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Monday, July 07, 2003
Mongaya: Responsibility for blocktimers’ comments
By ANOL MONGAYA
OFFICIALS of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) reportedly told local broadcasters that a station should take responsibility for what transpires during a paid commentary program. I agree. No amount of disclaimers before and after a commentary program would free a station from responsibility for irresponsible comments.
Worse, the disclaimers give stations a bad image. Many listeners believe that stations are only interested in the color of money the block time commentators pay for the use of airtime.
After the KBP seminar in Cebu last Saturday, perhaps the concerned stations should refrain from airing the disclaimers and start putting in place limits to what blocktimers could utter in radio. At the very least, the station should be strict against the use of foul language.
* * *
Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s brief state of the city address sparked comments longer than a full-length speech. What the mayor left unsaid others like me discoursed on. As I was repeatedly told when I was young: “Daghan sulti, daghan sayop. Gamay sulti, gamay sayop. Wa sulti, wa sayop.”
* * *
Mayor Osmeña should direct his vaunted temper on seven pro-BO-PK barangay captains who are reportedly coddling video carrera operators because they have a share of the earning of these machines. If the reports are true, these barangay captains are embarrassing to the mayor who has been quite vocal against video carrera.
But the mayor should also go after masiao, which is another form of illegal gambling, lest he be accused of playing favorites. After all, masiao competes with video carrera for the precious peso from mostly poor people in urban poor communities.
* * *
The PNP top brass should continue conducting drug tests to ferret out users within the force. The war against illegal drugs should start with cleaning the PNP ranks of undesirables particularly the drug users.
But police officials should not just limit themselves to weeding out illegal drug users. Coddlers of drug lords and pushers within the police force are not necessarily addicts.
According to Rep. Tony Cuenco, drug coddlers are not limited to the police. He mentioned people who are “influential and untouchables in government.” He said he will name them in due time.
I think Representative Cuenco is now making sure that once he starts naming names, he should have concrete evidence already collected so he won’t be accused of conducting a witch-hunt.
There is also a need to come up with guidelines that would regulate the operation of drug testing centers in the country. Fly-by-night centers that give drug users a clean bill of health for the right price, abound.
* * *
The number of concerts and other shows in Cebu dwindled not because Cebuanos have begun shying away. Local event promoters are finding it harder to make profits because of the prohibitive 30 percent amusement tax. If Mayor Osmeña indeed wants Cebu to become a rest and recreation center, he should reduce the amusement tax.
* * *
Though the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) crisis has already passed, the Sars facility at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center is still there. Unfortunately, some VSMMC officials already pulled out some of the personnel. Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit found this out Saturday afternoon when he went to VSMMC to check on the Sars unit and found nobody manning it.
* * *
Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin said he did not endorse President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo when he told the First Gentleman that she should run next year. Whatever. The public would still perceive Sin’s words as an endorsement.
Catholic officials obviously favor President Arroyo at the country’s helm than the candidates of the opposition: Sen. Ping Lacson and Fernando Poe Jr.
Many Catholic lay leaders believe the narco-politics accusations against Lacson. FPJ is also another Erap that the Catholic laity helped oust during Edsa 2.
With endorsements from all over, it’s just a matter of time before President Arroyo would announce her change of mind. I think the Arroyo camp is waiting for the right timing.
(Send your reactions to Superbalita@sunstar.com.ph or anol_cebu@hotmail.com or text to 09179761193)
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