Journo to blogger: Mitzi Borromeo shares tips for Mocha Uson

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential Communications Operations Office Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson recently drew flak for a Facebook poll she posted that asked her followers if they think the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution was an offshoot of “fake news.”

Among those who criticized Mocha was veteran journalist Ed Lingao of TV5.

In a social media post, Lingao said: “I will try to understand your inability to comprehend what it was like to use your body to block Marines and their 37-ton Amtraks from advancing to Camp Aguinaldo to quell a military mutiny. I suppose wala ka naman duon... What I cannot understand is where you get the nerve to imply that this was all theatrics.”

According to him: “If you want samples of theatrics, there are more appropriate samples out there, like the one on a lady assistant secretary’s blog where she shows herself plinking targets with a rifle, with the caption that says ‘training kahapon bago pumunta sa Mindanao.’ Or one where she is reading law books.”

In a lengthy Facebook post, Lingao narrated a part of the history that transpired during the EDSA Revolution to fight “alternate truths, spins, and creative imaginings,” he said.

In an interview with Philstar.com, another broadcast journalist, Mitzi Borromeo of CNN Philippines, shared what she thinks Uson should do to avoid criticism.

“She (Mocha) may not have to give up her blog, but she should be more responsible about how she writes,” said Mitzi, who developed a two-part “The Full Story: EDSA” documentary for then-Solar News TV.

“At saka, pikon din (s’ya). Remember when she was criticized for her Naga, ‘di ba ang daming memes nung Mayon? Then I saw her response na ‘Yun lang di ba? One mistake, so why don’t we talk about Dengvaxia’ daw...But they are being talked about. I think what she should really do is read and maybe research more...Research naman!” Mitzi prescribed.

The problem nowadays, said Borromeo, is people want to be the first to post. Instead, she suggested waiting a little bit to do research and not sacrifice accuracy for speed.

If Mocha cannot do research, then she should ask her staff to do it, said Mitzi.

“As a public official, she doesn’t have to give up her blog, but she can write it naman in a better and more respectable manner that probably a public official probably would write, ‘no?” Mitzi pointed out.

“'Di ba in the recent fake news inquiry sa senate, Senator Grace Poe was saying, ‘Bloggers should also be responsible...When you put something out, you have to be responsible. Pinoys pa naman are so pikon.”

Borromeo is also concerned about the rise of trolls. “People are fearless because they’re hiding behind the screen. To me, it bothers me that you can say whatever you want and then what, you’re not responsible?”

While people should fight for press freedom, Mitzi reminded to also not forget social responsibility. “In a democracy, press freedom is something we should be grateful for. There are many countries with no freedom of expression...Cyberbullying, that’s a big problem now. (Because) of freedom of speech, you’re able to bash but at the same time, is this the world we’re creating now – a mean society, meaning, we’re losing our sense of respect.”

To discover how the digital world is transforming people’s lives, Borromeo is helping launch “Digi-Pinoy,” CNN Philippines’ first digital series that explores how information technology has changed the Filipino way of life.

From how people find love on Tinder to finding out if self-medicating by searching for cures online, “Digi-Pinoy” will delve on a wide range of topics backed by interviews with experts like doctors and anthropologists, said Borromeo.

The series, which premieres in March at CNN Philippines’ website and Facebook, allows Borromeo to explore her fascination for studying human behavior and telling unique human stories, this time, in the context of the digital age.

She shared that while working on one of the episodes, she found out that even rich kids from exclusive schools suffer from depression because of the digital world.

“You would think these kids have everything, but they are not happy and suicidal. They are living through their screens and not so much in the real life. As a study says, ‘Technology is like a drug. When we check our likes and comments on social media – that could already become addiction.”