Citizen journalism is the right of every native or naturalized denizen. Because the Philippines and other democratic countries espouse freedom of expression coupled with responsibility to our compatriots and to others, every citizen of a country is expected to expose the wrongdoings in their community and to exercise discipline in sharing information as to avoid hurting others. Citizen journalists complement mainstream journalists because the former provides the latter with first-hand, raw information on various issues permeating one’s own immediate community.
One of the active purveyors of citizen journalism today happen to be vloggers (and patriotic vloggers, to be particular).
Vloggers are one of the types of influencers who are prevalent in every corner of the world today. They are known as people who are adroit in using social media not only in terms of technical and visual glossiness but also in terms of the content that they produce. A portmanteau of the words video, web, and log coupled with the suffixes –er and –s, vloggers are not simply visual people or talking heads but people who are able to impart so many lessons to their subscribers and others as well.
In our country, patriotic and pro-administration vloggers are not few and far between. Rather, they are mushrooming for they are becoming learned in politics, governance, sociology, and other related fields. Some of them may not be scholars in the academic sense, but so many of them make so much sense that not a few people (including myself) would love to listen to them.
To acknowledge the efforts of incoming Press Secretary Atty. Trixie Cruz-Angeles, I would like to express my appreciation to her for creating the United Vloggers and Influencers of the Philippines (UVIP), which seeks to accredit and professionalize vloggers so that they would be able to rise above traditional media practitioners who do nothing but muckrake and throw cake towards people whom they abhor with all their hearts and souls. The creation of UVIP is such a welcome development for we are ready to accept vloggers as heralds and defenders of truth, nationalism, and justice.
Why are patriotic vloggers models of citizen journalism? Let me cite the reasons why they deserve to be recognized as such:
- Patriotic vloggers are real, truthful, and forthright. There are no edits, no manipulation, and no bullcrap as far as patriotic vloggers are concerned. They tell it like it is and reinforce love for country through their thorough explanations and analysis.
- They are real people. Patriotic vloggers have real careers and excel in their fields of endeavor. Though some people may scoff at them for being different, patriotic vloggers stand their ground, work justly and honestly, and bring up their respective families. They love their community, and so they are immensely blessed in many ways.
- They are quite entertaining without being crude or shallow. What sets our patriotic vloggers apart from mainstream multimedia practitioners is that they are witty, wise, and wealthy in humor and happiness. They also see to it that no one gets hurt.
- Our patriotic vloggers never stop learning. Patriotic vloggers do their homework before going on air. They are not contented with reading what are published on broadsheets and what are aired on radio and television; they constantly search for answers by referring back to what is correct history. What they espouse is not historical revisionism but historical rectification.
- They are quite humble, approachable, and transparent. Our patriotic vloggers never claim to be perfect or to be experts in media. They know their limitations yet they are unafraid to stretch themselves to greater heights and to spread their wings further, especially for the pursuit of truth, justice, fairness, and national peace, unity, and reconciliation.
To our pro-administration vloggers, mabuhay kayo and you are one of the modern-day heroes alongside our frontliners! I doff my hat to you!
I would like to greet the following vloggers (in no particular order) whom I admire and respect so deeply for being courageous, patriotic, and humble (and to whom I dedicate this article): Maharlika, Mark Ramos, Sangkay Janjan, Aljere Vlog, Joshua Corpuz Vlog, Divine PH TV, Mami Peng Vlog, Magnum TV, Rover Adventure Vlogs, Madam Ely, Mimaa Alicia, Coach Jarret, Papavin TV, Mike Cervera Vlog, Old School Pinoy, Takeru Miyamoto, Luminous by TCA and AGP, JDB Comments Pro Filipino, Lady Alvin, Jake Magnu, Byahe ni Koy TV, and many more pro-administration vloggers who have indeed proven to us all that our country is worth fighting for (I promise to acknowledge you in my future articles about media and history); special mention goes to Kuya Avel Bacudio, brother Joe Smith Medina, ate Sarah Balabagan-Sereno, ate Dulce, and all other pro-administration people who are also patriots! I love you all always and forever!
GUESS WHAT, GUESS WHO!
GUESS WHAT: This public elementary school somewhere in the National Capital Region is known for two things: callousness towards its teaching staff and arrogance of its administrators. My source, one of the teachers who still teaches there and has just been promoted to a higher position, told me that s/he was made to go to a faraway city by his/her superior, who is known for being palautos and presumido/presumida. My source was supposed to go home in the afternoon but s/he was stranded due to heavy rains sometime last month. The superior (and the school) never ever bothered to lift a finger to assist my source. As a result, the latter has been suffering from coughs and colds due to low resistance brought about by so much stress in the elementary school.
What are the lessons of the story? Never be a slave to your administrators. Administrators, never be slave drivers. Schools must be centers of nirvana, not of pagdurusa. Be considerate towards your colleagues, especially your subordinates.
GUESS WHO: Who is this has-been auteur who is known for being bratty, brash, and barubal? According to some of my sources, who are crew members, our subject may be a genius behind the camera but his/her temper cannot even be abated even by Tempra. There are several movies that have been almost in the can due to the director’s erratic behavior and cacique-like demeanor, such as one movie that is critically-acclaimed despite taking a year to finish. Just recently, the washout director, who happens to come from a prominent, loaded clan, was in the news again for his/her online invectives against the current and incoming administration.
What are the lessons of the story? Be cordial towards everyone whom you work with. Fame (and fortune) are fleeting, so be friendly. Never be as cantankerous as a pregnant warthog especially with the crew. Love your country and look at its good points.
If you have suggestions in terms of the education-related topics that you want me to feature, please feel free to send me an email to edteo.ramos@yahoo.com or to coachjet.inspirations@gmail.com and I will reply to you as soon as I receive your email. You may also message me on Facebook through any of my two working accounts: Jet Ramos (personal) and CoachJet Ramos (new and publicly official). You may also view my inspirational videos through my official YouTube account (my comeback will be later in June): Coach Jet’s Weekday Inspirations.
