Out of the dizzying flux of social media platforms, two terms have evolved - bloggers and influencers. For a septuagenarian like me, these are rather new words brought forth by digitalization which I need to do a lot of catching up. There seems to be a fine, almost indistinguishable, line that separates the two. A blogger is defined as someone who writes regularly for an online journal or website. The keywords here are “online journal or website.” There is a political blogger who provides a weekly commentary on current events. There is also a personal blogger who keeps a website of diary like entries as there are fashion and pop culture bloggers. In general, this term blogger was reportedly first used in 1998.
Since the internet defines an influencer to be a person who is regarded as an expert within a particular field and also has a steady following, it looks like the influencer is the more profound blogger that is if any ranking of sort is to be ever made. From this distinction, I submit that the opinion makers who maintain their regular columns in the mainstream media (and I refer to newspapers and magazines) are the counterparts of influencers of the bourgeoning digital platforms.
I am saddened to read from many respected opinion makers of mainstream media (and influencers of the social media platforms) a disturbing pattern of deteriorating quality of our leadership. In particular, they refer to our Senate. Their elegant writings and scholarly treatises have convinced me that there are such incompetent men whom we have elected to occupy seats in the upper chamber of our legislature as entertainers Robin Padilla, Lito Lapid and Bong Revilla as there are political stooges as Bato de la Rosa, Bong Go, and brothers JV Ejercito and Jinggoy Estrada.
These opinion makers have influenced me immensely as to try myself to find measures to reverse such deterioration in the quality of lawmakers. Last week, I wanted to see if the thoughts of these influencers have also touched our countrymen as they have mine. I wrote that article which I titled Incompetence and Political Dynasty and ended with a call for a start of a movement to choose in the 2025 elections better minds to the Senate. I did not expect much though. But the reactions from the readers surprised me. Their responses indicated that there are many in our midst who are so disillusioned with the mediocrityof some senators. These responders showed a high degree of willingness to participate in any process to rid our future senate of legislative clowns.
I like to cite a few of the many responders although I cannot name them because I have not asked their permissions. Two of them are lawyers. One, an Atty. Manuel, held a national office of the Integrated Bar and the other, an Atty. Eugene, a recognized expert in a specialized field of lawyering. An intellectual former barangay official, Sehal Lando, sent his commitment. There was a response from a William, who claimed to be an ordinary citizen.
I found reason to hope from the text of the responders. Perhaps we can prevent the continued mediocrity of the Senate with the combined efforts of ordinary citizens. I have a surge of hope because the inescapable character of those responses was the lucidity of their messages which is absent in the few times Lito Lapid ever opened his mouth in the Senate sessions. They spoke with appreciable conviction to help revive the kind of Senate where Lorenzo Tanada, Arturo Tolentino, Jose Diokno, to name a few distinguished jewels. were members of.
Hopefully before November ends, we can convene. Those still interested to contribute their minds into this quest for competent senators may text me at 0917 322 7636.