Speech
of
His Excellency Fidel V. Ramos
President of the Philippines
At the Annual Gridiron presentation of the National Press Club of the Philippines

[Delivered at the Fiesta Pavilion, Manila Hotel, Manila, April 21, 1997]

Like a marriage—
but much worse

OF THE MANY QUALITIES that journalism claims for itself, none perhaps is more emphasized than its ability to compress events and reams of copy into column inches.

This is well illustrated in the story of a newspaper editor who was testing an applicant for rewrite man. “All right,” said the editor, “fix this and cut it short.” And he handed the fellow the ten commandments.

The young man gave the copy one glance, stepped over to the desk, took out his pen, quickly scribbled something—and then returned the page to the editor.

Surprised that the applicant worked so fast, the editor looked at the rewritten copy—and then quickly said: “You’re hired.”

The new rewrite man had crossed out all the ten commandments and replaced them with one word: “don’t.”

Talking about new journalists, I wish to let you in on a secret. Our First Lady, Ming, intimated to me that she wants to write a weekly column, preferably to come out on Sundays.

She said that if Hillary Clinton would write a weekly opinion piece, why not she? Ming plans to name her column “Domingo de Ramos,” but she has a small problem—which is the same problem some columnists have. That is, she has difficulty deciding which ghostwriter would write it for her!

‘A good and original show’

Watching the Gridiron show tonight, I wished that the producers and the cast had as their editor that young job applicant in our story. Then this year’s offering of “Fit as Fidel” would not have dwelled lengthily and repetitively on my work habits, physical shortcomings, predilections in office, the warts on my face, and my body language. The National Press Club would not have the cheek to suggest that I would want to suffer these Gridiron dinners for six more years after 1998.

In short who would want to undergo more torture from more years of Gridiron roasts? Certainly, not me!

Despite that, I must say that the cast and the scenarios were good and original. Those who were good were not so original; and those who were original were not so good.

When I asked Fred Lobo, the National Press Club president why this long-running show has not improved much after decades of staging, he said: “The Gridiron is an amateur production. It doesn’t mean to be, but it is.”

When I asked him also why the President is always singled out for special roasting and why the NPC doesn’t barbecue the luminaries of the opposition for a change, he told me: ‘Their time will come when they get to Malacañang.”

Still, I cannot really complain. When I flinched at one of the barbs aimed at me this evening, Ming told me: “Smile, dear. It is not as bad as what they say about you in the newspapers and radio-TV every day.”

Three standards for abuse

And she is right. There are times when I think that in the training of journalists, they are first taught to abuse us government officials and politicians before they are taught how to record accurately what we say and do.

Someone once said that we should judge reporting on political abuse by three measures.

First, writing about abuse in politics must be treated as an art.

Second, reporting on abuse is at its best when it is thoroughly in bad taste.

And finally, stories about abuse should at some stage hint at reality.

Of artistry and bad taste, some of our so-called fearless reporters in the press have in abundance.

It is with the last where our press sometimes has a problem. Some of its members make up stories as though they were writing science fiction.

The other day, one paper reported that Vice President Estrada had a falling out with Danding Cojuangco and the Nationalist People’s Coalition in his bid for the presidency. You can imagine how that lifted the spirits of many presidential candidates. And how they exchanged high fives with their lieutenants over it. But then, the report was denied a day later by the principals.

Even I had to make a denial because the science-fiction writers laid the blame on my door.

I do not mind being called “master of physical fitness,” but being called “master of denial” is something else. I do frequently have to make a denial in order to record what I know to be the truth of the matter.

Anonymous sources so called

One of the most used or abused devices for getting unsubstantiated stories in print is the citation of, or attribution to, supposed sources who provide their piece only on “condition of anonymity.” According to one puzzled foreign ambassador, no press in the world uses more anonymous sources than the Philippine press.

And there is also no press in the world that would publish a whole story about one or one’s organization on the mere say-so of another. I cite as exhibit “A” the recent story on the alleged plans of the Administration party that contained exclusively, believe it or not, the statements of an opposition politician!

It was mainly because of such happenings that the Cabinet, in a purely defensive mood, began last year to prepare Government’s own Gridiron skit—with the press at the receiving end. There would be no difficulty in assembling the cast—even among amateurs such as those in the Cabinet—amateur actors and actresses, that is. And we have our own fiction writers in the Cabinet secretariat.

For instance, chairman Nur Misuari could be asked to play Fred Lobo, although that may require another peace negotiation. Chito Villanueva was considered for the part of Cip Roxas, but Chito chickened out at the last minute because, he said, he does not drink that much. Executive Secretary Torres declined to play Adrian Cristobal, because, Ruben claims, he is more handsome and uses better English.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Gabby Singson said he is game, but would need heavy makeup to play chairman Emilio Yap. But no one wanted even to talk about playing Max Soliven, although I am reasonably sure someone will eventually volunteer to do it—after all, some members of the Cabinet also love traveling. And several elderly Cabinet men are available who can impersonate Emil Jurado.

So there could be a Government “counter-Gridiron” sooner or later. Are we abandoning the idea? No, of course not. But—abangan na lang, because the first unsolicited proponents are still eager to do the project.

Besides, believe it or not, we do have many courageous members of the Cabinet. And I assure you that the “counter-Gridiron” tickets will be 20 percent less than what you were charged tonight.

Like a marriage

With all the complaints about the way the press treats us, however, I must confess that we in Government and in politics cannot live without you of the media. Our relationship is like a marriage—with its storms and stresses, but with many happy moments to enjoy together.

For all that we do to confront or outsmart each other, you in the media cannot live without us, and we in Government cannot live without you. The one time when Government and the press tried a separation—during martial law—we all felt so miserable. Even the incumbent president then had to allow himself to be laughed at once in a while in the press.

We must live with the freedom of the press in our country because we all need it—for our sanity, for our credibility, for our survivability and for many—for their popularity!

A society where the press is entirely controlled or nonexistent would be intolerable—as even the former Soviet Union found out.

A society where there is no press to afflict the comfortable—and comfort the afflicted—would produce more dictators like those who park their ill-gotten wealth in Swiss banks.

Able to laugh together

Government and the press will never fully agree as each might wish. It is inherent in our Philippine democracy. It organic in the nature of our relationship. We each have to take as well as give our share of criticism. And we shape up to the extent that we both listen and learn.

This annual Gridiron is invaluable in that this one night during the year, we can share a good meal under the same roof and ventilate our gripes and differences in a spirit of humor and fun.

The jokes may hurt, the parodies may inflict pain, the revelation that no one is perfect may annoy all of us—but in the end, all these matter little, because we are able to laugh together.