By Ermin Garcia Jr.

 

IN our editorial this week, we called on our congressmen (and senators) to stop moves to decriminalize libel. While the move appears to support and protect journalism practice, the consequence of such a move will serve not only to increase risks to journalists’ lives but also put an end to the practice as a means of livelihood.

For sure, complaining politicians and businessmen will find filing of millions in damages would be fitting if only to get back at the journalists who “stained their reputation and integrity”. If the filling of multi-million damage suits will not have a chilling effect on their practice, I don’t know what will.  (So far, killing of journalists didn’t have that effect).

However,  the “aggrieved” politicians and businessmen will soon realize that winning their cases will never result in their being richer by the millions. Indeed, what journalist can pay P1 million at the very least?? First of all, their millions in damages will only be recovered by the value of the journalists’ confiscated properties, i.e., perhaps a 10 year old car, furniture, etc.. that would make a pauper of  the journalists.

But the process of confiscation of properties alone may yet turn into an emotional issue that can boomerang on those who refuse to forgive and forget despite a public apology.

Still, there will be complainants who will not find the judgement of collecting damages that journalists can’t pay, as wasted useless efforts.  If the convicted journalist cannot be in a position to pay, what could be a rewarding payback for the journalist? That would be to pay the ultimate price  – with his life.

It’s bad enough that there is a growing culture of impunity towards journalists, whose deaths are never solved. The decriminalization of libel will lead to more unsolved murders of journalists.

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2024 ANNUAL BUDGET, NEXT TARGET. Mayor Belen cannot keep on rallying her constituents to act against the majority bloc that’s out to destabilize her administration anew and even expect the 7 epaLifes to stop their shenanigans. 

The problem is,  she and her advisers, City Legal Officer Aurora Valle and Executive Assistant Luz de Guzman, have not done anything beyond threatening their detractors  with administrative and criminal cases. Worse, it doesn’t help their cause to see all three traveling overseas together often instead of locking horns with the obstructionists, this time led by Councilor Marilou Fernandez, the health committee chairperson who blocked the establishment of the Mother and Child Hospital .

The mayor’s and Atty. Valle’s  threats are now perceived to be nothing but all hot air on their part, something that the 7 epaLifes are taking immense pleasure in thumbing their noses at.  (I note that VM Bryan Kua is already making the same mistake).

Mayor Belen’s recent statement even showing readiness to meet with the 7 epaLifes not only served to project her weakness but willingness to meet them on their terms. Tsk-tsk. In politics and in governance, to keep playing the victim’s card will soon make people believe, she deserves what she’s getting.

So, until Mayor Belen shows she has the political muscle, the means and the will to stop the 7 epaLifes’ obstructionism,  nothing dramatic will happen  because she hasn’t shown she has them.

It’s time she realizes that sloganeering and organizing small cheering squads will not ever help her cause. Only making good on her threats will command obedience public support, and will checkmate the 7 epaLifes.

Note that the approval of the 2023 budget came through as a freak incident that had nothing to do with her pleas for public support.  Thanks to the quick thinking of Councilors Michael Fernandez and his colleagues, they saw the opportunity when they saw the lack of numbers of the majority in the quorum, and went on to vote for the approval. 

Unfortunately for Dagupeños, while the establishment of the Mother and child Hospital may be an emotional issue, it will remain just that because the next  major battleground is the 2024 annual budget which is only weeks away.

The 7 epaLifes, after scoring recent huge victory –  Dagupan did not win the SGLG award during her administration (or so they think) – will try another. And I hope Mayor Belen will be prepared for another occasion to be humiliated by the 7 epaLifes.

Will Mayor Belen finally ignore her two advisers’ call not to file the cases?

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NO SLGL AWARDS? The failure of both provincial government and Dagupan City government to obtain high ratings to deserve the prestigious Seal of Good Local Governance is easy to explain.

Firstly, both Guv Mon-mon Guico and Mayor Belen Fernandez only served half of the year of 2022.

Then, of course, there was no way for Guv Mon-mon to continue ex-Guv Pogi Espino’s programs given their difference in vision for the province.

It was different in Dagupan City.  Ex-Mayor Brian Lim had no outstanding performance in the first half of 2022 and Mayor Belen’s administration was sabotaged from Day 1 by Mr. Lim’s allies. She was practically left with zero budget leaving her with nothing but findings of irregularities committed by her predecessor.

Now that they’re both in full control of their governments’ resources, will they  win?

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A WHOLE NEW WORLD AHEAD. If you still don’t think life in this world will not turn upside down with the use of AI (artificial intelligence), get this!

A report in London cited the launching of AI teachers in universities across 3 continents. Apart from the UK, universities from Palestine, Pakistan, Turkey and Kenya integrate the Otermans Institute (OI) AI technology into their academic curriculum. 

“Otermans Institute’s AI teachers are operated by OIAI,… they have a humanlike face and a voice. They can create and deliver any teaching content, tailoring them according to the single student’s needs and replying to their questions in real time… OIAI’s teachers can assess the students’ performance and provide grades… students have praised their ability to provide live answers and personalized feedback as their most valuable feature.”  

The OIAI initiative is not just about integrating the latest technology into education but reshaping how education is delivered and experienced. 

Now read this.  

“We are not only creating AI teachers that can teach to anyone globally but also humanising AI at the same time. OIAI is not creating another chatbot or another e-learning platform. At Otermans Institute, we are solving the problem of teaching and learning 2.0 by removing the difficulty that learners face when they are forced to choose between interactivity and accessibility. Our digital human teacher encompasses knowledge bases, the ability to make small talk, to clear any doubts at any time, and to speak in real-time despite being a synthetic avatar. OIAI also provides insights to educators who can now spend their time providing personalised support to students. At the same time, the AI does the bulk of the teaching,” – said the founders, Dr Pauldy Otermans and Dev Aditya.   

Boy, am I glad I’ll be gone before my grandchildren start telling me that my life experience is insignificant and completely irrelevant to their lives. #

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