El PERIODISTA
Bogota-based Fil-Colombian journalist Manuel Teodoro came back to Manila recently to talk about how Chile became one of the world’s least corrupt nations
Born to a Filipino father and a Colombian mother, Manuel Teodoro was an anchor on RPN 9’s Newswatch. Later, he joined CNN as its Hispanic correspondent in New York and eventually became its Colombia correspondent. He joined Colombia’s Caracol Television in 1996 and now directs and hosts the show Séptimo Dia. He was also a correspondent for Spanish media giant Univision and NBC in Los Angeles. He has a total of 14 awards, including two Emmys. Teodoro is also a partner in a communications company that specialises in crisis management, spokesperson training, digital reputation management, and crafting effective corporate presentations.
He recently sat down with Philippine Tatler and spoke about the impact of corruption in Colombia and how it compares to its neighbour, Chile.
Know more about Manuel Teodoro and his work in television and corporate communications at manuelteodoro.com
What questions did you seek to answer when you did the “Colombia Corrupta” episode of Séptimo Dia?
We were actually asking the question of why we [Colombia] were so corrupt. Right now, Colombia is ranked 80th or 85th in the list of the world’s most corrupt nations. It’s a big issue for us and it’s something we want to diminish, if not get rid of, completely.
But why Chile as a point of comparison?
Two things. One, along with Uruguay, Chile has consistently been ranked among the world’s top 20 least corrupt countries; 14th or 15th as of the last listing. But unlike Uruguay which is distinctively more European than either Chile or Colombia, Chile is closer to us with regard to ethnicity, though there is a lot more German and English influence over there. Colombians actually say, “If we had been a colony of England and not of Spain, we’d have been less corrupt.”
In which case, seeing a similar situation in the Philippines, would you say that Spanish colonisation had its role to play in building a culture of corruption?
The exchange of favours and the ensuing lack of transparency between the Church and the State certainly became the root of corruption and public repression. Around the time of the Pinochet Dictatorship, Chileans decided that they didn’t like the corruption that ran throughout South America. They knew they couldn’t completely eliminate corruption, but they could alleviate it. As a result, as early as second grade, Chileans are made to understand their obligations as citizens of the State— they know their rights, but they also know their obligations. You will never hear a Chilean say, “I demand my rights.” They also have a strong free press and the government works to ensure transparency and fairness in public welfare. As a result, they are now the least corrupt in Latin America and their citizens have a strong capacity to fight corruption.
You mentioned a strong free press. What role do—or should—journalists play in the fight against corruption?
The role played by journalists in Chile is strategic: the citizens’ right to information always prevails. The press is there to remind people that there will be immediate consequences if anyone forgets their obligations. For journalists in general, do not be afraid to ask the questions that need to be asked and to demand the answers that people need to hear. The vigorous pursuit of Chilean journalists to hold accountable those in power is something we Colombian and Filipino journalists should do more.