Media and Climate Change: PNoy's Dose of Own Medicine

I have long noticed this patented habit of the PNoy administration to resolve controversial issues through denial, pass-the-buck, and media spin strategies. This bad habit manifests again in this interview of PNoy with CNN's Christiane Amanpour. My reading of mainstream and social media sentiments seems to point to an unfolding bitter fate of this administration: the habitual denier/blamer/spinner getting a serious dose of its own medicine!

This globally broadcast interview could have been an opportune time and space for PNoy to make a strong message about climate change and amplify the call for climate justice. No nation-state, not least a government of a developing country like the Philippines, can effectively address climate change-induced disasters and human sufferings on its own — thus, there's an urgent need for committed and concerted actions of the world's community of nations.

Unfortunately, the 'liberal' PNoy does not have in his vocabulary the principles of social and ecological-climate justice. By pointing to the real historical-structural causes of this insurmountable tragedy requires an honest admission of the limitations of a single government's capacity vis-a-vis the evils of climate change. To say the fundamentals of the problem — i.e., the historical structures of climate change and underdevelopment — is not resorting to denials, pass-the-buck, or media spin; it's about telling the truth!

Of course, especially at this time of national emergency, we should extend to the government all the support that it needs. While we each do our civic duties and sense of humanity, criticisms in a democracy are alright for some important feedback and also to keep the authorities on their toes.

Still, let's be for hope!