By Migelle
Photo source: @iamkarendavila IG
My principles and beliefs in politics are no secret to the people around me. Same goes with how I handle talks (if not arguments) with regards to anything that happen in the political activity that is currently happening in the Philippines. Although, there was one event where I kept my mouth shut and I regretted staying quiet about it ever since. It was the whole issued between Karen Davila and Manny Pacquiao.
For the benefit of the doubt that some of you may not know what it is I'm talking about, it is the recent interview Manny Pacquiao had with Karen Davila. In that certain interview, the issue of whether aspiring senators should have a college degree is brought up. Manny Pacquiao said he was in favor of this reform in terms of the requirements for everyone who aspires to be part of the Senate. We all know the rags-to-riches story of Manny Pacquiao and this includes his education attainment. It is no brainer that Karen Davila will point out that if ever the reform is passed, he will be one of the people affected because he himself does not have a degree though it was revealed that Pacquiao is currently enrolled in a unnamed University in Manila. The frank statements and questions of Karen Davila were then bashed by a lot of Filipinos and this is where I get upset if not annoyed.
To say that Karen Davila should get off her high horse and be considerate of Manny Pacquiao's past situation strips off her obligation as a reporter. The reason why she was pushing Manny Pacquiao's non-existent degree was to show the contradiction of his statements. Moreover, if one who sees the interviews handled by Karen Davila, she really is straight to the point and concise in her statements. The interview was meant to bring information to the people. I do not get the hate on Karen Davila. I do not get the sentiments of "si Pacquiao walang Degree pero mas mukhang may pinag-aralan pang makitungo at makipag-usap s tao hindi mapanghusga, si Karen may degree pero….. Ewan ang ugali kyo na humusga…” – FB user Ghie SJ. Manny Pacquiao's statement was meant to be cleared out and Karen Davila's pushy self has been nothing but helpful in the interview. It is so disappointing to see all over my timeline both on Facebook and Twitter that some of my peers see this incident in bad light. What's more disappointing is that some of these people are the ones who complain about the incompetencies of our government. The reason these incompetencies exist in the first place is because people support this type of thinking. It is frustrating to see them drag Karen Davila down and call her inhumane while also demanding for professional ability in our Senators. How can that happen if you tolerate and cultivate a type of comprehension that mistakes constructive criticism with hate speech?
If one really believes in improving our government, one should know the significance of educational background in being a lawmaker. This has been a keypoint that needs to be ammended in terms of the qualifications for someone who wants to run for a seat in the senate. Ultimately, people should focus more on what lies beyond the call-out culture of today. It is not about being bastos or disrespectful but being honest and firm with the shortcomings of others and the willingness to help them correct it. Karen Davila was never disrespectful and Manny Pacquiao was never disrespected. The real disrespect came from the people in the media who not only badmouthed a innocent victim but also damaged our country's chance in finding the most qualified and competent people deserving to be part of the Senate.
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