President Benigno Aquino III. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—All President Benigno Aquino III wants from the media is balanced news, said Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma on Thursday.
When asked by minority bloc member Isabela Representative Rodolfo Albano why the President was displeased with news in the country, Coloma clarified that Aquino only wanted good positive news to get a fair share of attention.
“Bakit po nagagalit si Presidente sa bad news? Natatalo na ba tayo sa propaganda? Bakit kailangan pang magalit ang Presidente? (Why is the President angry over bad news? Are we losing to propaganda? Why does the President need to be angry?)” asked Albano.
“Hindi naman po nagagalit ang Pangulo (The President is not getting angry),” assured Coloma, describing Aquino whom he said they knew to be “patient and serene in his ways.”
He said that what the President wanted from local media was that they be truthful and fair in presenting news, adding that Aquino found it unfair that foreign media were able to present positive news while the local media could not.
“Hinihingi niya ay (What he’s asking is) balance in the exposition of news,” Coloma clarified.