Knowledge is Power

"I am not the editor of a newspaper and shall always try to do right and be good so that God will not make me one."–Mark Twain

"I am personally acquainted with hundreds of journalists, and the opinion of the majority of them would not be worth tuppence in private, but when they speak in print, it is the newspaper that is talking..and then their utterances shake the community like the thunders of prophecy" - M.T.

Some of our countrymen think that staying informed simply means taking a look at the news headlines. That's it. For some, even worse, they just try to pick up "the vibe" from other people who unfortunately, also do not really take the time to gather information and analyze issues. These people will say that this is the better tact because anyway, they don't have the expertise to analyze the issues. 

I used to think this way too. Before, I rarely read the newspaper or any other type of media to get myself updated with current goings-on in the country. I just take a look at the picture following the headline and see if it's nice or ugly. And if it's ugly, I just say, "hay naku, wala talagang pag-asa".  

Fortunately, I had a realization that this attitude is wrong. It is wrong and dangerous. It is wrong because it is lazy and irresponsible. It is dangerous because in our platform of democracy, dissenting voices thrive vigorously. And sometimes, those dissenting voices do not even represent your voice or my voice, our country's voice.

In the case of media, specifically the irresponsible ones (like the ones that have a proclivity emphasizing the negative and the ugly), they obviously do not represent your interest or mine. These newspapers hinge their revenue-creating capacity on their ability to sow intrigue. Bad news is good news for them. Their worst effect is in their total lack of respect for the dignity of the Filipino citizenry and recognition of their responsibility towards nationbuilding. 

Then there are the bureaucrats and politicians. Needless to say, there are those politicians who are not only corrupt, but are also incompetent and inefficient. Their primary interest is to keep their position. They won't mind sacrificing the country's interest just to keep their position. It is our job to make sure that more of them are removed from government. But we can only discriminate the bad ones from the good ones if we have the complete and right information on their initiatives, accomplishments, and failures. Moreover, when the citizenry chooses to stay informed, there is a natural effect of politicians and bureaucrats being more conscious of their actions, of acting in a more responsible and productive manner.  

Vigilance falls squarely on the shoulders of the Filipino citizenry. Staying informed is the foundation on which Filipinos can develop a sense of responsibility and control over the future of the country.