Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Sentro ng Katotohanan with Dr. Martin Bautista (LP Senatoriable)

Yesterday, we had a fast-paced interview with Dr. Martin Bautista, a Senatorial candidate for the Liberal Party. Our questions ranged from his roots, his political association, and his stand on different issues. Our questions include:

- Where he grew up? Why he became a doctor? Why he went to work in the USA? Why he came back?
- Why he run for Senator under the LP and not under his old party, the Ang Kapatiran? Why he supports Sen. Aquino?
- His stand on the RH Bill, on Charter Change, on the Erap Pardon, on Marcos' years, etc.

Listen to Dr. Bautista as he gamely answers all our questions, many of them obviously quite challenging, with passion. Said broadcast archive can now be accessed and listened to from this link.

Sentro ng Katotohanan, February 16, 2010, with Dr. Martin Bautista

Anim na Mungkahi para sa Pagsasagawa ng mga Debate o Forums

Nitong mga nakaraang araw at linggo, parang sunod-sunod ang mga presidential forums na naganap. Kamakailan, meron pong FOCAP, nung minsan, may forum ng Inquirer sa UP, noong isang linggo sa Merriam College, tapos meron din sa La Salle at Ateneo. noong dati sa UST, meron din sa AIM at kung saan-saan pa. OK po ang mga forums, kaso parang medyo nakakasawa na kung pare-pareho lang ang style. Parang nawawalan po tuloy ng saysay.

Para po maging exciting at makabuluhan ang mga forums na ito, may mga suggestions po ang Sentro ng Katotohanan. Sana po ay makarating ang mga suggestions namin sa mga nag-o-organize ng forums para na rin makatulong sa kapakanan at kaalaman ng ating mga kababayan:

1. Sana po, imbis na forums, debate ang gawin. Kung ang forums po ay tatanungin lamang ang bawat isa sa mga kandidato, e para saan pa kung bakit inimbitahan sila ng sabay-sabay? Pwede naman po silang tanungin ng hiwa-hiwalay, hindi po ba? Ang mainam po sa debate, makikita ng mga tao ang pag-kakaiba ng mga kandidato. Hindi po kagaya kapag forums lang, parang pare-pareho lang ang kanilang sinasabi. Nalilito tuloy tayo lalo kung sino ang dapat iboto.

2. Dahil hindi naman po iisa lang ang gagawing debate, dapat po ay paghiwa-hiwalayin ang mga issues sa bawat debate. Isang araw po ng debate ay puro lamang sana sa ekonomiya. Isang araw po ay puro lamang tungkol sa OFWs. Isang araw po sana ay puro lamang sa paglaban sa graft and corruption. Isang araw po sana ay puro naman tungkol sa Reproductive Health at population. Ibang araw naman ay tungkol sa Charter Change. Ang nangyayari po kasi ngayon, bawat isang forum ay pilit na itinatanong lahat ng mga tanong. Tapos ganun din ang nangyayari sa susunod na forum. Hindi naman po nakukumpleto ang sagot ng mga kandidato dahil nauubos na ang oras. Parang hindi na tayo natatapos sa pare-parehong tanong, nasasayang tuloy ang panahon at pagkakataon.

3. Sana po sa mga debate ay isang tao lang ang magtatanong o magmomoderate. Sa mga forums po na nakikita ko, ang daming nagtatanong. Lahat po yata ng mga tumulong mag-organize ng forum ay gustong magtanong. Ang nangyayari tuloy, walang nagiging follow-up sa mga kasagutan at wala rin tayong natatapos. Wag na po sanang pumapel lahat ng organizers, hindi naman po tayo lahat mahusay mag-tanong o magmoderate ng forum o debate. Sana po ay humanap ng isang professional at patas na tao, na may expertise sa issue na pag-uusapan, para magtanong o magmoderate sa bawat isang debate.

4. Dapat po ang mga tanong ay puro tungkol sa policies. Wag na po sana yung mga personal o yung mga iba’t-ibang issues laban sa kandidato. Kasi po yung mga tanong na iyon ay dapat sa individual interviews ginagawa, hindi na po sa debate o forum. Nakakadagdag lamang po sa paghihintay ng ibang kandidato, hindi naman din po nasasagot ng husto dahil nagmamadali na sa oras.

5. Sana po ay gawing televised sa primetime sa gabi ang mga debate sa maraming channels. Sana ay may replay din kinabukasan ng tanghali. Sana po ay i-sponsor na lang ng COMELEC ang mga forums o kaya ay i-air sa mga government stations. Kasi po, may mga ibang channels na parang may kinikilingan o may nilalabanan. Kung walang channel na may exclusive sponsor ng debate, mas mainam po at parang mas patas ang usapan. Hindi naman po dapat exclusive ang mga debate at forums sa isang channel, dapat po ito ay open sa lahat ng mass media.

6. Sa parte naman po ng iba sa mass media, sana po, ang lahat ng TV, radio at dyaryo ay mag-cover sa mga debate. Ang mali pong nangyayari, parang kanya-kanya ang mga media stations. Yung forum sa ABS-CBN, hindi konocover ng GMA, yung sa GMA hindi naman kinocover ng kabila. Kahit po iyong sa Inquirer hindi gaano kinover ng mga TV station. Para pong may kumpetensya pa. Public service na lang po sana ito, hindi na competition sa business. Kasi ang eleksyon po ay para rin naman po sa ating lahat, kasama na ang atin mismong business interests.

Ito po ang anim kong suggestions, ulitin ko lang po:
1. Debate po sana at hindi lamang forum, para makita natin ang pagkakaiba ng mga kandidato
2. Hiwa-hiwalayin po sana ang mga issues, iba-ibang araw ng debate po sana bawat issue para makita natin talaga ang mga solusyong ibibigay ng mga kandidato
3. Isang moderator po lamang sana bawat debate, hindi po kailangang lahat tayo ay magtanong.
4. Policy debates po sana ang gawin, wala na po sanang mga personal questions at mga issues na pwede namang gawin sa individual interviews.
5. I-televise sana ng live ang mga debate, sa prime time TV at open sa lahat ng mga channels, hindi exclusive.
6. I-cover po sana ng lahat ng mass media ang mga forums, para po mas marami ang makaalam sa lahat ng issues, Itigil na po muna sana ang kumpetensya sa mga media outlets.

Kami po sa Sentro ng Katotohanan (DWBL 1242KHz 8.30-9.30PM T-Th), ay umaasa na sana ay makita natin itong mga improvements na ito tungkol sa debate at forums. Maraming salamat po!

Friday, February 12, 2010

Sentro on Fair Election Act Implenting Rules/Regulations

Yesterday, Iya and myself discussed the recently promulgated Comelec Resolution #8758 (RULES AND REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9006, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "FAIR ELECTION PRACTICES ACT”, IN RELATION TO THE MAY 10, 2010 SYNCHRONIZED NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTIONS, AND SUBSEQUENT ELECTIONS).

We wonder how the provisions can be implemented and how the same could affect us as broadcasters (sort of).. Everyone can now listen to the said broadcast here (link).

www.leadphil.blogspot.com

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Sentro is open to all National Candidates

Sentro ng Katotohanan (8.30-9.30PM, T-Th, DWBL 1242KHz) seeks and is open to interview and feature all senatorial candidates in the coming May 2010 elections. If you are a national candidate, or works for a campaign or knew someone who does, or just plainly want us to invite someone, please comment here or email us at lead.philippines(at)yahoo.com (or send an SMS to 0929-799-8308) and provide us information how to get in touch with the candidates.

Sentro is a fresh new program on AM radio that centers on topics related to the coming elections. In the past, Sentro has interviewed JC Delos Reyes, Nic Perlas, Bayani Fernando, Jun Chipeco, Alex Lacson, Sonia Roco and other national candidates. The Sentro interview touches on many topics of interest to voters, including the candidates' personal lives and past achievements. Of course Sentro also asks about platforms (and legislative agenda for senatoriables) of the candidates, as well as their reaction to different national issues. It may be noted that Sentro interviews does not shy away from asking direct, even controversial questions, and as such has in the past elicited candid responses from featured guests.

Sentro ng Katotohanan is co-anchored by Arnel Endrinal and Ms. Iya-J.

www.leadphil.blogspot.com

Sentro February 9, 2010

Last tuesday, the topic of discussion between Iya and myself centered on Presidential forums, especially the latest by the Philippine Daily Inquirer held at the University of the Philippines last February 8.

The main points raised are as follows:
1. Mud throwing between candidates, including by the candidate that is supposedly running on "character".
2. A debate is better than a forum, so that voters can differentiate the candidates based on their platform
3. We question why Presidential forums are not covered by everyone in the mass media, and covered only by those who are part of its production?
4. In different forums, why are the same questions asked over and over again..
5. Why there are many people who ask question and not assign one anchor who will ask all the questions?

The above broadcast may now be heard online from www.leadphil.blogspot.com. LINK

Friday, February 5, 2010

SWS answers questions from Sentro

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of interviewing the President of one of the most respected poll organization in the Philippines, Dr. Mahar Mangahas of SWS (Social Weather Stations). For 45 minutes, Sentro asked the most persistent questions (even complaints) we all have on surveys, and Dr. Mangahas gamely answered all of them.

Some of the questions we asked are as follows:
1. Where do they get their funds?
2. What is the value of surveys for Voters? How should voters treat surveys?
3. What is his take on the bandwagon effect of surveys?
4. How they conduct their surveys and make sure such conduct do not have any effect on the responses?
5. What are the steps they do to conduct the surveys?
6. How can a small number of respondents (e.g. 2,100) reflect the feel of large number of voters (about 50M)?
7. How they make sure their surveys reflect the true situation (Quality Control)?
8. What is the chance of an average voter to be surveyed by SWS?

In the end, although we insist that SWS should at least issue a disclaimer (or I should have used a better word, guidance) on the people's treatment of surveys, in my mind to limit the spin politicians make on their results, Dr. Mangahas maintains that their surveys reflect the real pulse of the people at the time of the survey and it is up to anybody to use them as they wish. Surely though, people should blame people who put a spin on data rather on the organization that gathered it.

The archived broadcast may now be listened online from this link.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Sentro February 2, 2010

Yesterday, Sentro ng Katotohanan talked to another Ang Kapatiran Party Senatoriable Reginald Tamayo. Listen to the archived broadcast from www.leadphil.blogspot.com.