Opinion/Letters to the Editor: Inquirer unfair to Bro. Eddie, volunteers

Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:42:00 01/10/2010




Filed Under: Elections, Politics


Original Story: http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/letterstotheeditor/view/20100110-246641/Inquirer-unfair-to-Bro-Eddie-volunteers


WE join the INQUIRER in its quest for a better country for all of us. We believe in the strengthening of our democratic institutions, for only then can we realize a strengthened citizenry.

Others may call us idealistic and eternally hopeful—and indeed we are!

It is in this context that we are supporting a candidate in 2010 who is competent and able to lead us onward to a new beginning … to a better Philippines. We know that the journey will be difficult, but we are full of hope that we will get there.

Fully aware of the power of media in our society, we pooled our creativity, networks, time and resources to create, maintain and administer Facebook accounts and fan pages for Bro. Eddie Villanueva, the only candidate we see who has the sincerity, untarnished principle, willpower and track record to bring about reforms for a better Philippines. In all, we have six Facebook accounts and fan pages.

Thus, we were utterly disappointed with the story written by Michael Lim Ubac, “Aquino leads rivals in Facebook face-off.” (Inquirer, 1/3/10) We cannot find any better description of the story than UNFAIR.

The story described the Facebook accounts and fan pages of all presidential candidates, except Brother Eddie’s.

Brother Eddie, humble and unassuming as he is, will not take offense. However, Bangon Pilipinas’ supporters and volunteers who are working hard to actively make Brother Eddie visible in the new media, especially Facebook, are taking the unfair story as an affront to the standard-bearer of Bangon Pilipinas.

All his six accounts/fan pages could be easily Googled as they are for “everyone to see.” Essentially, Brother Eddie’s Facebook accounts and fan pages were deliberately left out in the Inquirer story. We are frustrated that a newspaper that claims balanced reporting could be so biased in this specific instance. One of the complex reasons that reforms take long to happen in our country is that even media outfits that have gained respect for its high journalism standards fall prey to biases in the political spectrum. We are disappointed and disheartened.

But in the end, we console each other by the fact that for as long as there are volunteers like us who believe that change can happen, then change will indeed come! We’ll just continue fighting for our cause.

We believe in democracy. We believe in the power of our citizenry. We believe in the collective wisdom of the Filipino people. This collective wisdom will make us stand against everything that weakens our democratic institutions, unfair reports included.

Bangon Pilipinas!

Thank you for your kindest attention.


—ANDONI L. VALENCIA,
volunteer, Bangon Kabataan Movement;
senior vice president,
Political Science Society,
University of St. La Salle-Bacolod


Original Story: http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/letterstotheeditor/view/20100110-246641/Inquirer-unfair-to-Bro-Eddie-volunteers