Scraping the bottom of the barrel
IN functioning democracies with three co- equal branches of government, it is the executive branch that gets the most attention and rightly so. And the presidency is also at the center of that democracy’s media universe. The president implements the policies laid down by the legislative, plus the powers that he or she wields as the chief executive and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. He is also in charge of those uber critical matters that pertain to foreign policy and international trade. Presidents who can’t temper their power trips often engage in executive overreach.
The real action, though, in the Philippine setting and in countries with similar
governing structures, is at the Congress. Laws are written. The budget is passed. Resolutions are filed for the advocacy component of congressional work. The actual debates on policy take place in Congress. Congress has the power to impeach the president and officers of Constitutional bodies.
In our country, Congress is also in charge of franchise grants, a lowkey but potent power that is largely controversy-free. Until now, that is.
What was supposed to be a routine, speedy franchise grant to giant network ABS-CBN Corp. (which is the norm in most franchise grants to media entities) has turned into a polarizing issue and a national spectacle. The fate of the giant network is, to be kind about it, uncertain. Many members of the House of Representatives, normally agnostic and indifferent on the grant of media franchises, have suddenly found their legislative mojo, displaying instant expertise on topics like
jus sanguinis, advertising buys, network talents versus regulars, Philippine Depositary Receipts or PDRs, journalistic bias, tax payments, and a network’s contribution to the broader economy. And invasions into the personal, too. Can the Lopez scion now in charge of the network recite the “PanatangMakabayan,” the test of his allegiance to the country?
The public hearings on the congressional franchise has so riveted the nation that the surging number of coronavirus infections has to often play second fiddle to the drama of the franchise hearings. Sagip’s Rodante Marcoleta, a legislative backbencher through his many stints in Congress as a party- list representative, has gained his 15 minutes of fame by playing the nemesis of ABS- CBN Chairman Emeritus Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez 3rd. Netizens, though, were not impressed, dismissing Marcoleta as punching above his weight class — figuratively. On physical weight, though, Marcoleta has the upper hand.
The tactical approach of those opposed to the franchise grant, a cynic said, can be aptly termed as waste segregation. Specific issues that could blacken and tar the franchise application are identified — and anti is assigned to banner each of the specific line of attacks — such as assigning to Marcoleta the task of supposedly unraveling the true nationality of Gabby Lopez. Rep. Elpidio Frani Barzaga Jr. of Cavite was tasked on the ad buys, a network accepting ad buys but with no intention of running the ads (It is all about the money, ha ha.) Another Cavite representative, Rep. Jonvic “Boying” Remulla, was so consumed by his antigrant passion that he failed to stand up for the national anthem during one of the 12 hearings on the franchise grant.
The line of attacks has so far focused on familiar themes of ownership, law, taxation, fidelity to labor laws and the supposed political bias of the network. Then, out of the blue, a representative from the ancient city of Manila, a Baptist pastor named Bienvenido Abante Jr., raised the issues of cultural values and morality. The throwback issues of “steamy love scene” and “foul language” and “degrading scenes” on popular shows of the network were so 20th century that only one of two media outlets gave prominence to the pastor-congressman’s plaintive gripes.
“Have you forsaken Filipino cultural values and morality in favor of ratings,” thundered Abante in all serious piety.
The reaction to Abante’s preacher tone was harsh and swift. Man, as if you don’t even realize you live in a glasshouse, was the dominant reaction from the netizens. From the same undying fount of morality crusades that has the ancient city of Manila as staging point, Abante’s invocation of values and morality brought men of a certain age to a sense of déjà vu. Decades ago, a Manila- based anti- smut crusader named Polly Cayetano had her 15 minutes of tabloid fame as she led the burning of a supposed smut publications in a public square in Manila — the innocent Tiktik and tabloids with pin-ups at the front pages — to supposedly send the “garbage” publications into the fires of hell.
Polly Cayetano never had her Victorian restoration. After the burning rites, the tabloids got more chutzpah and daring.
Abante, for sure, has pastoral duties in the temporal world — but definitely not the cave- age issues of “steamy love scenes” and imaginings of smut. Invoking these in the time of Covid-19 is just like scraping the bottom for the barrel to find the leastrelevant issue to raise against the franchise grant. The bedrock doctrine of Christian values is the Sermon on the Mount, the greatest compilation of words ever written. The Christians referred to in the passages are the “weak” and the “meek” and the “persecuted.” These are the 11,000 ABS- CBN workers who would be thrown off into the streets should Congress deny the network its franchise.
The greatest teaching of Christianity is short and straightforward — love God, then your fellowmen.
The real test of moral values and Filipino values and Christian values is looking after you fellowmen during these dire and trying times.
If Rep. Abante is truly a Christian after God’s heart, his franchise vote should go to the 11,000 workers who are in danger of losing their jobs. Note. The TWG or technical working group was scheduled to submit its summary on the franchise hearings July 10, as I write this piece. A committee -level vote took place that day or moved to another date.