Redeemed!

So this blog is alive again! Hurray for me! I just "re-opened" my account because I got nothing to do. I'm a house wife and being one doesn't really allow me to do much writing. Kinakalawang na ata ako. Anyways, it would me super fun to write here everyday. Or maybe every other day. Or maybe once a week. I don"t know. I'll just write here wheneve I feel like it or there's something good to write.

9/11

9/11 terror Photo 1

WTC before the attack Photo 2

Remembering 9/11 Photo 3

A call for peace Photo 4

In a classroom forum, Mr. Rolando Fernandez or "Sir Rolly" for most Mass Communication students of the University of the Philippines Baguio, shared his insights about blogging.

He described the computer as a "glorified typewritter" and adds that he was just forced to use it because of his publisher. He considers blogging as a form of journalism and says that the "future is there". This was quiet surprising to me because it was discussed in class that not all blogs can be considered as journalism because some of them have personal touches and one category to be considered is the notion of "who can be called as journalists?". Although this is true, sir Rolly also asserts that the term "journalist" is just a label or a name. He also said that bloggers are the next journalists because they have the capacity of publishing their own news considering the fact that people can have more access to information using blogs.

Another aspect that sir Rolly pointed out was the future of community papers as blogging enters the news scene. He said that community papers must improve their way of presenting their news or else blog sites might take over their place. Blogs can provide up-to-date news events about the community with cheaper expenses (less production cost), all it needs is a computer with an Internet.
Despite all the positive impressions sir Rolly has on the blogging field, he still emphasized the importance of accuracy in providing information. Although there is no problem with the news treatment of blogs, it still cannot compete eith journalistic practices such as information verification, checking for garbage information and ethical considerations. However, it does not change sir Rolly's views about blogging and added that it compliments and supplements traditional news and he does not see both fields as two competing medium for information dessimination.

oil spill

Last August 11, 2006, news about an oil spill in the Guimaras Islands bannered our television screens. About 200,000 liters of oil is coming out of the sunken MT Solar I tanker which is currently damaging sea resources. The tanker is supposed to deliver bunker fuel from Bataan to Zamboanga but unfortunately sank.
Images of the oil spill were showed in the prime time news, where viewers could see how the oil slowly covers almost the entire sea of the Guimaras Island. We can see in the photo how destructive the oil spill can be as it does not only damage sea inhabitants but also the islands. News about oil reaching the shores of the Guimaras Island and other nearby islands were also reported. People are asking the government or anyone who is responsible for the spill to give assistance. Petron, which commissioned the sunken tanker, has taken the responsibility of giving assistance for the clean-up operation. In one news report, I saw and heared one Petron official taking all the responsibility for the oil spill. But in an Inquirer article there are
I think this is not the right time for blaming. The oil spill could leave more damages than we can imagine if these people who blames each other do not put their efforts and money together to solve this unfortunate event. We can pin point later of the mess is over and done. But now, let us see how this incident is affecting the country and our fellow Filipinos who are directly experiencing the oil spill. Fishermen in the Guimaras Islands have nothing to feed their families, our natural resources are slowly destroyed and government money is again used for this incident. The oil spill has done more damages then expected. People involved must learn how to separate the oil from the water, no matter how hard it could get. other people whom the Petron is attributing the fault. Everyone involved seems to be pin pointing as to who will the fault rest. Everyone is blaming everyone connected to the incident.

about bandila

Bandila is a new current events news program of ABS-CBN which is aired during weeknights. It is anchored by Korina Sanchez, Ces Oreña Drillon, and Henry Omaga Diaz.
The name of the program is quite different because it is not the 'usual' type of name that news programs have. It does not sound like a news program unlike TV Patrol, 24 Oras and Saksi. It sound more like a leftist group or a group of army people threatening the government for a coup. Although the name suggest a more nationalistic point of view, it is a fresh way of giving the audience an initial reaction to the news program.
Speaking of fresh news, Bandila has a 'theme song' which is played at the beginning, every before and after commercials, and at the end of the news program. It serves as the sound bed of the program; a sound bed with lyrics which was sung by the band Rivermaya (we all know that rock bands are the latest trend in the music scene). It is a new way of presenting the news program.
The news content is the same to the traditional news program, with only the absence of a showbiz and foreign news. I thought that the absence of an entertainment/showbiz news from the program has something to do with the program title-Bandila. When we talk about the Philippine flag or any type of flag, there is a certain amount of seriousness that goes with the topic. I don't mean that the entertainment industry should not be taken seriously, but it has its right place to be broadcasted. You possibly would not expect a showbiz news being aired in a program with 'Bandila' as a title. International news which has a connection with the country are aired. This is what I have observed. I have not watch any international news with only the foreign country involved, Philippines must be included in the topic. I thought that naming a program with something which is connected with your country means making news which are relevant to the country. Of course, you are talking about the Philippine flag here, unless, they are talking about a different flag.
The news program runs for about 30 minutes unlike the usual late night news program. I guess this has something to do with the serious news format. The attention span of the viewers are often at stake when you got nothing 'exciting' to offer, something like an ice breaker, like entertainment news for this matter. Of course this is a relative thing, depending on the type of viewers you have during the late night. But the 30 minute time frame of the program compensated for the lack of entertainment news, obviously, it is shorter than the usual time duration of a news program.
Bandila can be considered as a new trend in news programs. Whatever new and innovative things this program has, as long as it does not change the way information is presented to the public, it still serves a good purpose for the media.

game shows against poverty

Last June 5, 2006, the country was introduced to a new game show hosted by the 'Queen of Talk' Kris Aquino-Deal or No Deal. ABS-CBN collaborated with Endemol for the franchise of this international game show. The game show goes something like the Laban o Bawi and Pera o Bayong of Eat Bulaga and Wowowee, respectively. Its difference with these game shows is that it has its own time slot and is not just a part of a TV program. There is also the presence of the 'Banker' who offer the player/s a certain amount of money by calling Kris Aquino.
At the start of the game, the player chooses one briefcase from the 26 that is being carried and displayed by pretty and sexy women. These briefcases corresponds to a certain amount of money. Then at every round, the player chooses briefcases to be opened and removed from the game. At the end of every round, the Banker calls Kris Aquino through a telephone. He 'buys' the player's briefcase by offering money. The Banker's offer depends on the briefcases that was previously opened during the last round. The lower the amount eliminated, the better. The money ranges from one peso to 2,000,000 pesos. In order to make a good deal, you have to consider your chosen briefcases' amount- you should go home with a money no lesser than the briefcases corresponding amount. Players here rely on luck and wise judgment before making a deal or no deal.
Throughout the years, from Kwarta o Kahon to Laban o Bawi, we have seen a lot of people making decisions which will either make or break them. They will either go home with the money or go home regretting their decision for the rest of their lives. It is not difficult to decipher the reason why such money game shows sprout and evolve here in the Philippines through the years. From a mere, kahon to briefcases and the money range is now relatively higher. Poverty. Especially for a country with striving economic status like ours, Filipinos try their luck in joining such game shows because it could change their lives in an instant. The impact is so big when you see someone winning a million bucks. And when someone looses, you tell yourself that you won't commit the same mistake.
Such game shows are indeed a trend and mind setter for most Filipinos. Poverty is pushing them to join such game shows. They just want a better life which is still difficult to achieve in this country.

media punches

July 2, 2006. Araneta Coliseum.
Yesterday was a celebrated day for the Filipinos. Boxing or non-boxing fans. Manny Pacquiao brought another feather on his (and our) cap. His match with Mexican Oscar Larios was awaited by Filipinos, Mexicans and other boxing fans all over the world.
Months before the match, we have seen the media broadcasting news about the coming event. ABS-CBN even took the chance to broadcast the event. The event was so sensationalized by the station that they even held a contest for a round girl for the fight. There was also a SMS contest where trivia questions about the event were asked to the televiewers. Of course, you get prizes for a correct SMS answer and when you are the lucky texter.
Even before the Pacquiao-Larios fight, I have been seeing Pacquiao advertising different products. His shorts during the fight with Larios was also printed with different product logos. Of course, the best way to advertise is to show your product logo as frequent as possible. People who are glued to their television sets during the match, were unconsciously exposed to the advertisements. Interesting thing was, these were big companies he was dealing with. I can just imagine how rich he is after doing some boxing stunts, singing, smiling and eating with his family in front of the camera. Lucky guy. This is what you get after excahnging punches with someone from another race and winning the fight. An hour or two of tolerating pain during the match and days to recover from the bruises and cuts and you get recognized by almost everyone around the world. Hard work.
All these effort to promote the event was a success because Pacquiao won. Again, everyone loves him even more. Bringing out my pessimist side, I thought that what if Pacman lost, would he be still loved by most Filipinos? Maybe some would still see him as the country's hero and some would try to pretend to have had a memory lost. But I guess many would still recognize him as a hero bacause he brought pride to people who desperately needed something or someone to uplift their spirit.
After the match, Pacquiao said that he was so excited to show a good match in front of his fellow Filipinos. He was excited to show his punches. If I was him, I would be so pressured to win the fight because of the venue. It would be so hard to loose inside your soil. Infront of the people who made you your country's hero.
There is nothing wrong with the media attention Pacquiao is getting and will be getting, actually, he deserves it because he won the fight. He is the latest "thing" for the media. And media also gives the viewers the notion that anything about Pacquiao is news. Atleast for the meantime. The power of the media to make a big issue about someone and something is manifested here. Sometimes, this power is abused and people get so fed up because they receive the same information every now and then.