05.LetMyPeopleGo – When PH Journalism Is Lacking While PH Rice Is Not!
For sure, armchair journalist, that’s me before, during and after this coronavirus lockdown. But I never run out of content – and certainly not context – when I write my news-views.
Christina Mendez of The Philippine Star, who wrote the story accompanied by the image above, may not be an armchair journalist, but her article runs out of content – and context – I’m sorry to say. And no, it is not a minor lack.
The title of her Star story is, “Philippines Seeks ASEAN Help In Sourcing 300k MT Of Rice[1]” (above image). In content, the title is justified because, as Ms Christina says:
The government has tasked the DA and concerned agencies to work on the importation of an additional 300,000 metric tons of rice through government-to-government arrangements with ASEAN trading partners and/or from all sources, including India and Pakistan at the ASEAN-level tariff.
But when you read her article of 218 words, including the title, the context is that the Philippines is running out of rice stocks!
In fact, the context is subtle – and not subtle. In her 5thand last paragraph, Ms Christina says:
To ensure food adequacy in the country in the next few weeks while the country is in a state of calamity, Nograles said the task force has directed LGUs to allow farming and fishing activities to continue; and allow the free movement of all supplies used for agriculture, including food packaging and manufacturing materials.
“To ensure food adequacy in the country” is pardonable, but not “while the country is in a state of calamity” – since she does not explain the calamity, the reader will equate it with the country truly running out of rice stocks.
No, Ms Christina, the Philippines is not running out of rice stocks even right to this minute!
The problem has arisen out of lack of intelligence – where “intelligence” means, according to American Heritage Dictionary, “information, especially secret information gathered about an actual or potential enemy or adversary[2].” The “potential enemy” in Ms Christina’s story is “lack of rice stocks.” In other words, her story is factual, but she did not bother to add content – and thereby change context – to her story.
The truth of the matter is that online in the same newspaper, PhilStar, before Ms Christina’s story, Louise Maureen Simeon on 13 March 2020 wrote “Government Assures Public Of Stable Rice Supply[3].” Ms Louise said, “NFA administrator Judy Dansal said there are 455,000 bags of rice in Metro Manila which is good for 40 days.” And, Ms Louise says, “The continuing transfer of 2.22 million bags of rice to NCR from the nearby rice-producing regions is also being fast-tracked.”
Not only that. Your armchair journalist has found this bit of news from the official page of the DA dated 13 March 2020 (image):
DA Chief: “Don’t panic, we have enough food!”
Female-shared or male-supplied, very negatively-slanted journalism is at least 100 years old in the Philippines. It is time to kick the bastard out of this beloved country of ours!@517
[1] https://www.philstar.com/business/2020/03/29/2004027/philippines-seeks-asean-help-sourcing-300k-mt-rice?fbclid=IwAR1EF-PEJze4p3rjvnBblp3ccBmqbwo12P0saJb0tsPWH72I_KQ18zmBh44&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&utm_term=Autofeed
[2] https://www.thefreedictionary.com/intelligence
[3] https://www.philstar.com/business/2020/03/13/2000288/government-assures-public-stable-rice-supply
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