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An open letter to the Baguio Press

By Chie Galvez
PRO-CONSUMERS, Tongtogan Ti Umili

I have high regard for the press. Some media practitioners even offered their lives for the sake of truth and public service. I also know how dangerous your profession has become as shown by the spate of killings perpetrated against media practitioners. I am one with you in saying that this is a clear act of shooting the messenger in order to hold the message. This is very saddening and utterly condemnable.

My respect for media practitioners is also based on the belief that they are the purveyors of truth. With your reports, comments, suggestions and the like, people are being enlightened on issues and other public concerns. Thus, the common welfare is served when the public is better informed.

What is bothering me, though, is that there are also members of the press who are putting this public institution in a bad light. I would like to call your attention to what Mr. Macky Magpili has done, which, I believe, goes against the principles of responsible broadcast journalism.

On May 9, 2005, I guested in Big FM, it was actually my second time to sit in the radio room of the said station where we tackled the Bulk Water Supply Project between Baguio Water District. and Benguet Corporation.

My first guesting in Big FM last year was awkward. Mr. Macky Magpili arrogantly questioned the bases of our opposition without giving me enough time to explain. Although I tried to discuss the issue at hand, my attempts were in vain because he repeatedly interrupted me. Remarks like “sunugin na ang BWD” and derogatory remarks about Mayor Yaranon also struck me as uncalled for. I felt violated because his remarks were not relevant to the discussion.

The interview which happened on May 9 was not only awkward, but was extremely frustrating. For the second time, I tried to raise our points of opposition and share our research to the public in order to explain the issue thoroughly. However, Mr. Magpili repeatedly interrupted me as if to tell me, “Hey Chie, I am in control here. I dictate the rules”. It was terribly taxing trying to deal with uncensored text messages addressed to me full with curse words (with bullshits! and salbag!) being read by Macky. I think this must not be read in public considering that there are children who may hear those curse words in the course of a public discussion.

In the entire interview, he repeatedly asserted his bias and grilled me so as to highlight his personal inclination. He does not understand that the program, like any radio and TV programs, has the objective to bring an issue to the public in a professional and ethical manner. We all have biases but what is important is how we will be able to raise the level of any discussion into an objective and fruitful one. Definitely, he failed to do that. It was frustrating that we have a radio program which cannot live up to its avowed mission of “purveying the truth”.

On the positive side, I successfully hurdled the situation. It was tiring and at the same time fulfilling for I never stooped down to the level of Macky. I never returned his unprofessionalism because I believe it’s not proper.

At this point, I want to make some recommendations. The management of Big FM should review the format of their program. They should censor text messages with malicious and below the belt remarks; monitor how their guests are being treated; and promote generally accepted media ethics.

The media organizations in the city like Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club (BCBC), the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters sa Pilipinas (KBP), the Baguio Press Council (BPC) and the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) should not tolerate Macky’s style because he is clearly undermining the vital role of the media which is damaging to the profession. As a long time media practitioner, he should realize that to have a style does not mean to be rude. If he feels too comfortable with his unprofessional style, time will come that his listeners will also learn how to be arrogant and disrespectful. Worse, peoples’ issues cannot be objectively and thoroughly tackled.

To the people of Baguio who extended their support to me and to our organization after the two interviews, we want to thank you. There may be other battles ahead, but I know we stand on a firm grounds. The Macky Magpili’s of this world cannot stop us from raising our legitimate opposition against anomalous transactions, like the proposed Bulk Water Supply Project for Baguio City. #

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