{"id":532,"date":"2022-08-06T06:32:04","date_gmt":"2022-08-06T06:32:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cebujournalismandjournalists.ph\/main\/?p=532"},"modified":"2025-04-09T05:56:09","modified_gmt":"2025-04-09T05:56:09","slug":"how-metro-mayors-and-the-governor-deal-with-media","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cebujournalism.ph\/archives\/532","title":{"rendered":"How Metro mayors and the governor deal with media"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Covering local governments<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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How Metro mayors and the governor deal with media<\/h2>\n\n\n\n


KEVIN A. LAGUNDA
<\/strong>July 26, 2019<\/em>

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Most elected public officials affirm the often-avowed policy of staying \u201copen and transparent\u201d to the public through media. But, as new leaders in their respective local governments, they may modify p.r. method or style and degree of press access, for the LG official to \u201ctransmit effectively\u201d his message.
It helps not just the working press but also news consumers to be familiar with how news sources manage relations with media.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

T<\/span>HE new mayors of Lapu-Lapu City and Cebu City \u2014 Junard \u201cAhong\u201d Chan and Edgardo Labella \u2014 promise they will be available to reporters for interviews. Evading inquiries from journalists is not their brand of politics, they say.

Valdemar Chiong, returnee mayor of Naga City, had a bad experience with a reporter but will still hold press conferences \u201cwhen necessary.\u201d Talisay City Mayor Samsam Gullas will grant \u201cregular\u201d press-cons. Mandaue City\u2019s Jonas Cortes, another returnee mayor, may shed off his previous habit of rarely talking with media before his new term, he had stint at City Hall and one term in Congress.

The returnee governor, Gwen Garcia, a p.r. believer, is expected to hold press-cons and interviews as often as she sees need for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cebu City: no press credentials<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Taking cue from the 1987 Constitution, which declares that \u201cpublic office is a public trust,\u201d Cebu City\u2019s Labella says he must inform his constituents through the media: mainstream and social network sites. The lawyer and former Ombudsman investigator, councilor and vice mayor says he will be accessible to City Hall beat reporters.

Labella says he can be interviewed in person or through cell phone. \u201cOn matters of public concern, the people should not be deprived of information,\u201d Labella says. If he is in his office, he prefers to be interviewed in the morning, around 11.<\/p>\n\n\n

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His predecessor Tomas Osme\u00f1a, whom then vice mayor Labella defeated in the 2019 elections, stopped conducting press conferences in 2018 just after he received a presidential tongue-lashing in a Mandaue City forum. When Osme\u00f1a was still holding press-cons in 2016, he banned then Cebu Daily News senior reporter Jose Santino Bunachita, for news stories he did not like but did not specify.

As The Freeman report on the ban said, \u201cOver 25 minutes into the press conference, the reporters asked Osme\u00f1a about his reason for shutting out Bunachita, Osmena\u2019s reply: \u201cThe reason behind it? I don\u2019t have to give any reason. He knows. If he doesn\u2019t know, that\u2019s his problem. I\u2019m not going to give specifics. .. I don\u2019t want to get into a running battle with him on media, basta, if he doesn\u2019t know, that\u2019s his problem.\u201d

Osme\u00f1a often hit back at his media critics on his Facebook page managed by his son, Miguel. He had filed libel charges against opinion makers critical of his actions, notably print and broadcast journalist Bobby Nalzaro.

Labella most likely won\u2019t follow Osmena\u2019s media strategy and practices. Giving glimpses of his own tack in handling media, Labella says he will not require reporters to submit their credentials. He also vows not to resort to banning a journalist over story error or faulty handling. He won\u2019t mind if he is slammed by a newspaper columnist or radio commentator. \u201cWe should not be onion-skinned,\u201d he says. \u201cI don\u2019t mind being criticized as long as it is not malicious. We are human. We make mistakes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naga: \u2018bad experience\u2019<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

City of Naga Mayor Chiong says he had a bad experience with a reporter who wrote a story that he threatened a barangay official, after a landslide occurred at a sitio in Barangay Tinaan in September 2018. \u201cThe story was not true.\u201d Chiong says he was not interviewed before the news was published. He chose not to sue the reporter and her paper after learning that the writer was still new to the job. Chiong says reporters may call him or arrange for a press-con.

\u201cI don\u2019t really hold regular press-cons. When there\u2019s an important issue, I will be available,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The City of Naga board of canvassers proclaims father and daughter tandem Valdemar and Kristine Chiong as mayor and vice mayor<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After he completed his third consecutive term in 2016, Chiong chose not to run for another public office. His daughter Kristine ran for mayor and succeeded him. In the 2019 elections, Chiong ran for mayor with his daughter as running mate; both won and vice mayor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lapu-Lapu: \u2018Won\u2019t hide\u2019<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Ahong Chan says he won\u2019t hide from journalists. \u201cYou already know who I am, I am very friendly to the media,\u201d Chan says.

Chan, who was Pajo barangay captain, defeated former mayor Arturo \u201cBoy\u201d Radaza, husband of former mayor Paz Radaza. \u201cIf media needs me, naa man ko dayon (I will be available right away),\u201d he said.

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Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Ahong Chan. (Photo by Allan Cuizon)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chan says he might hold a weekly press-con but he makes it clear he may still be interviewed as often as needed. \u201cKon naay mga kinahanglanon gyod, mag press-con ta, naa ra ko,\u201d he said. Just like Labella and Chiong, Chan says he will be \u201ctransparent\u201d to his constituents by being \u201ctransparent\u201d to media. He will also allow his City Hall department heads to talk with news reporters.

The mayor, who terminated the Radazas\u2019 decades-long control of Lapu-Lapu City Hall, says he will take with him all the department heads when he visits barangays. \u201cIf there are problems, they can answer right away,\u201d he says.

Websites of the city governments of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, Naga, Mandaue and Talisay and the Cebu Provincial Government are up and running. They also have social media pages and public information offices.

When asked if they are willing to release any public document, Labella, Chiong and Chan say they will do so as long as the document does not contain confidential matters and information involving national security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mandaue: can be problematic<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

CJJ reached out to the camps of Mandaue City Mayor Cortes and Cebu Governor Garcia, respectively. They had yet to reply when this report was filed.

Cortes, former mayor and former congressman, defeated his erstwhile political ally and took back the mayor\u2019s seat from Gabriel Luis Quisumbing. Cortes served Mandaue City as mayor for three consecutive terms, from 2007 until 2016, and as sixth district congressman, from 2016-2019.

Two former journalists, who requested anonymity, said they had a hard time in getting press-cons with Cortes personally answering questions. The politician\u2019s department heads often did the talking for him. Reporters could get Cortes\u2019s brief statements only through ambush interviews. It was also not his habit to answer calls or texts from media. On one occasion, in 2016, Cortes showed up for a press-con but that was a few days before election day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talisay: through PIO<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

First-time Talisay City Mayor \u201cSamsam\u201d Gullas has an \u201copen attitude\u201d towards the media.

Samsam, who started his political career as first district congressman in 2013, took the place of his grandfather, multi-term politician Eduardo Gullas. Eddiegul has returned to the House seat the grandson vacated.

SunStar breaking-news editor Justin Vestil said he could get information from the young Gullas through Facebook Messenger or by text message. He could also directly call Samsam\u2019s phone. Samsam, Vestil learned, will hold regular press-cons as Talisay mayor. Samsam has agreed on a weekly press-con, every Thursday, a question-and-answer session. He will also accommodate unscheduled interviews \u201cif there are pressing matters that need my side.\u201d

Samsam won\u2019t prohibit department heads from releasing any public document to the media. But he encourages them to coordinate with his office before releasing the document. \u201cAny information released by the department head must go through the city public information office.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Talisay City Mayor \u201cSamsam\u201d Gullas with Alan Bucao. (Photo by Alan Tangcawan)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also promises to release public documents on the city government\u2019s website unilaterally, even without formal request, for easier access not just by the media but also the general public.

As to accreditation of reporters who want to cover Talisay City Hall, Gullas sees no reason for it, saying it is \u201cnot necessary.\u201d

On banning or replacing a reporter whose report would place him in bad light, Samsam says he has no plans of doing it.

\u201cI heard during the time of my grandfather\u2019s predecessor that he banned one reporter from covering the mayor\u2019s activities. I don\u2019t plan to follow his example and I\u2019m open to reporters covering me regardless of their political affiliation,\u201d he said.

In the 2013 midterm elections, Eddiegul lost in a major upset to businessman-philanthropist Johnny V. de los Reyes. The elder Gullas reclaimed the mayoral post beating de los Reyes in the 2016 national and local elections. In 2014, de los Reyes\u2019s son John Yre \u2014 then the city administrator \u2014 filed libel complaints against Gabriel Bonjoc, news reporter of dySS radio before the Cebu City Prosecutor\u2019s Office. A report in The Freeman said John Yre \u201calleged that he has been the subject of degrading remarks \u2018designed to destroy his reputation and removal from office.\u2019\u201d The complaint was eventually dismissed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lapu-Lapu: shouting match<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

In Lapu-Lapu City, Mayor Chan and his predecessor and now the city\u2019s lone district congresswoman Paz Radaza are in the middle of a squabble over the latter\u2019s office at the second floor of the City Hall.

Chan wants to take the congresswoman\u2019s office as his temporary office, but Radaza insisted on staying as the City Council passed an ordinance allocating an office for the district\u2019s representative last June 6, or 24 days before Chan\u2019s assumption of office.

Last July 9, reporters converged in the City Hall to interview Chan. They waited for the mayor starting at 1 p.m.

Two hours later, Ahong still did not show up. It turned out he designated City Legal Officer James Sayson to answer questions on his behalf. According to a print correspondent, a fellow reporter asked about the mayor\u2019s surrogates who are not Lapu-Lapu residents. That led to a shouting match between the journalist and a member of Chan\u2019s camp, a retired journalist.

From July 9 until July 12, the Lapu-Lapu City beat reporters failed to interview Chan. \u201cWa pa man siya pakita namo human ato (He has yet to face us since the incident),\u201d the correspondent told CJJ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Capitol: press-con in the afternoon<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

A former Capitol beat reporter said Garcia often held press conferences in the afternoon. Garcia served as governor for three straight terms (2004-2007; 2007-2010; and 2010-2013).

There were times when Garcia would answer questions by phone, according to a former CDN reporter who now works as correspondent for a national news television station.

\u201cMotubag ra na siya og ganahan siya sa questions. Iteks lang daan (She will answer if she likes the questions. Just text her first the questions),\u201d the reporter said.

Once, in her previous stint as governor, she gave reporters the Commission on Audit report on a controversial issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Duterte\u2019s E.O: \u2018full disclosure\u2019<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

On July 23, 2016, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order (EO) No. 2, which mandates full public disclosure from all offices under the executive branch.

The EO covers \u201call government offices under the executive branch, including but not limited to the national government and all its offices, departments, bureaus, offices, and instrumentalities, including government-owned or -controlled corporations, and state universities and colleges.\u201d Local government units are \u201cencouraged to observe and be guided\u201d by the EO.

The EO defines information as \u201crecords, documents, papers, reports, letters, contracts, minutes and transcripts of official meetings, maps, books, photographs, data, research materials, films, sound and video recording, magnetic or other tapes, electronic data, computer stored data, any other like or similar data or materials recorded, stored or archived in whatever format, whether offline or online, which are made, received, or kept in or under the control and custody of any government office pursuant to law, executive order, and rules and regulations or in connection with the performance or transaction of official business by any government office.\u201d

According to the order, official record refers to \u201cinformation produced or received by a public officer or employee, or by a government office in an official capacity or pursuant to a public function or duty,\u201d while the public record includes \u201cinformation required by laws, executive orders, rules, or regulations to be entered, kept and made publicly available by a government office.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not inscribed in stone<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Media policies and practices of public officials are often not in writing, Pachico A. Seares, SunStar public and standards editor, once noted. \u201cThey\u2019re not inscribed in stone, may not even be reduced to writing.\u201d That is because they change media policy or habit at any time, depending upon needs of the situation. \u201cWhat remains unchanged is the common drive to get maximum publicity for their successes and the least light on their failures.\u201d

And it\u2019s the duty of media, Seares wrote, to cut through the thicket of information supplied by news sources to report as much of the truth as possible for its public to be informed. \"\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n



[CJJ interviewed Cebu City Mayor Edgar Labella and, through Flor Querubin, Mandaue City Mayor Ahong Chan on June 19; Naga City Valdemar Chiong on June 7; and, through Justin Vestil, Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas on July 12. Other materials were based on talks with reporters, published articles and other sources.]
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