President Benigno S. Aquino III underscored the importance of having a good and honest media, one that not only dwells on the trivial issues but on the relevant ones as well.
In his speech keynoting the 111th Anniversary of Manila Bulletin on Wednesday, last week at its main office in Intramuros, Manila, the President said Filipinos deserve no less than this.
"I always make it a point to remind our friends in media to help elevate the level of discourse in our country. And while I accept that there are certain things about my private life that will always be of interest to the public, it would be better if you give the same amount of attention to issues that matter as well," the President said.
The President lamented that instead of highlighting the P29-billion worth of government owned and controlled corporations’ dividend that went into the country’s coffers last week, media chose to "speculate about whether I would have a date last Valentine’s Day.
"It was discouraging," Aquino said. He, however, said that he believes in media’s ability to weed out the relevant issues from the not.
"I believe in your (media’s) ability to discern what is relevant, the same way I believe in our people, that they are capable of rebuilding this country," the President said.
"What our country asks of us is simple: that the media remain fair, that the people work hard while maintaining their calm demeanor, and that our public servants do their jobs with honesty and competence. These are very challenging things, but if we hold strong and remind ourselves of our dreams of this country reaching its actual potential, then what can we not do?" he asked. /MP
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