ABS-CBN is the biggest TROLL FARM of them all: no place for it in Philippine democracy

In the dumbing down of the Filipino people. That is what ABS-CBN has been doing since its revival in 1986. No less than the national artist for literature, F. Sionil Jose, has written about the subject several times. It has also been described as the largest political party in the country for its ability to influence election outcomes. It is ironic that it is being defended up to now by leftist-militant groups which are supposedly against oligarchic rule.

Philippine politics is largely hypocritical in nature. There are no principles at stake whatsoever. There are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests to be protected. Certain politicians have been harping about trolls the past weeks. But wasn’t ABS-CBN the biggest troll of them all even before the advent of social media? Proof is how its broadcast anchors have managed to win elective office. Noli de Castro as Senator and Vice-President. Loren Legarda as Senator and Ted Failon as Congressman. There are other lesser known talents who won at the local level in the past and there will surely be more in the future.

Laban Kapamilya is their battle-cry, and for what? Aren’t their owners cognizant of the natural consequence of their dipping their fingers in politics? The position of the Lopezes has always been that they are bigger than the country. During their glory days they threw the most lavish parties Philippines high society have ever seen. This was a demonstration of power and a display of wealth. They have lorded it over the county since the end of World War II. Fernando Lopez was then presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos’s running mate during his first term. He won as Vice-President.

Press freedom and freedom of speech are not dead as the Opposition claims. The President has been under attack since he was a candidate. It will not stop until he steps down. It might not even stop altogether. As Filipinos, it is our duty as citizens to see through this charade. We are smarter than this. We don’t deserve to be dumbed down by the inane programs of ABS-CBN.

There was a time when it still had balanced programming. But in its desire to maximize profits it has solely catered to the masa and dumbed them down even more. This is an indirect control mechanism which gives ABS-CBN and the Lopez’s power over the country through the people they claim to serve. This is also why journalism is a joke now. What used to be a noble profession has been flushed down the toilet and now lives in the sewers. Worse, journalists today also fancy themselves as “activists” and they make known which side they are on and work that into their reportage. However, it is not their place to be doing such things. It is the public who are supposed to form their opinions, not them.

ABS-CBN was a victim of its own machinations. It played the game and lost. That’s not on the government or the people. It’s on them. It’s best that they be content with what’s left of their network and not appeal to the emotions of the public. This doesn’t work anymore. The Opposition wants us to believe that we are in an authoritarian, tyrannical and fascist dictatorship. You only have to listen to the noise generated by media to realize this is false. Instead of casting the Philippines in a positive light, they are doing the opposite with their black propaganda campaign. How then is this being of service to the Filipino? This is the question we should ask ourselves.

Ramon Ortoll

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