Mass media is the means by which people get information. It can be thru the print, broadcast or television. There is no information that these tri-media cannot provide. It is no wonder, therefore, that the media is also known as the fourth estate. During the medieval age the three other estates were the Clergy, the Nobility and the Commoners. In modern democracy the three other estates are the three branches of government – the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary. The media is unofficially considered the fourth estate because it is as important as the three other branches of government as it can criticize and influence decisions made by the three others. By the information it provides, it can influence the decisions of people. It can make or unmake governments and society. This is why the media must always be objective by providing information on both sides of every issue. To take side and be biased is to lose its credibility. Having said that let us now see where the mass media of Bohol is situated especially in the most divisive period of our times – election time. As the fourth estate, the role of mass media is to be in the middle of the issues that divide the people like in elections, being the most important exercise under a democratic society. We understand that the mass media is also a business. But weighed against the importance of a voter’s decision for the future of society, media should wave its right to avail of the business opportunity. From what we have seen though, the mass media is riding high on the business side of elections. And on that scorecard, the media has failed.

Being the only institution that can provide the information to the public on vital issues that guide the voters to make their choice, media should be active actors in seeing to it that the electorate have access to the inner minds and the size of the hearts of the candidates who are offering themselves to lead the people in the next three years of their lives. Sadly in Bohol, only the business sector has offered that access to the people. The tri-media in Bohol has been organized a long time ago. If they are true to their calling they should be in the forefront of seeing to it that more of such media fora can be organized where candidates can be sized up for who and what they really are as public servants and leaders. But we have not heard of any such forum that is forthcoming and sponsored by the Bohol Tri-media. Instead we only hear media practitioners themselves acting as the exclusive apologists and propaganda arms of one or more candidates. With less than a month of election campaign period left before Election Day, our Bohol media has failed on this scorecard. We understand that candidates who are practically clawing at each other in any media activity is entertaining to the public. But this is one time that we don’t need entertainment as basis to make that crucial decision on Election Day for what our life would be in the next three years. It is time we change election campaigning as a zarzuela to avoid a life of zarzuela for three years every after elections.

The young voters need to know why elderly candidates who have seen better days during their salad days in public service should again be returned to the Senate. Voters should know the real person, the personal views on important development issues, the executive and legislative agenda, and the track record in public service of every candidate from the candidates themselves, not from their propagandists and apologists and definitely not from their enemies and political adversaries. All these information can be given by an objective media worthy of their calling as the fourth estate to the electorate who up to now are still hungry for that which can make a sound decision. On the other hand, Comelec and may be with the help of the Philippine Information Agency, should exercise its oversight functions under the law to make sure that candidates are given free airtime or space in the broadcast and print media if only to level the “playing field” for all the candidates, especially the poor ones. Sections 12 and 13 of Comelec resolution No. 9615 grant Comelec free print space and air time that can be used by all the candidates. 60 minutes daily of free airtime can disseminate so much information that the electorate can make use of as basis for their choices. On the part of the Agora, we will strive to provide in the succeeding issues before elections information that we can get from interviews with at least the candidates for Governor, Congressmen and Vice Governor. If Publisher Editor BG Guinguing will allow us more space we can go down to the Provincial Board Members and may be the candidates for City Mayor and Vice Mayor of Tagbilaran.

That should fulfill our role in the fourth estate.

NOTES: Last week some candidates who are also incumbent officials were prevailed against speaking over the radio even on governance matters for fear of violating the Fair elections Act and Comelec Resolution No. 9615. I’m no lawyer but I have read Resolution No. 9615 prescribing the rules and regulations for the implementation of the Fair elections Act and I did not find any that says so.

What prohibited acts that are clearly violated are those under Sec 7.F of Res. 9615 that states “To post, display or exhibit any election campaign or propaganda material outside of authorized common poster areas, in public places, or in private properties without the consent of the owner thereof.” Public places here include 1). “Schools, shrines, barangay halls, health centers, public structures and buildings or any edifice thereof; 2). Public utility vehicles such as buses, jeepneys, trains, taxi cabs, ferries, pedicabs and tricycles, whether motorized or not;” I have seen countless tricycles displaying stickers and posters of candidates.