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Village Heroes – The Need For PH Journalism To Actively Support Agriculture

 

Bayanihan – The above image shows the earliest national heroes of the Philippines. Today, I’m calling on village heroes in communication for development, journalists out to move people to change the lives in the villages one good deed at a time! People working together to help their community, not just themselves. 
(Bayanihan image[1] from Nationalnews.com)

Why don’t we have in the Philippines digital and print media field journalists & columnists all-out supporting the small-scale and large-scale efforts of government to solve the problems of Agriculture and move it forward to bring favorable & sustainable changes to the lives of farmers and fishers, without exacting irreparable damage to the environment?

I am not going to identify the journalists who write nothing but to try to prove that some government officials are lying, or worse. With your journalism dedicated 100% to anti-bad government, you have nothing left for pro-good government. Not only that – you equate all government actions as against the interests of the people!

Since I am an agriculturist, teacher and blogger, I will concentrate on the journalism that is good for the farmers and fishers as seen in the plans, programs and projects of the Department of Agriculture (DA):

Lacking!

Why is there no thinking journalism on the “New Thinking for Agriculture” that Secretary of Agriculture William Dar proclaimed on Day One, 05 August 2020, when PRRD appointed him? Why no follow-up journalism on any one or combination of the “8 Paradigms” that accompanied the New Thinking?

(1) Modernization;
(2) Industrialization;
(3) Promotion of Exports;
(4) Consolidation of Small- And Medium-Sized Farms;
(5) Infrastructure Development;
(6) Higher Budget & Investment;
(7) Legislative Support; and
(8) Roadmap Development.

Subsequently, why is there no journalism on the “OneDA 12 Key Strategies Transforming Philippine Agriculture”? (See my essay in my blog: “PH Secretary Of Agriculture Minding Facebook, Maximizing His Media Of Exposure[2]” 03 March 2021, Asa Ka Pa!.)

Philippine journalism needs a revolution today!

Ramon R Tuazon says (ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca):

The post-war era to pre-martial law period (1945-1972) is called the Golden Age of Philippine journalism. The Philippine press began to be known as “the freest in Asia.”

Press freedom does not yet promote positive communication for development!

PH journalism has not graduated from that which the Americans brought to Philippine shores. ANN says (Author Not Named, 23 May 2015, Philippine Press History): “Founded in 1964, the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) was organized “to foster the development and improvement of journalism in the country.” Towards this objective, the PPI published in 1965 “Law Of The Press: A PPI Manual,” and in 1967 “Clear Effective Writing: A PPI Manual.”

Development of journalism, not country. Nothing said about whether journalism was for helping the government pursue programs and projects for the good of the people.

So, what the editors thought were good for the paper was good enough. Let the people be damned!?

What we desperately need is journalism campaigning for Bayanihan moving a while village, town, or province in terms of improving lives, improving sustainability of villages and villagers!@517


[1]https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/filipino-artists-from-ugnayang-sining-tomasino-art-collective-have-work-displayed-in-uae-1.102874

[2]https://asakaparin.blogspot.com/2021/03/ph-secretary-of-agriculture-minding.html

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