On May 4th (Sunday), the National Press Club will hold its nth election. According to Inquirer columnist Mr. Neal Cruz, this is the time when respectable and genuine NPC members should replace the bad guys, who "masquerade" themselves as journalists.
Two tabloids, he said, now operating inside the Bureau of Customs and may have the blessings of some customs officials, constitute 147 votes against at least three leading newspapers, like the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin and Philippine Star, combined.
Well, it didn’t cross the mind of Mr. Cruz that there are NPC members from the government media like the Philippines News Agency, the People’s Television Network, IBC 13, Channel 9, who can add up to the votes of the lifetime members and the respectable journalists from the leading newspapers and tabloids.
Neal, don’t worry about it. Even if I’m too far and could no longer vote as what I did in the past few years, I can vouch that many of the PNAers would still hear your call for them to vote for the Good Guys. But of course, knowing that money is so evil that it can buy most souls in time of poverty, let’s all hope that everything will turn out well on May 4th.
However, there’s only one suggestion that I’d like to make. Instead of hauling all these NPC members from the provinces to vote in Manila, the NPC must craft a mechanism that will allow them to vote via the Internet. Don’t you think, it is possible this way?
Long live the New National Press Club of the Philippines!!!