People Power Revolution Continues – Media Power Revolution Now!

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2022: The editorial of a paper from Pangasinan, my beloved province, came out with “People Power Revolution. A Failed Vision” (Sunday Punch, punch.dagupan.com). It said, “Ironically, through all the motherhood statements hailing that ‘sacred moment’ in modern Philippine history, there was scant mention of what it was all about, what started it – that it was the deep sense of desperation and frustration of the governed and the masses yearning for meaningful reforms that would uplift their lives.”

2020: Karl Patrick Wilfred M Suyat said, “Overthrowing the US-Marcos dictatorship, and thereby giving people another chance to strive for social change, was and should be People Power’s sole sterling legacy” (28 Feb 2020, (Rappler, rappler.com). “Social change:” I couldn’t agree with Rappler more.

Long, long ago, Rappler did say, “Social Media For Social Change” (Carmela Fonbuena, 14 Jan 2012, Rappler, rappler.com). The statement was a follow-up of what Rappler CEO Maria Ressa said: "We’re the social media capital of the world. (She meant the whole Philippines.) Let’s use it for nation-building. Let’s use it to make our world better." What better use of social media is there?

Ms Fonbuena said there are 27 million Filipinos on Facebook – I thank her! Yes, social media for social change!

Now, what social change? First, let us consider Rappler, as Ms Fonbuena said:

Rappler is a new player in online journalism that seeks to combine 1) professional journalism with 2) the wisdom of crowds – through social media – and 3) the power of technology to come up with reports that, Ressa said, will hopefully move people to positive action. These are Rappler’s three pillars.

“Hopefully move people to positive action” – that is what has been lacking.

Since I am a media person who happens to be an agriculturist (UPLB BS Agriculture, major in Ag Edu, 1965), also the son of a farmer, I would continue to propose positive actions within the territory of “Regenerative Agriculture.”

Thursday’s chat series was the third organized by Move.PH, after Baguio in October and Davao in November. It served as Rappler’s first public unveiling.

Move.PH’s partners were the Far Eastern University (venue), Konrad Adenauer Center for Journalism at the Ateneo, Philippine Fulbright Scholars Association, Philippine Association of Communication Educators, and Sun Cellular.

The keynote speaker was Veronica Pedrosa, lead presenter of Al Jazeera English, who “stressed how technology has reduced the agenda-setting role of traditional media.” Ms Veronica said:

Technology is shifting power away from the editors, the publishers, the establishment, the media elite. Now it’s the people who are taking control,

That’s all good media-power news to me.

Now, I want to emphasize that all media should practice all the time what I call “THiNK! Journalism” as follows:

Is it
True? If True, is it
Helpful? If Helpful, is it
Inspiring? If Inspiring, is it
Necessary? If Necessary is it
Kind? THiNK!

Ms Fonbuena said:

With social media, anyone can be a journalist. Anyone can post a Facebook status or a Tweet that can literally change the world.

To change the world, anyone can begin with any post/sharing/comment on Facebook!@517

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