DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/26 July) – President Aquino appealed to the media in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) today to “police your own ranks” and “give new meaning to the principles of your vocation.”
Aquino said now is the time for sacrifice and that sacrifice will “pave the way for a better future.”
“With our freedom comes our responsibility to do good unto our fellows and to our country,” he said.
He called on the media, “lalo na sa radyo at sa print, sa mga nagbablock-time, at sa community newspapers, kayo na po mismo ang magbantay sa inyong hanay” (especially those in radio and print, to the block-timers and those in our community newspapers, I trust that you will take up the cudgels to police your own ranks).
“Mabigyang-buhay sana ang mga batayang prinsipyo ng inyong bokasyon: ang magbigay-linaw sa mahahalagang isyu; ang maging patas at makatotohanan, at ang itaas ang antas ng pampublikong diskurso,” (May you give new meaning to the principles of your vocation: to provide clarity to pressing issues; to be fair and truthful in your reporting, and to raise the level of public discourse), he said.
He urged the public to “closely watch the leaders that you have elected.”
“Tungkulin po ng bawat Pilipino na tutukan ang mga pinunong tayo rin naman ang nagluklok sa puwesto. Humakbang mula sa pakikialam tungo sa pakikilahok. Dahil ang nakikialam, walang-hanggan ang reklamo. Ang nakikilahok, nakikibahagi sa solusyon,” (It is every Filipino’s duty to closely watch the leaders that you have elected. I encourage everyone to take a step towards participation rather than fault-finding. The former takes part in finding a solution; from the latter, never-ending complaints),” he said. (MindaNews)
