National Food Authority added there will be more rice this harvest season on summer. Rice problem might not seem as controversial as ZTE deal or Spratlys scandal, but it sure is worthy to be heard. After all, everyone, even from the highest post of the land to the lowest eats rice.