Proposal to have casinos in CDO will need archbishops nod

Posted on April 24, 2012 Written by Cong Corrales Posted in NewsLeave a comment

CAGAYAN de ORO, Southern Philippines Foreign investors from China, Israel and Malaysia have expressed interest in putting up casinos here, worrying groups that it might promote gambling. City Vice Mayor Vicente Emano however said hes asked the would-be operators to present their case before the church first. I told them to talk to the church. If the church will agree then we will put up the casinos, Emano revealed in an interview, Monday.

Cagayan de Oro City, which lies in the northern coastline of Mindanao island and is the principal city of Misamis Oriental province, has a predominantly Roman Catholic population an estimated 87 percent of its 602,088 people.

Fr. Nathaniel Lerio, director of the Social Action Center of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, welcomes Emanos move. The church has a long history of opposing any form of gambling especially casinos. But I will bring this to the attention to the Archbishop so we can discuss this matter thoroughly and will come up with an official statement on the issue, Lerio, interviewed separately, declared. Emanos assurance contradicts earlier reports quoting him as supporting the proposals and appealing to the local diocese not to object. The casino will only be for businessmen and tourists, he was quoted as saying.

If the casinos get built, we can limit patrons to businessmen and tourists who have passports. We can also charge expensive entrance fees so only those who can afford it can enter, he said in Bisaya.

But in the interview, Monday, Emano said letting the Catholic Church have its say on the casinos issue is not interference on the part of the church or a violation of the doctrine of the separation between the church and the state. They are trying to help us find the way, he added. Although there is such a doctrine, but certainly we know that it is the government that works with the church, Emano said. (Cong B. Corrales for Pecojon.PH/knr)

My Reaction
I have read a news article about the proposal to have casinos in Cagayan De Oro that needs to have the archbishops nod. I have read the news article more than once because at first I seem not to understand the issue because to be honest, before I am not into reading news

articles online or in the newspaper but now I already appreciate its importance. And after reading seriously, I already get its idea. The first element of journalism according to Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel is Journalisms first obligation is the truth. The news article does not follow the first element because it gives me confusion upon reading the news article and the news article itself for me is hanging. I cannot see other sides of the story. I cannot feel the truth-seeking attitude of the journalist. With this element I have learned that we should not stop asking to know the truth. The second element of journalism is Its first loyalty is to citizens. The news article does not show a loyalty to its citizen because the news article is so short that it did not have the reaction of the people. It only focused on the side of the vice mayor. The third element of journalism is Its essence is a discipline of verification. The story at first shows a discipline of verification when the journalists continued to give updates. Like when the vice mayor changed his statement. His new statement differs from the first statement he gave to the journalist. The thing here is that the journalist did not stop in updating the story with regards to the vice mayor. But it only ends there; there is no discipline of verification for the rest of the story. There is no further explanation with regards to the things being said in the report like the doctrines and many more. It does not have the sides of the other people who might be involved with this issue. The fourth element of journalism is Its practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover. The journalist maintains an independence from the story because even if there are only two sides involved and which is wrong you can really say that the he tries to give his best in giving the readers on what his story is all about. Upon reading, you cant say that there is a bias because first he tries to balance the story and second, the story is hanging which I know he could still manage to continue the story. The fifth element of journalism is It must serve as an independent monitor of power. The journalist in this news article did his part in serving as an independent monitor of power in

such a way that it lets the audience know about what is happening in our country. With this issue about having casinos in Cagayan de Oro, it let the audience know that there are foreign investors who wants to invest in our country and that it still needs the permission of the church. The sixth element of journalism is It must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise. The news article shows the sixth element because according to this element, the news media are the common carriers for public discussion. This kind of story provides people a social issue that is meant to be discussed. This kind of story also needs the voice of the people because they can be involved. Everything that is happening in our country, may it be in

Cagayan de Oro, in Cebu or in any places in our country, the government needs the opinion of the people. The seventh element of journalism is It must strive to make the significant interesting and relevant. The story strives to make it become interesting to the audience aside that it is relevant and significant. It is significant and relevant because the issue presented can affect the society particularly in our economy. The presentation of the issue is interesting in such a way that it involves gambling which most of the Filipinos do as pastime. The eighth element of journalism is It must keep the news comprehensive and proportional. This element states that it is important to keep news in proportion and not leaving important things out. This new article fails to do so because as I said a while ago, the story is hanging. Some of the important facts are not shown in other words the information presented in the story is lacking. He might have other sides to make the story clear and understandable to the audience. The ninth element of journalism is Its practitioners must be allowed to exercise their personal conscience. This element states that every journalist must have a personal sense of

ethics and responsibility--a moral compass. It depends on the journalist already if he exercised his personal conscience or not.

This news article follows some of the nine elements of journalism according to Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel. The journalist I know tries his best to give us a good written story but failed to do so because some of important facts are left out. As future journalist, we must strive to follow these nine elements of journalism to give a news that is written at its best.