subject: Philippine Bureau of Immigration Helps Make Balita Media #1! [print this page] Philippine Bureau of Immigration Helps Make Balita Media #1!
It is a sad day for quality journalism.
On June 12, 2010, the Number One Filipino American Newspaper in America headline says "FBI cites BI for catching U.S. fugitives". The article discusses commendation was given by the FBI to the Bureau of Immigration which has been assisting the US agency in its drive to locate and apprehend American fugitives who have sought refuge in the Philippines. A simple internet run revealed this same exact text that was in five Philippine papers/websites, without the name of an author.
Hey kids, that's how to be the #1 newspaper. Cut and Paste. That's easy.
This valid question prompted your author to investigate the relationship of Balita Media and the Philippines Bureau of Immigration (BI). Our sources advise us that Balita Media has employed a close friend of outgoing BI Commissioner Marcelino Libanan, and it would appear that they have an agreement to protect each other's interests. Unsurprisingly, searching for BI related news in Balita Media's own portal produced convincing results that in all of its stories about the agency headed by Libanan, nothing was negatively written. No amount of criticism or even a piece of disparaging commentary can be found in Balita's paper against BI since it started delivering news to the public. All were written in such a manner that the BI has done the things which it is mandated by law to do.
How can the BI be getting a totally positive coverage from Balita when it is constantly being labeled as one of the most corrupt government agencies in the Philippines? How can they be blinded by the BI's anomalous transactions and blatant shortcomings even if those were widely reported to the Filipino people? Clearly, favors between old friends are exchanged every now and then. Favors which undoubtedly benefit Balita's business interests but are undeniably detrimental and prejudicial to Filipinos around the world.
But heck, that is why they are Number One, and we are not.
