Refocusing Perspectives

Lecture delivered by Violeta M. Gloria to civil society organization  in Iligan and Lanao initiated by MPPM & LAHRA at Palao, Iligan city;  October 8, 2013; 1-5pm. What is freedom? What is information?  Depending on socio-political context and philosophical perspective, freedom can be defined in many ways. Is freedom a necessity? As peoples are subject of social contract, don’t we like that our freedom be controlled and managed by government? Do you really need information? Is your sense of freedom dependent on the kind of information that you gain from the academe? From community? From government? From international organizations? Why do you think media workers and non-government organizations are/should be in the front line in advocating for Freedom on Information? These are just essential preliminary questions that can be raised as advocacy on FOI and frustration over corruption or public disservice are mounted nowadays. Two hours ago, I over...

(Lecture/speech delivered by Violeta M. Gloria on Dilemmas in the Professional Media for Communication Studies 109 students as part of the thematic discourse on Journalism Ethics,  Ram Café, Mindanao State University-Main Campus, Marawi city; October 1, 2013) The world is in disarray. There are varied forms of conflict: controversial social issues, corruption within our bureaucracy, increasing poverty (disparity of social classes), wanton destruction of ecology, rapid influence of libertarian practices that challenged norms and customs, and scaling competition within media (both as a profession and as a business institution) amid rising number of victims of summary execution with impunity [1] . We also confront cultural fragmentation and waning multicultural identities, hence the spatter of ideologies and influences unfortunately result in a cacophony of  indifference... which situate pluralism at a misnomer [resulting to] e.g. organizational browbeating and political big...