Media told: Expand through the Net

Over the years, the Internet has gained popularity among Filipino users because of online chatting and social networking, but experts say this could be a “powerful tool” too for journalists and even private citizens to affect social change in the country.

Mel Velarde, who was one of the speakers of yesterday’s forum entitled Media and Technology held at the MBF Cebu Press Center, said that since most Filipinos are hooked to social networking - being subscribers to MySpace, Facebook, Friendster and other social networking sites - it is high time that media should also join this bandwagon “to expand their reach” to their audience.

Velarde is Philippine commissioner to the United Nations Educational, Scientific Cultural Organization; Information Capital Technology Ventures, Inc. vice chairman; and chief executive officer of Next Mobile, Inc.

Speaking before campus journalists and some media practitioners, Velarde noted that the Internet is a technology that “enables collaboration” with other users, as there are at least two billion users all over the world, and over three million of them are from the Philippines, which is actually ranked number one worldwide in the most number of subscribers to social networking sites.

That if Filipinos would use this time in the Internet “to collaborate” with one another through these sites in the web, like blogs, “throw ideas, and make a stand” about certain issues in the government, for example, then their “collective action will change the government,” as it is not because of the leader that makes a country weak, it is because of its people, he noted.

“Collective action will bring back power to the people. Edsa will no longer be the site for future revolutions,” he said.

In the 1960s, he noted, the Philippines was among those richest Southeast Asian countries, but this growth stagnated while its counterparts became richer, an effect that could be owing to the fact that its citizens are “not vigilant” and “not passionate about change,” there was no collaboration at all, while “our neighbors are smarter than us,” Velarde said.

Since journalists should also be in this process, linking with their online audiences, he advised that they have to explore this “new university” too, being a “more potent” communication tool with a “wider reach.”

For her part, Glenda Gloria, chief operating officer of ANC and managing editor of Newsbreak online magazine, said that online news, where it has also become interactive and allows readers to also report online what is happening in their localities, have also empowered citizens.

The forum, which was a part of the celebration of the 14th Cebu Press Freedom Week, was sponsored by Canada and Manila Water. — Liv G. Campo/MEEV