Reporting year one of the Aquino administration
Meanwhile, the freedom of information (FOI) bill to which Aquino had promised support during the 2010 campaign, has been relegated to the administration back-burner. The administration has drafted its own version, which has been criticized for restricting (See related story on page 12) rather than enhancing access to government information, but has refused to make its passage a priority.
The people are also looking to the Aquino administration to halt human rights violations and the killing of journalists. The media have been closely monitoring the Ampatuan Massacre trial, but the slow pace of both that trial as well as of others involving human rights has also been criticized (See related story on page 13).
ARMM elections
Among the four Aquino promises whose fulfillment has been stalled is that of ensuring the integrity of the 2011 Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) elections. This issue, however, has been scantily reported.
Further, the media, even if they mentioned a number of Republic Acts (RA Nos. 6734, 9054, and 9333) related to the ARMM elections in their few and far between reports, have failed to explain and review what the ARMM Charter is. This could have helped citizens make informed decisions on whether to support or reject the administration’s plan to postpone the elections.
Some analysts say that the Aquino administration has just finished its first year and that there are five years more during which Aquino could fulfill his promises. However, independent research group IBON Foundation said that there are important policies the Aquino administration failed to implement that could have been done within the past year.
In a briefing with the media, IBON Foundation representatives said that the Aquino administration failed to implement concrete actions and policies for jobs generation and wage increases, land distribution and agrarian reform, health services and education, and economic policies.
Even in the anti-corruption campaign, efforts to prosecute former officials for allegedly corrupt practices were initiated outside the government, the group said.
Further, Executive Order No. 1 creating the Truth Commission, which was supposed to track alleged corruption issues of the previous Arroyo administration, was too tame and had been ill-prepared the Supreme Court eventually declared it unconstitutional.
IBON Foundation recommended the implementation of a P125 wage hike; genuine agrarian reforms including the distribution of Hacienda Luisita to farmer-tillers; a dramatic increase in the budgets for public education and health services; and a commitment to the creation of national industries.
Tracking the promises
There were bright spots in media coverage during the first year of the new Aquino administration. The continuous tracking of Aquino’s promises and accomplishments helped inform the people on how Aquino has been serving his “boss.”
Through such initiatives as the July special reports on the state of the nation’s health, education and poverty, the media also reminded Aquino himself of his tasks and the goals he has set for the nation. There were also proactive media efforts to bring into the public discourse the most urgent issues and problems facing the nation as well as attempts to engage the people in the making of public policies.
But the gray areas need extra effort. The media could wind down its reporting on matters like the President’s love life unless they affect the normal course of government and adversely affect the President’s capacity to function.
What the times need is sustained and meaningful attention on how the Aquino administration is addressing the problems of the country, as Aquino the candidate promised to do during the campaign. The media can help the public do just that.