Two Bulletin “reports” were no more than PR pieces 

JEERS TO the Manila Bulletin for wasting space on two PR pieces it passed off as journalism. Both were so blatantly in the interest of the objects of praise that it calls attention to the lapses in judgment of a legacy newspaper. 

Indeed, these kinds of stories have become too common in media practice—which does not make it right and deserves to be flagged as because they hardly help regain declining public trust in the news media. 

The June 27 piece “Duterte Legacy: Making education ‘more accessible’ for all Filipinos” merely echoed claims by Duterte officials regarding their supposed achievements during their own watch. The Bulletin cited Leonor Briones, Education Secretary and Prospero De Vera III, Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education as its only sources. 

Both context and critical analysis were missing in the article, which did not take into account the government’s decision to cancel all classroom learning nationwide from the first year of the pandemic as the Department of Education foundered in its efforts to produce digital modules to implement remote learning. There was no reference to the poor rankings of Filipino students even before the pandemic in international tests such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)⁠. The likelihood is that these rankings have deteriorated further with the extended closure of schools. 

As for the tertiary education sector, de Vera said “exclusively Tatak Duterte” was the signing into law of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act. The “report” did not look into the financial challenge that goes with its implementation, nor the wisdom of promoting enrollments despite the lack of quality tertiary institutions. CHED should focus on improving the quality of learning in the schools it had licensed to operate, but there was no mention of that imperative. 

So what? 

The Bulletin piece on June 28— “Marcoleta unlocks achievement on Instagram” —detailed the social media platform reach of 8,000 followers gained by SAGIP Party-list Representative Rodante Marcoleta’s Instagram account. Published in its National News section, it described Marcoleta as “among the more memorable members of the UniTeam,” padding it with his message of thanks to his followers. The number, in comparison to other social media accounts, should not have been regarded as an achievement; and even if he gained more, it has no value as news as it has nothing to do with his duties as a legislator. 

The two pieces raise questions about the gate-keeping function in this national newspaper. PR pieces not only waste precious news space, they also deepen the public distrust of and disenchantment with newspapers and the press in general.