5
opinion
October - December
BLUE-PILLED: IGNORANCE IS NOT A BLISSestrella || Bernadette Anne Baldia bernadettebaldiaa14@gmail.com
Photo Courtesy: CNN Philippines
The Philippines’ red-tagging policy, implemented in 1969 as a counterinsurgency against the Communist Party-NPA, has led to the ongoing criminalization of journalists, making the profession increasingly dangerous and threatening. Despite efforts, the issue persists. The red-tagging incident involving broadcast journalist Atom Araullo, who works for the country’s leading media company, GMA Network, serves as testimony to the Philippines’ repression of press freedom. Atom Araullo filed a two million damage suit against the government-backed media platform SMNI (Sonshine Media Network International) hosts Lorraine Badoy and Jeffrey Celiz for labeling Atom and his mother Carol as communist party members and linking their family to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF). However, the two SMNI hosts have no proof to attest to their allegations against the Araullos, proving that this incident is just a tiny crack from a whole fracture of red-tagging and the dismissal of its victims because of the lack of law criminalizing red-tagging. His case highlights red-tagging as a form of media intimidation, highlighting the need to hold disinformation perpetrators accountable and address the suppression of democracy and rule of law in the Philippines. Atom only filed a civil complaint instead of a criminal complaint, as he’s against the criminalization of libel as it would “endanger legitimate journalism” and has been used as a weapon to silence journalists.
This culture of violence can be reminiscent of the dark days of martial law under the Marcos administration. Former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. imposed martial law in 1972 and granted the military broad authority to “prevent or suppress... any act of insurgency or rebellion,” restricting freedoms of expression, speech, and protest actions. Moreover, under the Duterte regime, at least 12,000 individuals were killed in his widely reported “war on drugs,” and most of the victims were poor people from urban cities. The Philippine National Police was responsible for 2,555 of them. At the end of his term, 801 political detainees remained, and 442 extrajudicial deaths had occurred, most of them involving individuals the government had red-tagged. It has been shown from time to time again how threats or physical surveillance are used in response to these widely propagated fabrications, and they ultimately result in attacks, incarceration, detention, or even death by security personnel or “unidentified persons or groups,” also called forced disappearances. It has been used as a license to kill and is still being used inconspicuously against journalists. Political opponents and activists who were among those deemed a threat to the Duterte and Marcos administrations were labeled as terrorists, communist members, or allies. They propagate false information about these people using media outlets and propagandists via social media platforms, brainwashing the public simultaneously. It establishes an impediment to modern-day press freedom while fighting misinformation. Today, it has be-
FREE TERTIARY EDUCATION: IMPROVISATION, NOT RESTRICTIONSAlethia Escritora || Jenny Gardose jennygardose06@gmail.com
come a battle between journalists against journalists and democracy against propaganda. In the year 2022, we’ve witnessed the return of the Marcos family to political power, providing a larger threat to the country’s journalists. Media outlets have become unreliable, and their truth-seeking light has faltered. We need to learn from our history and stand up for this nation’s truth-tellers now more than ever. We must end red-tagging journalists, human rights advocates, critics, and activists. Seek justice and defend the truth. Do not be bluepilled once and for all. <w>
“...it has b ecome a ba jo u r n a l i s ts agains ttle between t jo u r n a l i democra s t s an d c y a g a in s t p r op a g a nda.”
Artificial Intelligence as Alternative IndividualsTina Victorine Mavis || Niñalyn Marcial marciallyn2003@gmail.com
Photo Courtesy: sdecoret shuttlestock
Photo Courtesy: Philippine Star
“Unsustainable” is how Finance Secretary free public education. Benjamin E. Diokno describes the program of The finance secretary also proposed free tuition among Philippine State Universities screening of students who are eager to qualify and Colleges (SUCs) and CHED-recognized for free education in SUCs, simply to “filter” Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs). His the beneficiaries of SUCs. This makes it more statement received a lot of opposition, especially difficult for those who are from poor families from students who benefit the most from the as they don’t have the means for review centers program, considering that only 0.83% of the and budget to prepare for a nationwide test in 2023 national budget goes to the program. determining “qualified” learners. Our education
The free college tuition at SUC was also system and the students needed support and deemed “insufficient and wasteful,” according to refinement, not curtailment. him. How come it is unsustainable for tertiary The government should indeed improve education when millions in confidential funds elementary and secondary education; however, are not even properly disclosed or doesn’t provide the rights of the youth to access quality education transparency? Supporting and providing free should not stop there. The logic of improving access to education is not a waste and shouldn’t only the primary and secondary levels instead of be in question in the first place. raising the quality of education in all sectors will
Concerning the issue of the huge number of only threaten promising outcomes students who are not able to attend college, it “Edukasyon ang susi sa magandang should be taken into consideration that there kinabukasan” and “Edukasyon ang susi sa are underlying factors as well. The issue about kahirapan” were amongst other phrases that are the program being only a subsidy to those who used by older generations to motivate youngsters. can pay for their college education is that every So if education will save our country from its youth has the right to access quality education; current state, why is it being limited? Perhaps, in the socio-economic status of a person should not a much bigger picture, it is not only education be in question for this. And if a huge number of that will save this country and its people, but poor people don’t continue to pursue a college also leadership in every sector that is expected to education, shouldn’t the government provide empathize with those within their jurisdiction. more to include instead of forcing the students to But this incident with free tertiary education make adjustments for the “insufficiency”? reflects otherwise. <w> There are a lot of private and public scholarships available for students, yet it is not enough for some. Imagine removing a huge factor that makes education accessible to students. Therefore, according to CHED Chairman Prospero E. de Vera II, high dropout rates do not justify the repeal of the law requiring
system and the “Our education ed support and students need t curtailment.” o n t, n e m e n fi re
Artificial intelligence, simply known as AI, has These innovations are already making a been used over the past few years. As defined in significant impact on changing everyday life. the Merriam-Webster dictionary, “the capability Since AI has cognitive functions, not only will it of a machine to imitate human behavior” means lessen physical labor, but also help with decisionthat AI applications such as ChatGPT and Google making and problem-solving, which is a big help Assistant can answer most of the questions that to workers. Yet with AI taking over workplaces, have assisted people in their daily activities, such it will slowly start to replace people in their jobs. as answering schoolwork and steps on how to Thus, only the ones placed above the organization cook something. chart would remain. In September 2023, GMA Network The network, however, assured that they are introduced Maia and Marco as the AI-generated not journalists and can never replace seasoned sportscasters during the NCAA Season 99 broadcasters. This attempt concluded that Men’s Basketball tournament. It caused multiple although AI cannot yet be an alternative to criticisms online, with some calling it innovative some demanding jobs, AI could still potentially and groundbreaking while others feeling it replace people’s jobs, not just in journalism, offensive and unsettling. Though it is indeed soon. Instead of being “innovative”, the priority innovative that the technology in the country of mainstream media is the safety of journalists is improving, the fact that they chose an AI from red-tagging and threats to their lives. over a human who is also capable of doing It just shows how AI is capable of changing such a task is simply offensive, especially to the the lives of people. Both could help some people people who want to become journalists. An AI- reach their goals and make their lives much generated sportscaster’s voice cannot give the easier, yet at the same time, others most likely same excitement during a game as their voices will lose their jobs and the essence of having an remain plain throughout the game. Additionally, actual journalist in the journalism field. They Maia and Marco lack expression in the way they should focus on improving and promoting safety smile because they don’t show the same level of in journalism, along with the continuous battle emotion as humans do. against falsified information that is circulating
It is just one of the instances where AI attempts online, instead of trying to replace it with to replace some physically demanding jobs. alternative or artificially intelligent individuals. During an interview with Ralf Rivas of Rappler <w> (2023), Sprout Solutions CEO Patrick Gentry Instead o f said that, like in the Industrial Revolution, people the priorit being "innovative feared that machines would replace people in ", y of main stream m is the saf their jobs, but rather AI will just “change the way e d ety ia people will work.” The Industrial Revolution and red-taggin of journalists from AI are already shaping the way socio-economics g and thr eats to th will be in the next few years. e
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