Chief Communicator is yet another vital role of President Aquino as Chief Executive. His determination to effectively communicate and share his vision for the nation with the people was enshrined in his Social Contract with the Filipino People that served as the platform for his presidential campaign.
In the Credo embodied in this platform, he declared: “A government, based on core values of transparency, personal and institutional integrity, honesty, and good governance, is a goal we must all share.” Note that transparency is first in the order of his core values. This, too, will be the primary guidepost of the communication program of the people’s government.
The Credo states further: “We shall not hide from debate, suppress the mechanisms for the redress of grievances, or thwart the participation of the public in the formulation of policy.” Stated affirmatively, this is what he is conveying to the people: “We shall engage in debate and promote the mechanisms for the redress of grievances, and encourage the participation of the public in the formulation of policy.”
As he declared, too, in his inaugural address: “Today marks the end of a regime indifferent to the appeals of the people… You are the boss so I cannot ignore your orders. We will design and implement an interaction and feedback mechanism that can effectively respond to your needs and aspirations.”
He emphasized this point in another part of his inaugural speech that outlined his priority programs: “We will strengthen the process of consultation and feedback. We will strive to uphold the constitutional right of citizens to information on matters of public concern.”
Last week, the Office of the President announced the creation of a presidential communication group that will expand on the traditional functions and roles of the press secretary’s office. The most significant change is a paradigm shift. Instead of a one-way process of downloading of presidential policies and pronouncements from the Chief Executive to the people, there will henceforth be open, free-flowing, two-way communication between the President and the people.
Instead of simply reacting to issues arising from daily developments as reported by the mass media, the government will proactively propagate its key messages and, in the process, elicit suggestions and inputs from the people that can reshape and improve the crafting of public policy.
Such is the exciting new terrain of public communication that has been defined by President Aquino. Since his proclamation in Congress, he has projected himself as a media-savvy communicator who is able to convey his key messages in a highly focused and clear-cut manner. Even during the campaign, he made himself available to journalists and broadcasters in a manner that enabled them to perform their reportorial mission effectively. He has impressed upon all that he intends to make himself available for regular press briefings, even as he pleaded for some relief from “ambush” interviews.
Just like in the aftermath of the EDSA People Power revolution in 1986 when his mother, President Corazon Aquino restored democratic institutions and provided democratic space that enabled the Philippine press to reclaim its long-standing reputation as the one of the freest in the world, the new President’s fresh initiatives in redefining the landscape of communications has generated a wave of enthusiastic public support.
It is within this context that, upon President Aquino’s invitation, I have decided to rejoin government service.
This decision entails a necessary consequence: I am now constrained to take leave from my weekly BusinessWorld column. Please note that I have opted to use the phrase “take leave”. In 1998, I took a leave after writing continuously for this paper since it began publication in July 1987. When I left government service in 2000, I was invited back by Ms. Letty Locsin, managing editor. It was Ms. Locsin who invited me to write for this paper in 1987, as I had been writing for its precursor Business Day since 1985.
BusinessWorld is a publication that firmly upholds the code of ethics of the Philippine Press Institute. It firmly believes that a newspaper has the vital role of being a watchdog of government. Hence, columnists who opt to serve in government must quit writing opinion columns as they can no longer be effective watchdogs.
I wish to thank BusinessWorld Chairman Vergel Santos for giving me the opportunity to be associated with an enduring institution in Philippine journalism.
Writing for BusinessWorld has been pure pleasure. It has enabled me not just to express my thoughts but also to shape and clarify my worldview. In the course of interacting with readers, I have learned to appreciate divergent viewpoints and understand why people could take positions that directly contradict my own cherished beliefs.
Sometime in 2005, I had an epiphany. I decided to refrain from writing political commentary that was overly critical, or even cynical. It’s not because I was daunted by the prospect of getting sued for libel or being harassed or harmed by the powers-that-be. Far be it for me to shirk from a journalist’s duty to write the truth from one’s heart.
I simply realized that when I write articles in an angry or skeptical vein, I create and project negative energy, not just among my readers but unto myself as well. Hence, I resolved to take on a different posture. I opted to become what author Marsha Sinetar calls an “artist of encouragement.”
It was then that I found myself drawn into the field of study that eventually became the topic of my doctoral dissertation on Spirit being the key for leading to higher ground. Indeed, I am grateful to BusinessWorld for launching me into this wonderful journey of discovery and lifelong learning. And when my work in public service is done, I look forward to being able to come home to this paper and relish anew the sheer joy of writing.
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