Tibaldo: New Media: Can it make you the good, the bad and the ugly?

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

THEY say that mass media can make and unmake a person, or simply put, media can transform nobody into somebody. The song by the Stylistics which goes..." I want to be a Star on a TV Show" may no longer be apt today because even television talents want their images printed in glossy magazines and displayed in giant billboards. The song "Video Killed the Radio Star" has been out of the charts already because seemingly internet has killed the video star.

Today, almost everybody wants to have a share of limelight and fame that when this new media called internet emerged democratizing the spread of verbal as well as non verbal information, they looked at themselves as potential star-on-the-net-show.

Have something to report? Tell us in text, photos or videos.

Though things can be different and unlikely with this social media because it can be beneficial to one and it can also be prejudicial to the other. Certain posts and comments by a person can also be intrusive and detrimental to another and terrible things can happen as a result of the ripple effect of the net.

Just over the Lent, a petite female Baguio writer after having an incident with a rude driver wrote "Being treated rudely by a Baguio visitor" in her Facebook wall what happened and encounter with the driver spread like wildfire among the media community denouncing the rude driver.

Leia wrote; "Today around 2:40 p.m. I was walking towards Harrison Road after coming from the BCBC Media Camp in Burnham Park. I looked to my left before crossing the road and having seen no car I attempted to cross along with another lady pedestrian.

However, a silver SUV with a sticker marked "CONVOY" of the Le Tour de Filipinas cycling race, which was parked along the side of the WCPU, suddenly careened from its parking space, without any regard for us who were about to cross, to park on the other side of the road a few cars ahead of where he was originally parked. I thought "that was rude and why the hurry if you're just gonna park a few meters away?"

So when I was already beside his vehicle, being the Baguio girl that I was, I came near the driver and gently said "Sir, sa susunod po mag-ingat ingat naman kayong mag drive dahil may mga tumatawid." He rudely replied, "eh nakita naman kita eh, wala naman nangyari sa'yo diba?" I answered back, "yun nga po sir, nasa Park po kayo konting ingat naman sana." And he went on blabbering again in a rude tone saying, "wala namang nangyari sayo, di mo ba ako kilala?"

After few hours, concerned individuals who were still awake that included me read furious comments denouncing the driver and several FB users even shared Leia's post and called the attention of the event organizer involved in the cycling event. A day came to pass and the matter spread like wildfire and it even became the subject of a local automobile forum in the net.

After a day or two, Leia's FB wall continues; "As I posted my note last Tuesday night, I had little hope that it would reach anyone who could find that rude driver for me. The good thing was I tagged Manong Art Tibaldo, who woke up at midnight and shared my post with mam Helen, director of the PIA Cordillera. Mam Helen said they were furious and were up until 2 a.m. trying to look for contacts to Mr. Bert Lina or any other organizers of Le Tour de Filipinas. They were finally able to contact Mr. Gary Cayton, the chairman of the organizing committee at 5 a.m.

...Kuya Joseph introduced me to Sir Gary and before we sat down the first thing I said was "Do you see how small I am?" and the first thing he said was "We're really sorry about what happened." That being said we went to sit by one of the concrete tables and were instantly surrounded by photographers, radio commentators, journalists, all big, wearing scowls, and acting bullish (at that moment, kumbaga eh panakot crowd. hehehe).

Sir Gary was with the head of the vehicles, the head of security for the cyclists, and the head of the motorbike security who were all part of the race. He said they had 61 drivers total for the 61 vehicles. Based on the description I gave of the silver convoy vehicle they were able to narrow it down to two, an avanza or an adventure. And the description of the passenger fitted that of Ka Pepe, the old man and veteran of the Marlboro Tour races who was giving advice to the group. He then gave me the name of the rude driver: Alberto Bucasas or Bert Bucasas.

I asked who he WAS as to merit the question "Di mo ba kilala kung sino ako?" and sir Gary said "I don't know, sino ba siya? He was just hired as a driver for the team. Yung pasahero niya si Ka Pepe ay dating beterano sa tour kaya kinuha naming siya."

In short, Bert Bucasas was hired to drive the old man around and to act as a convoy."

To cut the story short, Leia was assured by the sports organizers that the rude driver was already decommissioned from the tour and that his license was revoked and is already banned from ever joining their event. Leia then thanked all who supported her saying "I don't know many of you as you don't know me too but I am honored by your support --- it made me believe that the world is still full of good people. Maraming Salamat po ~ Leia. As of this writing, a net search of the driver's name can already get the ire of his namesake and relatives and worst can happen if said driver can't take it upon himself to make a public apology to the people of Baguio.