Historically, journalists have ignored, rationalized away, or redefined audiences to suit their own needs or to conform to constraints (e.g., Ettema & Whitney, 1994; McQuail, 1997, 2005; Ryan &Peterson, 1982; Sumpter, 2000). However, as the world continues to undergo massive changes that tremendously affect the way we communicate and connect with one another, it is without a doubt that the once considered "audiences" are no longer passive. With the constant technological development and innovations, humanity is continuously being gifted with different means to communicate. These improvements enable "the people formerly known as audiences" (Rosen, 2006) to actively contribute, participate, and engage within the virtual space.
Media consumption is no longer a habit; it has evolved to become a necessity, especially in today's time. With that idea in mind, as journalism is a profession mainly inclined toward serving the people, it has to continuously evolve in the process to follow the masses.
One way or another, journalists are not educators, but they are somehow. They are empowering. They contextualize facts and information in different ways to effectively assist the public in easily comprehending and understanding whatever is happening around them. Nonetheless, journalism is not entirely about the journalists themselves, but also the public who consumes them. The mass have also the same and equal responsibility as those in the profession. Hence, the very people whom journalists serve are quickly becoming their partners in creating a collaborative and collective "citizen witnessing" (Allan, 2013) or "participatory journalism" (Singer et al, 2011).
In this regard, in fulfillment of a two-part activity in the course subject BAJ 208: Citizen and Community Journalism with a sole aim to equip student journalists with the basics of Citizen Journalism, mainly on conduct and practice, this Blog Entry No. 1 aims to tackle the issues/problems among the citizens of Barangay Tabang in the Municipality of Guiguinto, Bulacan through a conducted survey via online means. As an aspiring student journalist ready to venture into the challenge of Citizen Journalism, I particularly chose to conduct a mini-interview through Messenger and exchange text messages.
To officially start, attached below is a community profile of Barangay Tabang, which includes the following: summary data, demographics (i.e. historical population, population by age group, and household population), and location. All of the information is retrieved from here.
Based on the 2020 Census, among the 11,465 members of Barangay Tabang, nine (9) local citizens were kindly asked and requested to be part of this survey. Following the Republic Act 10173 of 2012, also known as the Data Privacy Act of 2012 by the National Privacy Commission of the Philippines, the respondents have the right to be informed about the processing of their data. Henceforth, attached below is a set of charts and graphics which shows the data gathered in the visual form regarding their profile, while rendering them anonymous to protect their identities and privacy.
Regarding the questions asked during the mini-interview/survey, I did not prepare any set of pre-determined questions and only relied on follow-ups. This way, each exchange of messages and/or questions thrown back at the respondents, in this matter, was specially catered to the issues they laid upfront. It also helped me establish a closer and personal take on individually interviewing them.
Among the differences and similarities of several concerns raised by the respondents, listed below are the top seven (7) issues after a thorough interpretation and categorization.
The most common issue that the respondents want to be addressed in the community pertains to waste management, along with the inconsistencies with the scheduled pick up dates leading to a pile of trash by the sidewalks, clogged canals which causes floods, and other members of the community resorting to open burning of waste materials, therefore contributing to air pollution.
"Sana kung puwede, kung ano[ng] date [ang] pick up masunod. Minsan kasi hindi nakakapunta [sa] schedule kaya nag abot-abot [ang] basura".
"Yung collection ng basura. Minsan kasi may week na hindi naka-collect kaya naiipon sa amin ang basura, lalo na compound kami."
"Though may nangongolekta ng basura, pero I don't think [na] may proper Material Recovery Facilities ang barangay para sa mga nakokolekta."
"Number one problema sa barangay natin yung basura. Walang tamang segregation, paghakot at lugar na pagtatapunan."
"[Sa mga] kanal, napapansin ko rin minsan na kahit hindi naman umuulan, madalas bumabaha. [Dapat] magpatupad [ang barangay] ng mga rules katulad ng pagbabawal [sa] pagtatapon ng mga basura [na] sanhi ng mga pagbaha at panatilihing malinis ang kapaligiran."
Concerning the lapses with the scheduled pick-up dates, some respondents are very much aware of the reasons why delays happen, stating sickness as one of the many reasons why the garbage collectors weren't able to comply with their pick-up schedules. Nonetheless, even if they were able to provide a valid reason to excuse themselves, a respondent believes that it would be better if they will provide an announcement beforehand to inform the members of the community of a sudden lapse.
The next concern on the list refers to safety and security, divided into three parts: protection against theft, curfew, and road safety.
"Ngayon kasi ang dami nang nakukuhanan ng bag sa Tabang. Ang kumukuha mga naka-motor. Sana [mayroong] mga nagroronda para naman matakot [ang] mga magnanakaw."
Recently, there have been several posts circulating online, particularly on Facebook, about a riding-in-tandem modus along with the areas of Tabang and its neighboring barangay(s). As of late, there are no latest posts, nor updates regarding this issue.
"Dapat magpatupad ng curfew para sa mga kabataan na nakatambay, para iwas gulo at iwas sa mga pinagbabawal na gamot. Dapat gabi-gabi ang pagroronda ng mga tanod."
"Maaari silang mag ikot-ikot sa paligid at i-check bawat lugar upang makapagsagawa sila ng mga agarang solusyon sa mga problema ng barangay."
"'Yong bako-bakong daan. Hindi pantay na laki ng kalsada. Pagkasira ng car, pag-cause ng traffic at delays sa mga tao."
"When we are passing sa Tabang Road from NLEX, we noticed na walang street lights sa daan. This will cause some accidents."
Moving forward, the third concern on the list pertains to the need for fairness and accessibility to the services offered by the Barangay that its citizens are entitled to and should freely enjoy when the need arises.
"Although nakakatanggap kami ng ibang benepisyo, pero may time na hindi lahat nabibigyan. Pinipili minsan ang makakatanggap lang [ng] assistance ... Maging fair lang sila. Dapat ibigay ang nararapat para sa lahat, mayaman o mahirap. Mas magiging okay siguro sana kung detalyado lahat [ng] details nila [na] ire-report nila kay Kap.
"Bilang isang negosyante kasi, mahalaga ang bawat oras. Ang pagkuha ng permit na magpabalik-balik pa dahil wala si Kapitan; walang pipirma, pababalikin ka. Pagbalik naman, maghihintay ka pa dahil may ginagawa pa si Kapitan. Oras na dapat ay 'di nasasayang kung magkakaroon ng magandang sistema."
The concern for fairness and accessibility is heavily rooted in the abuse of power by barangay officials, according to one of the respondents involved in the survey with a credible experience supporting their claim.
"Siguro ang paggamit sa kapangyarihan ng namumuno ay dapat bigyang pansin. Dapat magkaroon ng boses ang mga ka-barangay natin sa mga mapang-abusong pinuno at 'di umaaksyon sa mga problema sa paligid. Subalit sa panahon ngayon, tila ba bulag, pipi't bingi ang mga mamamayan sa takot na rin na magsalita sa makapangyarihang pinuno ng ating lugar. Nakakalungkot isipin na tila ba sunud-sunuran na lamang [ang] mga nasasakupan at walang karapatang magreklamo."
Fourth on the list refers to improved and accessible healthcare, particularly for children and senior citizens within Barangay Tabang.
"Improvement sa healthcare like libreng gamutan sa bata and senior citizens. Bahay bahay na consultation para wala na pila."
"Disinfection of areas to prevent dengue and COVID."
The concern regarding the faulty irrigation system which causes floods in some areas within the community, even during the dry season, comes next on the list.
"Mayroon ngayon lang din naman nangyari: summer pero umaapaw ang patubig. Baha na sa bakuran namin. Since kahapon, unti-unti ng tumataas ang tubig."
"Irrigation system dapat ayusin. Road widening and Irrigation, dapat naayos agad 'yong approved budget and manpower nung contractor para mabilis matapos. Pati permits and papers na required. Kapag baha, abala sa sasakyan at mga dadaan doon. Magko-cause ng sakit like dengue."
Apparently, the irrigation system meant for watering the fields within the Barangay tends to overflow due to leaks and clogged canals, therefore flooding the streets and some areas within the community, which causes inconvenience.
Second to the last issue pertains to noise pollution which causes disruption and inconvenience to other citizens.
"Maingay lang minsan. May mga nagvi-videoke na[ng] late na ng gabi. 'Di rin kasi namin napapansin kung may nagra-rounds kasi nandito kami sa dulo."
"Ang noise pollution ay isa pa rin [na] dapat bigyan ng action. Dapat may curfew din sa mga ka-barangay natin ang pag-vi-videoke na nakakaabala sa mga kapitbahay na my pasok pa kinabukasan at kailangan matulog ng maaga. Ang pag-iingay din sa motor o tricycle ng tambutso ay sadyang nakakairita sa pandinig, sana'y maglagay ng mga karatula na ngpapaalala ng malasakit sa bawat isa."
According to one of the two respondents who raised this concern, they have not filed any report to address this issue stating that it only happens during special occasions within their area. They argued that it is best to understand their neighbors to avoid any sort of conflicts that may arise if a report has been filed. Nonetheless, they are hoping for this issue to be addressed hoping to attain convenience in the process.
Finally, two respondents citing waste management as an issue within the Barangay deliver a connected concern regarding the lack of proper compensation to social workers, particularly to the garbage collectors, which affects their motivation to carry out their duties in serving the community.
"I don't know if 'yong mga collectors are naco-compensate ng enough for their services. That maybe also the reason why sometimes 'di nila gusto mangolekta."
"Personally na-experience [ko na] ang matambakan ng basura. Bukod sa tribike lang ang gamit [na] puno kaagad, iilan lang din ang humahakot. Kung 'di ka rin mag-aabot ng pera [sa] humahakot, hindi ka pupuntahan na dapat lahat ng bahay."
"... nag-aabot ng pera kasi alam din nila na, 'yon nga, underpaid siguro sila. Kaya dito sa atin, lagi sila[ng] kumukuha [ng basura], magka-lapse man, minsan lang kasi nga naaabutan sila rito ng kaunting pera, which is 'di ba, very wrong din, kasi imbis na shino-shoulder ng barangay or munisipyo or any government sector [ang compensation], napipilitan 'yong mga tao na sila 'yong magbayad para lang 'di sila mag-lapse ng pagkuha ng basura."
Among the nine (9) respondents in the conducted survey, it can be concluded that several of the numerous citizens of Barangay Tabang are well aware of the issues that the local community officials have to address. It ranges from concerns on waste management boiling down to the compensation of social workers. Raised in Barangay Tabang, I, myself, am aware of the problems concerning our community with regards to the lack of services that the citizens are very wary about.
Regarding the problems that the respondents have laid upfront, fairness, consistency, accessibility, and intensification of existing rules and regulations would definitely help in resolving a number of them. The conduct of personally asking the citizens of Barangay Tabang, regarding the concerns that they most want the local officials to address, further enlightened me with the values, perspectives, and insights that the masses yield. As they are part of a massive community that co-exists with one another, each of their experiences and observations leads them aware of the inconsistencies and problems that should be addressed. This, alone, is powerful in its very essence. It leads me to believe in the vitality of Citizen Journalism as a whole.
With countless stories being simultaneously told every day, it cannot be denied that marginalization would definitely occur. Reality dawned on us that not all voices are equal and not all voices are heard. Many are, literally, left in the "margins" with no channels of voicing out their concerns. In the advent of technological evolution where people can easily communicate with others, it will only serve as a medium, a stepping stone, to furtherly analyze the nitty-gritty aspects that may not look like to be as important as with the other existing issues, but it also needs proper solutions towards the betterment of the lives of many.
The power of the people is so much stronger than the people in power.
– Wael Ghonim –
The audience, or rather "the people formerly known as the audience" can play a massive role in the conduct of Journalism. The gates in "gatekeeping" them are quickly coming down; completely shattering to pieces. If the people can collectively collaborate in attaining change and development as an end goal, they can easily voice out their concerns and leave a dent waiting to be fixed. Everything they will ever need would be a medium and a powerful listener who can move their requests into action, providing them the progress, convenience, fairness, transparency, and accessibility that they mostly deserve.
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