Dog-tired but happy

I am simply dog-tired today but I'll leave after watching Cheche Lazaro's Media in Focus episode today, where today's winners of the Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for Excellence in Journalism and officers of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility are guests. Nice.

Congratulations to this year's winners. And thank you to all those who attended this year's ceremonies (More than 700 came--the biggest in JVOAEJ history!). Thank you and hope to see you guys again next year.

Inquirer, Star, Newsbreak and Philippine Graphic grab top JVOAEJ prizes
Source: Freedom Watch

For more information on the Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for Excellence in Journalism (JVOAEJ), please contact the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility at any of the following numbers: 894-1314/894-1326.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Philippine Star, Newsbreak, and Philippine Graphic won the top awards in the 18th Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for Excellence in Journalism (JVOAEJ) for works published in 2006 during ceremonies held at the AIM Conference Center Manila on June 28. Since 1990, the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) has been the administrative and technical secretariat of the JVOAEJ.

The first JVOAEJ was launched in 1990 to honor the late Jaime V. Ongpin who was secretary of finance during the Aquino administration. A press freedom advocate, Ongpin was involved in the struggle against the Marcos dictatorship and was instrumental in harnessing public support for the restoration of democracy.

As in the previous year, reports published by daily newspapers were judged separately from those published by non-dailies. There were thus two sets of first, second, and third prizes for the investigative and explanatory categories.

The first prize winners in the daily and non-daily division of the investigative and the explanatory category each received a cash prize of P70,000 and a plaque.

Read more here.

The stage is set for tomorrow's D-Day

And the stage is set for the 18th Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for Excellence in Journalism tomorrow. As I wrote before, this year really looks exciting with new names in the list of finalists, plus the trusted old ones in the profession. Can't wait to know the winners tomorrow.

After the awards ceremonies in the morning, some of the winners and Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) executive director Melinda Quintos would later guest in Media in Focus, that program in ANC about media issues hosted by broadcast journalist Che-che Lazaro (who by the way is this year's UP Gawad Plaridel awardee). CMFR, the administrative and technical secretariat of the JVOAEJ since its inception in 1990, has again asked Lazaro this year to host the awarding ceremonies. So, please watch Media in Focus tomorrow.

CMFR is also launching its latest publication tomorrow at the event, the only refereed journalism journal in Southeast Asia. Wohoo!

CMFR publishes only refereed journal in SEAsia devoted to journalism
Source: CMFR

The Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) has published the only refereed journal in Southeast Asia devoted to journalism.

The Philippine Journalism Review (PJR), which previously appeared in magazine form, will be launched as a refereed journal during the Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for Excellence in Journalism (JVOAEJ) on Thursday, June 28, at the SGV Hall of the Asian Institute of Management Conference Center in Makati City.

A refereed journal is an academic publication the articles of which pass through a "double blind" review in which experts review articles for publication without knowing who wrote them, while the authors themselves do not know who reviewed their papers.

PJR ceased publication as a bimonthly in 2004, but a monthly monitor, PJR Reports, was published in the same year. In her foreword, CMFR Executive Director and PJR publisher Melinda Quintos de Jesus recalls that CMFR has always intended to republish PJR as a refereed journal together with PJR Reports (PJRR). PJR will initially be published annually, while PJRR will continue as a monthly.

Click here for more. Venus and I provided a bit of editorial support in the book's final pre-printing stages, so we were able to read the drafts before it was published. It's definitely a good read.

CMFR is bringing copies of the new PJR Journal, as well as its other publications like the PJR Reports tomorrow.

The tales of one journalist and the online addiction of another

I wished I had my audio recorder with me last Friday.

Amid deadline pressures, I and Ate Carol managed to have dinner with Joe Torres of GMANews.TV and National Union of Journalists of the Philippines at Kalye Juan in Timog (my nth visit to the place). Actually, I was initially hesitant to go because of the numerous assignments I have to finish. Good thing we went, for it was like a Joe Torres: Up Close and Personal news special. Here is one of the country's most prominent journalists, talking about his personal life, why he went to journalism, his up-and-down lovelife (don't worry Sir Joe; won't divulge details here... haha!), his career, and the rampant corruption in media. Fit for a Maalala Mo Kaya or Magpakailanman episode. Too bad we didn't have the time to order beer while he was revealing to us major, major details about his life. Let's set another dinner, Sir Joe. And this time, we order beer. Haha.

Until now, I am still disoriented by the things he told me, especially on media corruption. Whew.

For Sir Joe's GMANews.TV blog, click here. His personal blog here.

By the way, I just recently created a Wis.dm account. Wis.dm what? Says Time: "Founded by Martin Clifford, a Web 1.0 multimillionaire who's back for round two, wis.dm aims to bring more depth and intelligence to online social networking. Unlike the most popular networking sites, which are more about narcissism (why else would you post 29 pictures of yourself?) and passive voyeurism (guess who your ex is dating now?!) the best way to enjoy wis.dm is to dive in and start asking and answering questions. And unlike Facebook and its ilk, wis.dm is fun to use even if you don't know anyone else on it." (Read the article Is Wis.dm Your Next Web Obsession?) Think of it as Friendster or Myspace, but an inquisitive one.

If you have a wis.dm accout, feel free to add me. Many of you already know my accounts in Friendster, Myspace, Eskwela, Linked.In, and Multiply, so I don't need to put the links here. Haha. Talk about cyber-addiction.

Has CNN also become a master of the journalism practice known here as "SS"*?

Should we add this to the growing list of ethical lapses of the mighty CNN? If a foreign correspondent of this influential global news organization indeed paid to stage a story, how are we assured that all the stories coming from CNN are true? And more importantly, what news organization is left out there that the public can really trust?

Am I hearing Filipino journalists saying "SS"?

CNN Reporter Admits Paying to Stage Story, Capping Nearly a Decade of Network Deception
Source: NewsBusters

So, what is CNN?

THIS is CNN in 1998; the link is to a story debunking the network's Peter Arnett and April Oliver, who accused Vietnam soldiers of war crimes in Operation Tailwind.

This is from 2003. The network's Eason Jordan confessed that the network twisted the news out of Saddam Hussein's Iraq, thereby giving false impressions of the regime to the world so that it could maintain its access to the country (the article is posted at the author's web host for fair use and discussion purposes).

Then there's this from 2005. Eason Jordan accused the US military in Iraq of targeting journalists, and ultimately resigned in the wake of the outcry. "Somehow" the actual video footage of Jordan's accusations, made at the World Economic Forum in Davos, never surfaced.

Next, there's this incredible episode from 2006, where the network showed videos of enemy snipers killing American soldiers in Iraq. Even more incredibly, the videos were marketed on corporate affiliate Time Warner Cable as an On Demand offering.

Now there's this -- paying to have a story staged (bolds are mine):

June 8, 2007 -- The steamy e-mails that landed a CNN reporter in the news and out of a job detailed more than his adulterous affair - they revealed that the Africa correspondent apparently admitted paying militiamen to help him stage a story, according to several sources.

For months, Jeff Koinange had been dogged by allegations that in February, he paid off gunmen to put on a show for a story about Nigerian resistance.

The accusations from Nigerian government officials were so strong that CNN gave a denial during a February broadcast.

"CNN did not pay for or stage any part of the report," anchor John Roberts said. "CNN does not pay for interviews."

But a Swiss author - in an e-mail to Koinange's boss, CNN Worldwide President Jim Walton - details a months-long romance with Koinange, and quotes the correspondent as saying he traded cash for the story.

"Of course I had to pay certain people to get the story," Koinange says, according to the e-mail.

"But everything was done in agreement with CNN and in accordance with their usual standards. But you do not get such a story without bribing . . . You have to have financial resources. But at the end, it was worth it. CNN has its story and I have my 'fame.'"

Read here for more. Click here for the original article from the New York Post (CNN'S BAD NEW$: Romeo 'paid for stories'). The New York Post also has Koinage's photo in the article.


*SS - a practice known in Philippine journalism where journalists exaggerate, "dress up" or concoct a long story out of a few facts or who angle it for the sake of boosting circulation or pleasing someone to whom s/he is indebted. (Source: The CMFR Ethics Manual: A Values Approach to News Media Ethics by the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, 2007)

Wicked night

Still lots of things to do, but before we in the office lost our sanity, we decided to meet some of our interns last night in Korokkan in Timog last night. What a wicked, wicked night. We sang, danced, ate (and drank) all night long. Too bad Don and Bimbo (and intern Martha) left earlier. Maybe next time, all those who were not able to join us (like Junette, Melai and the rest of the interns) -- if there is another thing like this happening.

Thanks to Venus, Rocel (the star of the night), Scent, Karen, and Ivy for such a wacky and crazy night. And of course, to Tat, who organized the whole thing. Thanks Tat! Hope you can organize another soon! Haha!

God, how I miss the laughter and craziness when you're not busy.

I won't tell more, because someone might get angry at me for even posting about this because of its potential danger to blackmail (haha!). Here are the tamer photos of the event courtesy of Tat and Karen.

Wacky, crazy peeps



Don sang his trademark song by the way.



With Venus



Karen the Diva



Venus the CMFR Diva



Don the CMFR Crooner



















Bimbo enthralled the group with his soulful singing



Rocel, Karen, Ivy, and Tat (while they were still sober)



Venus, Ivy, Scent, and Tat (while the others were sleeping... haha!)



When I got home, I had to walk more than a kilometer because of massive road reconstruction (again!) in Caloocan (why does the Caloocan city government always have to reconstruct their roads in June??). And while I was walking -- sleep deprived, tired, hungry, booze-filled and all -- I realized the tons of work I am going to do when I get home and in the office for the rest of the week. Like the ton of bag from 7-11 containing liters of mineral water and Clover Chips I took home. Damn.

Just shows money isn't everything

Watch out for the June issue of the PJR Reports, which is going to be available this week. The issue focuses on how TV stations covered this year's elections -- including one which, in a very strange move, had comics as segment hosts and reporters and psychics as guest panelists on its elections day coverage. The June issue -- which also looks at the online coverage of the elections, media quick counts -- is also going to be available during the Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for Excellence in Journalism on June 28. So guys, please grab a copy.

Speaking of elections, if senatorial bets like Prospero Pichay Jr., Ralph Recto, and Michael Defensor are still wondering why they lost despite pouring in millions of pesos for political advertisements, here's an interesting piece from the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism explaining why:

Missing the Massage
(Or why some big ad spenders lost)
by Jaileen Jimeno

MONEY CAN’T buy you love — or votes, as some politicians who spent big on ads have found out.

Indeed, only four of the 12 biggest spenders on ads for the recently concluded midterm elections have made it so far in the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) ‘Magic 12’ for the Senate. Two more from the list of those with deep pockets (as drawn up by the market research, information, and analysis company AC Nielsen) still have slim chances of sneaking into the Upper House at the last minute, but that means they spent a total of P242.9 million just to get to the bottom of the winners’ list.

Political and advertising experts say that’s because most of these candidates — or more accurately, their handlers — simply failed to come up with an effective campaign that would capture the imagination of voters. They forgot that the message, not money, is key to any campaign.

“You will see that many candidates did not study or plan their ads,” says Malou Tiquia, co-founder of Publicus, the only lobbying and political management firm in the country. “There was disconnect in communication framework and the product.” Tiquia handled the campaign of then senatorial candidate Mar Roxas in 2004. Roxas, who marketed himself via the popular ‘Mr. Palengke’ ads, topped the race.

Advertising producer Toto Espartero, who directed the ads of presidential candidate Eddie Villanueva in 2004, is more scathing in his review of the more recent batch of commercials for the 2007 candidates. He says of the ads, “Parang karnabal, walang laman, walang usapan tungkol sa mga isyu (They were carnivalesque. There was no content, no issues were discussed).”

Mercedes Abad, one of Pulse Asia’s analysts and head of TNS Global, a market information firm, says resonance, believability, and relevance should be the guiding principles in a political campaign. But these were not the only factors absent in most of the big spenders’ commercials. So, too, were, sound planning, accurate reading of voters’ aspirations, and respect for the intellect of the public at large, say experts.

Tiquia says that the lack of planning in particular was why several candidates dumped ads and changed slogans in the middle of the campaign. Tags and taglines that seemingly had no leg to stand on in terms of history and identification with the candidate were used liberally — and, it turns out, disastrously.

Read more here.

Tipping the inverted pyramid over (and then some)

Feeling morose just now, after hearing a shocking announcement from a friend.

I won't begrudge you about it, so don't worry. Just feeling a little blue after hearing the news, leaving me in shock and awe.

I was just looking for some items that I've bookmarked, and found these two articles that you might want to read:

Where do young people get their news?

Young people perceive traditional media as more accurate, trustworthy and reliable than new media, but many get most of their news and information from another source entirely - family and friends.

That is one of the key responses from 10 innovative focus groups of young people in 10 countries that is part of a major research project on how young people get their news.

The goal of the research was to have young people from around the world confirm or challenge hypotheses regarding their media usage habits and attitudes. The insights will be used to guide the next phase of Youth Media DNA, a quantitative study in which 1 000 youths between 15 and 29 years-old will be surveyed in every country that participates in the study.

Read more here.

And for journalists out there, here's an interesting commentary by John Edward Ames of The Christian Science Monitor on the way we write our stories nowadays. What do you think of this article? Any insights?

Hey, journalists, enough with the fancy leads already!

It's the old bait-and-switch, compliments of tabloid culture: A newspaper headline grabs my eye, and I start to read the front-page story beneath it. But instead of immediately learning the pertinent facts, I'm treated to something like this: The demure woman in a beige pantsuit gazes from glazed eyes at what used to be her life's dream.

"It's the cruel irony of it," she repeats in a wistful tone. "Just before my husband died tragically, he predicted this."

Such language is served up widely now that news writers have abandoned customary tenets in favor of a go-as-you-please fiction style. Declining subscriptions and America's obsession with electronic diversions have forced a determined campaign in the print media to "connect" with their readers. That spells hard times for the old-school reporter, that all-seeing fly on the wall whose motto was "shoot it up the middle."

For much of their sometimes seedy history, American journalists have been perceived as tenacious seekers of the facts. Quill drivers, newshawks, ink slingers – reporters have been called many names, most of them not very complimentary. But at least they usually respected the difference between news and pulp fiction.

Now the fly on the wall is an "author" in a camel's-hair sport jacket – one who obviously takes sides with his characters and wraps up a few facts in a tortilla of melodramatic technique. Maybe this paltry piffle helps newspaper circulation, but it's sad to see good reporting replaced by "flash fiction."

I miss the crisp writing and quick, logical flow of information. Accuracy, brevity, and clarity used to be the bywords of a newspaper reporter. Now it's suspense, setting, and back story. Once called the "cynic tribe," many reporters these days are sharing a soap-opera love feast with Oprah.

Read more here.

Why not say it earlier?

"If they're just going to say that they have no jurisdiction, why couldn't have they said it earlier?"

Atty. Jose Diokno was right asking this in light of the recent court decision dismissing the petition filed by a group journalists and media organizations seeking to prohibit executive branch officials from censoring the media. And while the petition -- filed on March 8 last year 2006 following the infamous Presidential Proclamation (PP) 1017 that resulted in a police raid on a newspaper office and threats against critical media -- is already moot and academic, there is still a threat because of the possibility that the threats and raids (or worse) can happen again.

The Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility is a petitioner.

Journalists to continue suit against press intimidation
Source: Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility

Thirty seven journalists, the College of Mass Communication of the University of the Philippines, and eight media organizations will appeal a court decision dismissing their petition seeking to prohibit executive branch officials from censoring the media.

The petition was filed on 8 March 2006 following President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's Presidential Proclamation (PP) 1017 on 24 February 2006 which resulted in a police raid on a newspaper office, and threats against critical media.

In a 17-page decision penned by Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes, the Court of Appeal's 12th Division on 30 May 2007 dismissed the petition for "procedural deficiencies," stating that the CA is not the proper venue for the petition, which he said should have been filed before the Regional Trial Court.

But the Court said that the actions of the government toward the media following PP 1017 "can be construed as a censure to the exercise of the universal rights of free speech."

"It bears to stress that the clear intention of the law is that no prior restraint can be imposed on the exercise of free speech and of expression, and that the freedom to communicate one's views and discuss any matter of public concern should remain to be so without fear or punishment or liability unless there be a clear and present danger of a substantive evil that the State has a right to prevent," said Judge Reyes.

Following the dismissal, the petitioners will file a Motion for Review (MR) before the Court of Appeals. If the MR is denied, the petitioners will file the case before the Supreme Court.

"We are alarmed and disturbed that the court did not face the issue squarely and (did not) judge it on its merits," lawyer Jose Diokno, member of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), said. FLAG's Diokno and Theodore Te are the lawyers of the journalists in the case.

Read more here.

JVOAEJ finalists named; Invitation to attend awards on June 28

The Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility

in cooperation with

The Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Government of Norway

The Asia Foundation with support from the United States Agency for International Development

and

Ateneo de Manila University


invites you to


The Jaime V. Ongpin Journalism Seminar

and

The Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for Excellence in Journalism


Thursday, June 28, 2007


Seminar will begin at 9:30 AM
Awards will be announced at 11:30 AM

SGV Hall
3/F AIM Conference Center Manila
Benavidez cor. Trasierra Sts.
Legaspi Village, Makati City


A cocktail lunch will be served
RSVP Carol or Lara
(63 2) 894-1314/894-1326/840-0889

Tension's up as countdown begins

This year's Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for Excellence in Journalism (JVOAEJ) looks really exciting. Whoo. I can very much feel the tension in the air nowadays as the D-Day approaches. And not because the journalists attending don't know what to wear.

Hope to see you guys on June 28th. If meeting and and sharing views with some of the country's best print journalists present in the affair doesn't appeal to you, then maybe the sumptuous cocktail food and drinks would. For more information about the JVOAEJ and if you have plans of attending, just leave me a message either in the comments or in my shoutbox.

JVOAEJ Winners to be announced on June 28
Source: Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility

The winners of the Jaime V. Ongpin Awards for Excellence in Journalism (JVOAEJ) for works published in 2006 will be known on June 28 (Thursday) during a program to be held at the AIM Conference Center Manila at Benavidez corner Trasierra Sts., Legaspi Village, Makati City.

The Center for Media Freedom & Responsibility (CMFR) has organized the awards program since 1990. This year, program sponsors include the Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Norway, The Asia Foundation with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Ateneo de Manila University.

The awards ceremony will follow the Jaime V. Ongpin Journalism Seminar which starts at 9:30 AM. As has been the practice since 1995, selected finalists participate in a panel discussion about their articles and take questions from the audience of mostly journalism faculty and students.

As in the previous year, reports published by daily newspapers were judged separately from those published by non-dailies. Thus, there are two sets of first, second and third prizes for both investigative and explanatory categories.

In the explanatory category, there are six finalists from the dailies and six from the non-dailies competing for the top prizes, while there are four finalists in each division in the investigative category.

The first-prize winner in each category will receive P70,000.00; the second-prize winner, P40,000.00; and the third, P20,000.00 Finalists will each receive P10,000.00.

The winners of the top prizes and the finalists will also receive a plaque.

This is the 11th year that the Canadian Embassy will award the Marshall McLuhan Prize, a travel study tour of Canada, to a finalist in the investigative journalism category. And for the fifth time, the Australian Embassy will present the Australian Ambassador’s Award, an observation tour of Australia, to the finalist in the explanatory category.

The first JVOAEJ were given in 1990 to honor the late Jaime V. Ongpin, who was secretary of finance during the Aquino administration. A press freedom advocate, Ongpin was involved in the struggle against the Marcos dictatorship and was instrumental in harnessing public support for the restoration of democracy in the Philippines.

FOLLOWING IS THE LIST OF JVOAEJ FINALISTS FOR COMPETITION YEAR 2006 (in no particular order):

Explanatory Reporting Category

Daily Division

Change oil
Dave Llorito
BusinessMirror
April 27, 2006

Doing good in bad times
Daxim L. Lucas and Clarissa S. Batino
Philippine Daily Inquirer
January 8-11, 2006

Traffic: Time to count the costs
Paolo Joseph L. Lising with Iris Cecilia C. Gonzales and Kristine L. Alave
BusinessWorld
April 10-12, 2006

Guimaras oil spill
PDI i-Team
Fernando del Mundo-Chief
Leila B. Salaverria and Tina Arceo-Dumlao with Dona Z. Pazzibugan, Carla P. Gomez, Margaux C. Ortiz, Tetch Torres and Nestor P. Burgos Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
October 23-25, 2006

History is not teacher’s pet
Jonathan M. Hicap
The Manila Times
September 17-18, 2006

RP detergent industry struggles to stay afloat
Mary Ann Ll. Reyes
The Philippine Star
November 8-9, 2006


Non-Daily Division


New Rx needed for generics movement
Alecks P. Pabico
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
Published in Malaya on September 27-28, 2006

Seeing red
Carmela Fonbuena
Newsbreak
July 3, 2006

Tempest in a (feeding) bottle
Vinia M. Datinguinoo
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
Published in Malaya on September 6-7, 2006

Incentives for the rich harm the poor
Roel Landingin
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
Published in The Philippine Star, BusinessMirror, Malaya,
Manila Standard Today and Sun.Star Cebu on August 14-15, 2006

Divorce by religion
Aries Rufo
Newsbreak
August 20, 2006

Preparing for disaster
Vinia M. Datinguinoo
Published in i Report on March-April, May-June 2006

Investigative Reporting Category

Daily Division

CSC reels from GMA prerogative to appoint execs
Jerry E. Esplanada
Philippine Daily Inquirer
March 27-29, 2006

Citrus farmers restive over mining project
Melvin Gascon
Philippine Daily Inquirer
March 15, 2006

Appointments raise questions in land row
Felipe Salvosa II with Maria Eloisa I. Calderon
BusinessWorld
February 7-8, 2006

Untangling the RSBS mess
Fe Zamora
Philippine Daily Inquirer
November 13-16, 2006

Non-Daily Division

The Romualdezes and Equitable Bank
Lala Rimando with research by Evelyn Katigbak
Newsbreak
June 3, July 3, 17 and 31, 2006

Boys Town wards cry sexual, physical abuse
Tess Bacalla
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
Published in The Philippine Star, The Manila Times, Malaya
and Sun.Star Cebu on June 12-13, 2006

Leyte sea roils from rape of WW2 ships
Inday Espina-Varona with Yvette Lee and Christine Mangulabnan
Philippine Graphic
October 23 and 30, 2006

Making money from making peace
Aries Rufo
Newsbreak
July 31, 2006

Journalists and disclosure of sources

So, Scooter Libby was sentenced to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay a $250,000 yesterday for his role in the Valerie Plame affair.

Here's a CNN account of what happened. The CNN report also helpfully gives out a timeline of key events in the investigation of the case. You can also read Time's timeline.

In another article, Time gives us an idea of the effect of the Libby trial on the press.

"(Patrick) Fitzgerald's investigation has set a precedent that will encourage other prosecutors to seek testimony from the press, forcing other journalists to betray their sources. Journalism and the public interest will suffer. It is dispiriting that the Supreme Court refused to hear our plea. But in the absence of a favorable court decision, Congress should pass a shield law to protect journalists and their sources. Reporters Without Borders publishes a press-freedom index, based on responses from media organizations and other experts around the world. The U.S. ranked 53rd out of 168 countries last year, trailing embarrassingly behind Bosnia, Namibia and the Dominican Republic. Without relief from continued assaults on the press, we shall fall further toward Russia (147) and last-place North Korea.

Read the article "How Libby's Trial Hurt the Press " by Norman Pearlstine here.

Priceless: Pacquiao the Political Theorist

Wow. This is priceless.

He should have also included showbiz along with sports and politics, as I am sure many of our politicians and politician wannabes from showbiz and sports have the same thought as well.


"Sports at pulitika, pareho lang iyan. Kasiyahan lang naman ng tao ang habol natin (Sports and politics are just the same. We all just want the people to enjoy and have fun).”

- Manny Pacquiao, national sports icon and "hero," as quoted by ABC 5 in their May 14 Bilang Bayan coverage.

And we wonder why politics in this country has become such a drunken farce.

Stare, Salivate

Just came back to work after a grueling trip in Dagupan and Baguio last weekend (But Philip, Wilma, Melissa, Haidee, thanks for making our six- and eight-hour bus trips enjoyable). Back here in Manila, nothing changed much for me: Even after the elections, there's still much work to do. But please, just don't mind my incessant whine.

Meanwhile, you might want to take a look at the new and improved website of the Columbia Journalism Review (CJR), the premier professional journal for journalists and media professionals.

About the redesign, CJR wrote:

"This is the new Web site for Columbia Journalism Review. It merges two previous CJR sites (CJR.org and CJR Daily.org), and we believe it will provide readers with more than the sum of the parts. Look for fresh content every day — sharp and timely reported press analysis from our online staff; deeply reported media criticism from the print magazine; specials and interactive features to advance the conversation about the performance and problems of the press; as well as some old favorites, such as Language Corner, a guide to writing in English, and Who Owns What, our guide to media ownership. We’re beefing up our coverage of political journalism with the relaunch of Campaign Desk, of business and economic journalism with a reinvigorated Audit column, and of science and environmental journalism."

Visit the website here.

Looking at the new and improved CJR site, I feel like a child staring and salivating in front a Legoland or Toys "R" Us store. Guys in the office and dear RV, let's get working to make a better site.