Communication problems - Roses And Thorns

Undoubtedly, Malacañang is having communication problems. There is no way for Malacañang to communicate with the public except through media. For a while President Estrada thought that he could reach the masses directly through radio. What he says over the radio, he said, could not be distorted by an antagonistic press. To a certain extent, that is true. But as he himself must have discovered, radio commentators are as critical of him as press commentators. And so now, he himself is seriously considering his air time on his weekly programs.

The purpose of all public relations offices is to inform the people as to just what the particular organization is doing to serve the public. The success of any public relations office depends on its human relations with the people they get in contact. Let us take the simple case of President Estrada's announcement that he has dismissed many of his own peso-a-year man advisers. He has even publicly ordered them to destroy their calling cards and stationery and has asked for the public's cooperation in exposing those who have not obeyed his instructions so that they can be criminally prosecuted. All that media has requested is that it be furnished with a list of all the advisers that he has appointed, particularly the ones he has fired. Malacañang's answer was, first, that the list was strictly confidential; second, that the appointment of these advisers was never official.

If they were never officially appointed, how can they be fired? The general public and the press want to support the President in prosecuting these advisers, but there is nothing they can do if Malacañang is not the first to cooperate in providing the public with a list as to who these "unofficial" advisers are.

Now, there is a "white paper" circulating about a P53 billion contract in the Municipal Telephone Project office that has been signed allegedly in violation of R.A. 7925 which provides that the engine of growth and development should be under the private sector. There are quite a number of enfranchised private entities that are willing to implement this Telepono sa Barangay Project. Why should the government spend P53 billion? President Estrada should look into this and declare his stand on the matter.

To repeat, no administration can succeed if it has no credulity and credulity starts with transparency. We sincerely wish that the relations between Malacañang and media would improve. Both should exist to serve national interest.