Sensationalizing SSL 3

I am terribly disappointed with how the national media has treated the Salary Standardization Law Part 3 (SSL 3) story these past few days. The issue has been sensationalized and blown out of proportion. Most of the broadsheets and TV networks pegged their news stories on President Macapagal-Arroyo getting a 100% raise. Most of the radio and TV commentaries I've heard are likewise critical of SSL 3. DBM Secretary Nonoy Andaya is the only voice I hear today defending the pay hike for our state workers. Not only did they neglect the plight of the 1.2 million ordinary civil servants in the country who are waiting for their long-overdue pay hike but pegging the story on GMA getting twice her present salary was completely erroneous. It made what otherwise was a non-controversial issue controversial and muddled the issue to the public. I have seen the draft copy of the proposed Joint Resolution for SSL 3 and I can say for a fact that the earlier news reports are incorrect. President Arroyo, Vice President de Castro, all the incumbent senators and congressmen are not covered by the increase. It was stated clearly in Section 12 of the said joint resolution. Also, there is a constitutional provision prohibiting lawmakers from profiting from a law they enacted (and this prohibition I was told has lately been expanded to include even the President and the Vice President) so the drafters did not even have to state it in the bill.

I have studied the pay hike table and I can attest that the increases are not that big. In fact with inflation projected to be in the double-digits, the salary increases contained in the SSL 3 will just be enough for our civil servants to escape penury and will not really allow them to buy luxuries in life. Strictly speaking, the SSL 3 will not really increase the buying power of government workers but merely adjust their salaries to inflation. I was informed that government will allocate some P20 billion for the salary increase of all state workers, excluding uniformed personnel (those in the AFP, PNP, BJMP and BFP) and those working in SSL-exempt institutions like BSP, GSIS and PDIC. The salary increase will be staggered into four (4) increments or "steps" and will be spread over four (4) years. The targeted date of implementation (assuming the joint resolution is approved by Congress) is July 2009.

Listening radio commentators lambast the bill, one would get the impression that we will be overpaying our government employees. Some are even angry, claiming that government people don't deserve a raise. Well, I'd like to ask that radio anchor to try to live on P20,000 a month these days. The fact is a senior reporter in ABS CBN or GMA now earns two times more than a government bureau chief. A call center agent today makes more money than a congressman's chief of staff. And yet we entrust these government servants with important tasks which have far-reaching effects on the community. We pay them measly sums and yet we expect them to come to office in neat barong tagalogs and to be paragons of virtue and not to steal from government. We look up to our elected officials to deliver our country from poverty and yet we are unwilling to pay them the just amount corresponding to the gravity of their jobs. I mean, get real. Government attracts poor quality personnel because the pay is ridiculously low. In fact, considering the wages we pay our public servants, I am not surprised that there is rampant corruption in government. What surprises me more is that there is corruption in media considering that most 0f those in the national press are already well-compensated by their media companies! At least, you can almost forgive a corrupt traffic aide because he steals in order to eat while a corrupt news reporter accepts bribes in order to buy fancy Lacoste shirts and take their families to vacations abroad!

Realizing their mistake, I know that news desks have tried to correct the earlier reports by coming out with stories focusing on ordinary state workers. But the damage has already been done - once said, you can no longer erase it away - and what should have been an uncontroversial issue has become the talk of the town. The tone has already been set - instead of getting sympathy and support from the general public, our government employees are now on the defensive and they have to explain and convince and grovel for their pay raise. And since the air is now "poisoned," the ratification of SSL 3 is now far from certain. Remember, elections are just around the corner and our legislators will be in no mood to pass an unpopular bill. Already, several senators have stated their objections to the bill based on the mistaken notion that GMA will benefit from it.

Of course, the Philippine press have always tended to "demonize" people in government. Hell, some TV networks have made their billions riding on their "exposes " on government corruption and political malfeasances. I have nothing against that because I believe everyone is entitled to making a decent living but I think reporters should also be more circumspect and sensitive in their reporting especially because it may affect the livelihoods of people. I hope that this should serve as a lesson for reporters to be more careful and checks their facts first in the future. But something tells me they will never learn because, after all, it is the "sexy"stories that sell newspapers and boost ratings. But I also think people are getting tired of the press demonizing government. Exposing abusive press people - now that I think is what will sell newspapers in the future.

For the people working in government, I'd like to share with you the fighting words of John Mc Cain's vice-presidential runningmate, Sarah Palin, during the Republican National Convention: "Here's a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: I'm not going to Washington to seek their good opinion - I'm going to Washington to serve the people of this country. Americans expect us to go to Washington for the right reasons, and not just to mingle with the right people."