Social media…

THU, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016 BY THE MINDANAO DAILY MIRROR LEAVE A COMMENT

IN MY OPINIONKlaus Doring

… and the rise or  fall (?) of  global politicians!

With an increasingly globalized world social media have become an invaluable tool of the international political trade, and it will continue to evolve. Just ask our good President Rodrigo Duterte and/or Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for example.

We are living in a world where YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter can make you a star, keep you a star or help catapult you to the highest political offices in the world. Or we see the total opposite.

It’s not just ‘entertainment-it-girls’  (or boys!) using the tools of the social media trade. Politicians and heads of government are too, and now they are reaching beyond the traditional marketing avenues to address their constituents and reach an audience that sometimes transcends their own national borders.

I came across Bhupesh Shah, a social media marketing expert and professor at Seneca College in Toronto, Canada, ranking as one of the Top 50 business professors to follow on Twitter. He says that it is helping leaders connect with their citizens in an “efficient and effective manner.” If I meet other business people and ask them about their Facebook or Twitter accounts, I mostly receive a positive smile and answer. Of course, I have!

Back to Shah, who says: “It is absolutely critical for politicians to be accessible and to disseminate their message as wide as possible. Not fully leveraging the tools available nowadays, and sticking only with traditional methods would be fatal. And this is absolutely correct!

Arguably the most successful by virtue of followers and likes are India’s Prime Minister Nerendra Modi and US President Barak Obama. Modi now has over 20 million followers on Twitter, while President Obama has over 77 million and both continue to wrack up the likes on Facebook and have taken to YouTube, whether it’s to be interviewed or to post.

Both have one thing in common when it comes to their social media presence: they get personal.

Rather than just posting canned political messages they’ve stepped out of the traditional political box, posting more intimate glimpses into their lives, like Obama exercising with the Vice Presi-dent or playing football with his dog.

“Social media gets around the so-called gatekeepers and takes the message directly to the virtual street!… You’re typically reaching the younger demographic, those that are keen to have their voices heard,” said Shah.

But social media is also a rapidly changing arena and there are pitfalls that can trip anyone up – or down! Trudeau, Modi and Obama have largely managed to avoid these, although the Canadian PM has faced criticism within Canada over his use of social media, most notably after he answered a question about quantum computing from a journalist that went viral. Some criticized him for planting the question solely for social media purposes.

“Leaders should recognize that anything they say or do can and will be used by the public (and media) for their own agenda. This means that they always have to be ‘on’ – knowing that what they say will be instantly captured and shared,” Shah explains. Correct! We just experienced this with our president Rodrigo Duterte, didn’t we?

With an increasingly globalized world social media has become an invaluable tool of the international political trade and it will continue to evolve. Modi, Obama and Trudeau are pioneers in this realm and their experiences online are shaping what’s to come both internationally and nationally for the next generation of politicians who aspire to the highest offices.

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Email: doringklaus@gmail.com or follow me in Facebook or Twitter or visit www.german expatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www.klausdoringsclassicalmusic.blogspot.com.

Coconut Famers back Dutrete-Cayetano Manifesto on Coco Levy Fund Distribution

PRESS RELEASE

31 March 2016

Coconut farmers back Duterte-Cayetano manifesto on coco levy fund distribution

A known coconut farmers' group today hailed Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano for being the only tandem in the upcoming polls to show political will and offer concrete solutions in addressing the decades-old problem on the undistributed coco levy funds.

In a radio interview on Thursday (March 31), Joey Faustino, executive director of the Coconut Industry Reform (COIR) Movement Inc., lamented how the government had been neglecting their calls to distribute the multibillion-peso fund to small coconut farmers. He also slammed recent statements made by Senators Grace Poe and Francis Escudero absolving Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco, Jr. from any guilt for the delay in the funds' deployment.

"Ikinalulungkot namin ang naging statement ni Senator Grace Poe na tila parang hinihiwalay si Mr. Danding Cojuangco dito sa usapan ng coconut levy, samantalang kami na matagal nang nakasubaybay sa kaso kasama ng mga magniniyog ay alam naman namin na sa mahabang panahon, ang nagpapatagal ng kaso ay si Danding Cojuangco," he said. 

Cojuangco is among those who allegedly used the farmers' funds to buy businesses during the Marcos regime. His San Miguel Corp. (SMC) still owns shares of the total funds. In 2015, two executive orders (EOs) were issued for the inventory of coco levy funds and their subsequent distribution. But these were suspended due to a petition filed by the Confederation of Coconut Farmers Organizations of the Philippines (Cocofed), Cojuangco's alleged dummy organization.

"First 100 days"

Faustino, meanwhile, said their group fully supports the three-point manifesto crafted by the Duterte-Cayetano tandem, which asserts the duo's pledge to end what they described as the "systemic oppression of small coconut farmers.” Faustino was one of the two witnesses who signed the manifesto. The other signatory was Oscar “Ka Oca” Santos, former Quezon Rep. and renowned coco levy recovery advocate.

The document entitled, "Panata para sa Maliliit na Magniniyog," was presented by Duterte and Cayetano during their Ronda-Serye listening tour with coconut farmers in Catanauan, Quezon. They noted that while other candidates prefer to protect the big and powerful, their tandem will protect the small and the weak. “Hindi tulad ng ibang kandidato, hindi kami hawak sa leeg ng kahit sino.”

Through the manifesto, the tandem vowed to implement the following, if elected:

1.) The distribution of the coco levy fund for the benefit of small coconut farmers and in consultation with legitimate farmers' groups in their first 100 days in office 

2.) Additional budget, over and above the coco levy funds, for the development and modernization of the coconut industry; and 

3.) Help pursue the remaining part of the fund

"Mabibigat ang binitiwang pananalita nina Mayor Duterte. Sabi nga niya sa mga magniniyog, itong problema na ito ay kailangang tapusin na. Nagpanata sila na kung sila ay maupo, sa first 100 days ay may matitikman ang mga magniniyog mula sa coco levy. Pangalawa, naniniwala sila sa tinutulak naming paglikha ng trust fund. Pinakamahalaga, sila ay bukas na ang iba pang hindi nababawi na bahagi ng coco levy funds ay kanila ring aasikasuhin," Faustino noted. #

Tindog COMVAL! Walang Iwanan!

Comval Gov. Arturo Uy and COA Assistant Commissioner Arcadio B. Cuenco Jr. lead the Ceremonial Ground Breaking of the Commission on Audit office building located at the Comval capitol compound on February 23. (A.dayao, ids comval)

 

(Bulawan Festival)

Preparations for Bulawan festival. The provincial government of Compostela Valley is now all set for the celebration of its 18^thFounding Anniversary and 9^th Bulawan Festival on March 3 until March 8 of 2016. (r.renoblas/ids comval)

 

 

The Race for the Philippine Presidency Has Begun

By Mong Palatino

According to the Philippine Commission on Elections, 130 persons have applied to run for president in next year’s election. The majority are unknown aspirants who will likely be disqualified for lacking the means to mount a nationwide campaign. The election itself is set for May 9.

There are four major candidates with both strong party backing and large public following. The administration candidate is former interior secretary Mar Roxas. Opposition leader and incumbent vice president Jejomar Binay also formally registered his bid for the presidency. Neophyte Grace Poe, a senator and the leading candidate based on several surveys, also submitted her certificate of candidacy this week. But the surprise candidate is Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who declared her intention to run for president only a few days ago.

Roxas is the grandson of a former president and son of a former senator. He topped the Senate race in 2004 and became the leader of Liberal Party, one of the country’s oldest and biggest political parties. He ran unsuccessfully for vice president in 2010.

Binay was a longtime mayor of Makati City, the country’s premier business and financial hub, prior to his election as vice president. Poe is the daughter of Fernando Poe Jr, an actor who ran for president in 2004. Santiago placed second in the 1992 presidential election before becoming senator in 1995.

Roxas has the edge in terms of election machinery, since he is the candidate of the ruling party. President Benigno Aquino III, who enjoys high public confidence based on opinion polls, has also committed to actively campaign for Roxas. But Aquino’s endorsement can also hurt Roxas by turning away voters who are disappointed with the performance of the president.

Binay claims he has the support of the poor, overseas Filipinos, and local government leaders. But his numbers went down after he was accused of being involved in various corruption scandals. Though he insists that these were all politically-motivated, his reputation has already been tarnished.

Poe presents herself as an alternative candidate who has a clean record as a public servant. Tired of the antics of traditional politicians and political dynasties, many urged her to run for higher office. Though she has decided to run, her previous American citizenship was immediately questioned in the court.

Santiago is also seen as an outsider, even though she has been a politician for more than two decades. She is admired by many people – especially the young – who are looking for intelligent and articulate leaders. Santiago’s candidacy was not expected because she has only recently recovered from cancer.

Turning to their running mates, Roxas has teamed up with Leni Robredo, the widow of a respected politician. Binay’s vice presidential candidate is Senator Gringo Honasan. Poe, meanwhile, chose her mentor, Senator Chiz Escudero, to be her vice president. Santiago has reportedly endorsed the vice presidential candidacy of Senator Bongbong Marcos. Marcos is the son of the country’s former strongman, Ferdinand Marcos, who ruled the country for two decades before he was ousted by a popular uprising in 1986.

Campaigning will officially begin next year. But since the candidates are already known, political realignments across the country are expected to reshape the electoral landscape. Political bickering between candidates and parties is also anticipated to intensify.

Beauty Queens Are FHM's October 2015 Cover Girls

As seen in our last FHM Guess Who, this month's cover features a trio of trim head-turners...

Roll out the red carpet and bow down to the queenly grace of Danielle Castaño, Cindy Miranda, and Queenie Rehman!

And mind you, this is not your ordinary swimsuit competition...

Through the lens of Doc Marlon Pecjo, the former beauty queens set aside the tiara and sash, letting go of their regal inhibitions for this month's issue. Beauty pageants aren't really a man's thing; this time around though, we have enough—actually three—excuses to openly indulge in this female audience-dominated world of shapely curves and mile-long legs.

Of the three Cover Girls, you could consider Miss World 2008 representative Danielle, or Dani, as having the most experience when it comes to these things, appearing in our February 2012 issue and a number of times on the website.

She says in our cover story, "When I first did a cover for FHM, I felt like I wasn’t ready physically. I was more 'chubby cheeks' pa. Now, Ifeel like I’ve grown as a woman, and siyempre my features have changed. I first worked with you guys when I was 19! I’m 25 now, ha ha!"

Cindy, Binibining Pilipinas-Tourism 2013 and among the Top 10 in that year's Miss Tourism Queen International, meanwhile, is relishing the chance of being able to flaunt what she believes is an oft-ignored facet of a beauty queen (Well, not for us...): "When you’re a beauty queen kasi, people train you to be even more refined. You can’t really project sexy kasi laging big smiles lang. Ngayon naipakita ko 'yung isa pang side ng beauty queen na hindi masyadong nakikita ng ibang tao."

Showing off overlooked qualities—and in this woman's case, unexpected talents—is not new to Miss World Philippines 2012 Queenie, who beatboxed her way into the hearts of all those present during Miss World 2012's talent portion. "I'm very competitive," she explains. "I also play basketball, so dun pa lang I’ve developed a competitive instinct na no matter what it takes, I’ll do my best to win."

That is also why we gave you, our dear readers, only the best, with not just one, but THREE sultry ladies—queens at that!—for a single cover! You know you can't go wrong with that. Go on, bask and revel in their presence...

Aside from Dani, Cindy and Queenie, this month's issue also assures a hefty serving of man-knowledge: the real deal with current trends (and why they trend, save the hashtags); a scoring guide on the hottestlandian dating apps (Tinder, OkCupid and Snapchat); the manhood test, taken by master comedianWally Bayola (AKA Lola Nidora, Dra. The Explorer, and a whole bunch of other Kalyeserye characters); and why we shouldn't have mocked MMDA's #ShakeDrill.

FHM's October 2015 issue will be available in supermarkets, newsstands, and bookstores starting tomorrow, October 3! You can score digital copies in the following days through the FHM app on Apple App Store (http://bit.ly/fhmphapple) and on Google Play (http://bit.ly/FhmPHandroid) and the Summit Media Newsstand (http://bit.ly/fhmmagph)!