Was he brave or out of line?
While a brewing storm failed to ruin the joyful mood at TV Patrol’s grand 25th anniversary celebration at The Manila Hotel on Friday night, President Benigno Aquino 3rd’s unexpected speech did just the trick.
Just as soon as he congratulated ABS-CBN’s longest-running news program for its unwavering dedication in keeping the Filipino people informed, Mr. Aquino vented his frustration over the newscast’s negativistic attitude on his government’s achievements.
“Tingnan po natin ang paghahayag ng inyong institusyon,” he prodded the station. He had as his captive audience ABS-CBN Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Eugenio Lopez 3rd, President and Chief Operating Officer Charo Santos-Concio, head of News and Current Affairs Regina “Ging” Reyes, and the entire production staff of TV Patrol.
The President then criticized one anchor in particular for dishing out what he believes are baseless speculations and unhelpful commentaries in response to good news. He did not name the anchor, but the instances and quotations he cited clearly referred to former vice president Noli “Kabayan” de Castro who returned to TV Patrol when he retired from politics in 2010. De Castro had been with the program since its inception in 1987, and took a nine-year hiatus from broadcasting when he became senator in 2001.
“Noong Oktubre ng nakaraang taon, may isang reporter kayo ang nagbabalita sa NAIA 3. Ang sabi niya, sa puntong iyon, tumaas ng dalawam-pung porsiyento ang passenger arrivals sa paliparan. Magandang balita . . . Sa kabila nito, nakuha pa pong humirit ng isang anchor n’yo at ang sabi po niya, and I quote, ‘Nasa NAIA 3 ka kasi; kung nasa NAIA 1 ka, doon malala.’ Sa loob-loob ko po, anong kinalaman ng ibinabalita sa NAIA 3 sa NAIA 1?’ May nagsabi po bang ayos na ayos na ang NAIA 1? Kung mayroon man ho, hindi kami. Nakaligtaan niya atang mahigit 30 anyos na ang istrukturang ito.”
Known to repeatedly blame the country’s present problems on the Arroyo administration, Mr. Aquino continued, “Napapaisip nga po ako: ‘yung nagkomento nito, hindi ba’t anim na taon ding tumangan sa renda ng gobyerno? Sabihin na po nating minana lang din nila ang problema; ‘di hamak mas luma naman ang ipinamana nilang problema sa amin. Anim na taon ang ipinagkaloob sa kanya para tumulong sa pagsasaayos ng mismong inirereklamo niya. Pero ngayon, tayo na nga ang may bitbit na problema, tayo na nga ang tutugon dito, pero, masakit nga ho, may gana pa tayong hiritan ng nagpamana?”
Continue Reading at Manila Times, Photos - bekindtoustrolls.wordpress.com
