By: Erik Espina
The 1987 Constitution Article 16 General Provisions, Section 10 mandates “The State shall provide the policy environment for the full development of Filipino capability and the emergence of communication structures suitable to the needs & aspirations of the nation and the balanced flow of information into, out of, and across the country…” Further, Sec. 11
(1) specifies provisional limitations as, “Ownership & management of mass media shall be limited to citizens of the Philippines, corporations, etc. wholly owned & managed by such citizens”. In said section it notifies “Congress shall regulate or prohibit monopolies in commercial mass media when the public interest so requires”. And further impresses, “No combinations in restraint of trade or unfair competitions therein shall be allowed”. Hence the obvious questions:
1) Is there a policy environment for the full development of Filipino capability in the emergence of communication structures suitable to the needs & aspirations of the nation?
2) Balanced flow of information across the country etc.?
3) Do we aspire to launch our own communication platforms even satellites?
4) For private and government use?
5) Do we have enough communication systems to expedite a people talking to each other with feedback to government? Government talking with itself to LGUs? For agencies vested with front line services, inventory and people intensive?
6) Open market to more players for competition to include telecoms?
9) Government build its own communication/info platforms aside from state media? Secured lines and fire walls etc. for national security when top officials are in conference, in the age of cyber info weaponized? Should government officials be even using private and unsecured systems with no legal limitations
9) Are there media outlets locally fronted for foreign capital?
10) Do media monopolies exist?
11) Is owning a TV network, radio, newspaper, cable corporation considered a monopoly? Or any said combinations? Is our democratic discourse strengthened or are we reduced to a captured gawking audience by business elites?
