As a student of Laws on Mass Media, I strongly believed that the case filed by Pacquiao against Giongco is weak therefore it won’t prosper, because it is a PRIVILEGE.
As far as we discussed about the definition of privileged in the class, it is saying that when covering matters involving privileged communications, the newspaperman must take a fair and true report in good faith without remarks.
With this, I believed that the writer reported the article in good faith and without any purpose to malign Pacquiao. It was properly attributed, though he owes the information. If we look back to the article, we can read words like “sources” and “reported” which is a sign that it is verified therefore shows accuracy.
Also, Pacquiao is a PUBLIC FIGURE therefore he is not free from the criticisms that the public will do.
Looking back the definition of it from our previous lessons, “New York Times Doctrine” clearly states that “public figures” … like “public officials”, often play an influential role in ordering society. And surely as a class these “public figures: have as ready access as “public officials to mass media of communication, both to influence policy and to counter criticism of their views and activities.”
If we recall, Pacquiao used to run in a Congressional seat in General
“Pacquiao, who spent millions in an unsuccessful bid to win a congressional seat in his hometown in General Santos City, is reported to be a compulsive gambler and is known to bet hundreds of thousands in casinos, cockfighting and billiards.”
These words came out from the article of Giongco. This I believe constitutes a legitimate PUBLIC INTEREST, another bid for Pacquiao to loose the case.
I remember in our discussion about the legitimacy of a public interest, it states that it involves decency, violation of moral of the society, obscenity, violates sensibility and goes beyond the norms of society.
If Pacquiao involves in these acts, that he is in gambling, betting for cockfighting and so on, then this would interest the public, because imagine a “Boxing Idol”, named as the “Pambansang Kamao” and being idolized by most of the youths will engaged in these acts? Who would then just set this aside? No one.
Another reason for Pacquiao to withdraw his case now is that he has to prove whether there is a presence of MALICE in the article.
In our class, we defined malice as words or statements evil in nature arising from spite or ill will. As to the defamatory statements, we defined it as “WHEN THE STATEMENTS ARE TRUE EVEN IF MOTIVATED BY ILL WILL OR MALICE AND WHEN THE STATEMENTS ARE FALSE AS LONG AS NOT MADE AND MOTIVATED WITH MALICE CAN SEEK IMMUNITY.”
Why, does Giongco have any personal grudge to Pacquiao? Does Pacquiao know Giongco personally that he felt to be maligned? Did they have any activities that can be said they were associated with each other? These are the questions that can be raised to test and proved that there is absence of malice in the article.
These are enough reasons, as far as we discussed in the class, to say that Pacquiao’s libel case against Giongco is totally WEAK and really HARD TO PROSPER in the court.
I then strongly believed, after I closed this, I’ve applied my lessons, which I learned from our “Laws on Mass Media” class, enough to help the court or the public in their conviction to this libel case. - END
Why only today?
Insights on Global Warming
by Al Hadji S. Rieta, AB MASS COMMUNICATION
Poisoned air, food and land. We are headed the right and ready way for self-destruction, what are we doing?
We should be amenable that Global Warming is now a very serious problem. Different organizations were doing all of their efforts to voice these out to us. It started even long before, and now we are suffering form it.
Industrialization is only among those million reasons why we are experiencing this. We create machines that promise to make our lives easier. More convenient and more relaxing, but yes, it’s true, more reasons for us to die young.
I remember when I was in my elementary days, whenever we have a summer vacation, I prefer to go in the province, because its cooler, the air is fresh, the beaches are refreshing and everything is so heavenly. But that was about eight years ago, and now I prefer to stay at home, watch TV, turn my pc on and even turn on the electric fan than to go out, because the sun outside really burns, Global warming indeed.
Greenpeace, an environmental concerned organization, reports that in the coming seven years our water reservoirs will be in drought. I think seven years is too long, actually we are experiencing it now.
In my eight years stay here in Ilocos Norte, I’ve noticed that the river under
Just recently, the provincial Government celebrates “Earth Day” where Gov. Micheal Keon signed a law/resolution on environmental protection authored by SB Nonong Marcos. I just have a question, after that day what happened? Did they roam around the province?
Even though we have these laws on protecting our environment, or even though we have this “Earth Day”, the real scene cannot be denied. People across the country did their part: they went to
Our mother nature is already dying, she doesn’t need that laws, or celebrations nor those one-day jobs, what she really need is you, to work for her not just in a certain period but for eternally. Why only today, why not yesterday, or what about tomorrow?
“Babalik na si Ma’am”
Howie Severino
Isang sanaysay ni Al Hadji Rieta, Marso 15, 2008
“Ma’am”. Maraming kahulugan ang salitang ito. Marahil sa iba ito ay karaniwang tawag sa ating mga ina, ang iba nama’y ginagamit na pantawag o bansag na bilang pagpapakita ng galang sa isang ginang, at siyempre ang salitang “Ma’am” ay bilang isang respeto at magalang na tawag sa ating mga babaeng guro.
Sila ang ating mga ikalawang ina sa labas ng tahanan. Tayo’y kanilang ginagabayan ng sa ganoon ay magkaroon tayo ng mas malawak pang kaalaman sa lahat ng bagay.
Nakakalungkot nga lang dahil, sa ngayon, unti-unti na silang nag-aalisan, isinasantabi muna ang matayog na pangarap bilang mga guro, upang makahanap ng mas matayog pang kapalaran sa ibayong dagat.
Sa isang dokyumentaryo ni Howie Severino na “Babalik na si Ma’am” agad akong nabighani, hindi lang dahil sa lalim ng tema nito, kundi dahil sa napaka lawig ang maaari nitong sakupin. Dito itinampok ang buhay ng isang gurong handang ipagpalit ang dolyar na kinikita, kapalit ng pagtuturo sa ating bansa.
Ilan sa mga kababayan natin ay nasa Hongkong hindi upang maglibang o mamasyal, kundi magtrabaho bilang mga DH o Domestic Helper. Ang ilan sa kanila ay tinalikuran muna ang pagiging guro, kapalit ng pangakong mas malaking kita.
Dahil sa kanilang pag-alis, ang sitwasyon o lagay ng edukasyon sa ating bansa ay unti-unti ng bumababa, dahil sa kaukulangan ng mga guro.
Dahil dito nagpalabas ng programa ang Dep Ed o Department of Education, isang sangay ng gobyerno upang tutukan at pangasiwaan ang edukasyo sa bansa, na noo’y pinamunuan ni Raul Roco. Programa na kung saan ay makapagbibigay ng pagkakataon sa mga kababayan nating nasa Hongkong na muling makabalik sa ating bansa at mamasukan, hindi na bilang isang domestic helper, kundi bilang isang nakaunipormeng guro.
Makikita sa dokyumentaryo ang talagang kagustuhan ng ating mga kababayan sa programa, ngunit sa totoong buhay, mayroong pinapalad at mayroon namang hindi.
Ipinakilala rito ang isang DH na nagtrabaho sa Hongkong ng mahigit sa isang dekada na. Sa tagal ng taong inilagi nito, halos ituring na siyang kabilang ng isang pamilya.
Isa sa mga istilo ni Howie ay ang kanyang “Side trip” na kung saan ay nabibigyan niya ng koneksyon sa takbo ng kuwento ang mga bagay o sitwasyon na nadadaanan niya.
Dahil sa tagal na ng ilang DH sa Hongkong, mahirap na sa kanila ang mag-paalam na lamang sa kanilang pinagtrabahuhan.
Ang eksena sa airport na kung saan ay nagpapalam sila ay isa lamang sa mga tagpo ng totoong buhay ukol sa pinaghalong tuwa at lungkot. Tuwa dahil sa wakas ang iyo’ng pinapangarap na ng kay tagal ay abot kamay mo na, sa kabilang banda lungkot, dahil sa halos tagal na ng panahon, ay mayroon at mayroon kang iiwan na isang pamilya na tumanggap sa iyo sa ibang lugar at itinuring kang miyembro nito.
Mayroong eksena na kung saan ay pumunta sa isang eskuwelahan ang isang DH na pinalad sa programa, ngunit hindi pala ganoon kadali dahil, dumaan muna ito sa mapanuring principal ng paraalan, ngunit sa bandang huli naman ay natanggap din ito.
Nakauwi na si aling Mercy sa kanyang bayan. At handa na sa isang panibagong pagsubok sa kanyang buhay, ngunit sa ngayon hindi na ang dustpan, walis tambo at basahan ang hawak, kundi aklat, chalk at eraser na gagamitin para sa mga batang kanyang tuturuan.
Ang dokyumentaryong ito ay sumalamin sa isang bahagi ng migration sa bansa, na kung saan ay dahil sa kakulangan ng mga guro, tuloy unti-unti ng nagiging mang-mang si batang Juan. Kaya naman para sa akin isa ito sa mga paborito kong gawa ni Howie, dahil hindi niya lang pinukaw ang ating damdamin, binigyan pa niya tayo ng isang hamon, hamon na kung saan ay susubok sa ating tatag, kung atin bang lilisanin ang sariling bayan na mas nangangailangan sa atin, o mas mas lalo pang pagsilbihan ang ibang lahi, kapalit ng malaking salapi. Sa kabilang banda, ipinakita rin dito ang pag-asang makakabalik ka rin sa sarili mong bayan.
