BEFORE the fiasco on Cordillera’s carrot man came about and invades social media by a storm, I posted in my FB account something about etiquettes in conducting interviews. As part of our continuing commitment to educate young advocates and future journalists, I mentioned that the Cordillera News Agency is soliciting helpful advice from colleagues who would like to share their opinions and helpful inputs on the dos and don’ts of interviewing for print, radio or TV if any. I also asked the things that an interviewer should inform his or her interviewee prior to conducting of interviews. Are there certain musts to follow before, during and after interviews? I asked.
I encouraged especially those who are practicing in tri-media to share inputs that can help aspiring journalists in the conduct of their chosen field as I have received complaints and observed unusual practices by young reporters that led me to seek inputs for the formulation of an interviewing etiquette for print, radio and television. I ended my appeal saying that any sharing on this matter will certainly be appreciated since I intend to compile notes about the topic as the ad-hoc head of the Association of Government Information Officers – Cordillera.
First to provide his input is Bobby Angel, my cousin who is now based in the states but used to host and anchor public affairs programs at DZWT. Bobby replied saying…One at a time. You should know everything but ask questions on behalf of the public. Preliminaries will make your guest comfortable. Converse and not discuss. Never let your guest hold the microphone to be in control. Do not smoke out there. No hangovers. When there several or other members of media, let the most senior or club officer to preside or volunteer yourself. “Walang scoopan” referring to the scoop mentality brought about by the competing networks and publications. Nobody listens nor read all at the same time Bobby said adding…”Forget competition, our job is public service, we must do it well.”
Back to the case of the “carrotman” who later became known as Jeyrick Sigmaton from Mountain Province, netizens and televiewers who watched the interview aired over GMA-7 "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho" (KMJS) were spurred at a statement made by a third party who was supposed to be an expert on people’s culture. Dr. Jimmuel Naval stated something like “the aquiline nose of “Carrot Man” could be due to the intermarriage of Caucasian missionaries/colonialists with Cordilleran people, resulting to “improvement of the race”. The administrator of Cordillera Voice later uploaded and posted several portraits and images of Igorots using Facebook and scores of comments flooded the social site.
A commenter with the username Lucila replied: “I also felt bad when I heard the statement... I agree with you... we must not go down to that level... The positive result and lesson learned from the story is that.... more people were informed about us...the real essence of an FBI referring to full-blooded Igorots ...at least mas nakilala kung sino talaga tayo.” Lucilla thanked Jerick and all fellow Igorots who are working and promoting Igorots unique culture.
However, it did not end there, a petition in the form of an open Letter to Dr. Jimmuel Naval & Researchers of KMJS soon came out. It states…”At this very moment, it is highly likely that we are not alone in writing about this blunder. And we are more than willing to join the fray. “Improvement of the race” is just so wrong in so many levels. We’re focusing on two. Level One: across dictionaries, “improvement” means “to make better”. Is an aquiline nose inherently better than a round nose? We expected better from Prof. Jimmuel, who comes from no less than the University of the Philippines, an institution that has taught us multi-layered pride for the multi-faceted Filipino identity.” The petitioners went on to show early 20th Century photographs, depicting the many different Cordilleran noses which are likened to the portraits of village folks that I took I the upland region.
Others also shrugged off saying that the matter is of no importance and I said that this came as a spur-of-the-moment and like a television broadcast, it will soon come to an end or fade out from the scene. My take on the matter is that we have the right to correct what is wrongly publicized.
In one of my blogs, I said that I do not mind if people look and check my behind to verify if I have tails. I do not mind if people suspect that I have Caucasian ancestors because my nose is not flat. I do not mind if I am not a full blooded Igorot because both my parents belongs to the hill tribes. I do not mind too that my Bago or Bagbag-o ethno linguistic group is not recognized by the National Commission of Culture and the Arts. I do not mind at all if people consider me a mestizo of sorts because my skin is not dark. What matters really is I value my cultural origin and respect my old folks as I respect that of others.
A retired newsman Alex Allan who proudly shows his photo wielding a spear responded to the thread…“Why do you feel there is discrimination against you? Why are you embarrassed to be known as Igorot? When somebody asks, "Are you an Igorot?", how do you answer? When you answer "Yes" with self-confidence, that's great; but when you feel you have to defend yourself, you lack pride in our identity. We were born of proud mountain folk -- hard-working farmers, hunters, and, yes, even headhunters. We are Bontoc, Kalinga, Benguet, Apayao, Ifugao - Igorots all. Let us walk and act with the confidence of warriors, a people forever engaged in tribal conflict yet never vanquished by lowlander, Chinese, Spanish, American, Belgian, German or Japanese. Should a fellow Filipino ask whether you are Igorot, be nice if the question is asked with genuine interest. Yes, we are the people whom the people who would later be called Filipino encountered when they ventured from the safety of their shores to our wild and beautiful mountains. As for the condescending, the biased, the bigot, the racist, the prejudiced, the xenophobic, the narrow-minded -- let them wallow in their ignorance.”