https://international.thenewslens.

com/article/113345

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1560828/sws-70-of-pinoys-say-fake-news-a-serious-problem

https://www.bworldonline.com/sparkup/2022/03/17/436562/filipino-youth-overestimate-their-ability-
to-spot-fake-news-according-to-survey/

https://interaksyon.philstar.com/trends-spotlights/2019/12/03/158231/philippines-filipinos-korean-
hallyu-no-brand/

Rappler.com. Korean ‘Hallyu’ and the Pinoy Invasion. Rappler Entertainment. Accessed on
https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/12681-hallyu-growing-in-ph/. Published September 19,
2012

Korean ‘Hallyu’ and the Pinoy invasion

SEP 19, 2012 10:38 PM PHT

FacebookTwitterCopy URL
How is the Korean influence felt in today's Filipino pop culture?

MANILA, Philippines – What is “Hallyu” and how has it impacted the Philippines?

“Hallyu” refers to the “wave” of the popularity of South Korean entertainment and
culture starting in the late 1990s. It reached the Philippines with the first Korean
telenovelas aired locally in 2003.

The Korean Cultural Center in Manila recently organized Hallyu sa Pinas, a forum
about the impact of the so-called “Korean Wave” in the country, where Korean
cultural products are becoming increasingly popular.
Expansion of the middle class

Since 2003, the influence of “Hallyu” has been particularly significant in the
production of telenovelas, the first success of the Korean Wave in the Philippines,
according to Dr. Crisanta Flores.

Dr. Flores, a professor of Filipino Literature at the University of the Philippines in

Diliman, told RAPPLER that Korean soap operas were initially quite different from
the locally-produced series.

“From the usual poverty-ridden (Filipino) narratives, the (Korean) stories are light,”
she said.

This is because the target audience of the Korean drama is not the poor but the lower
middle class, with aspirations to advance in their economic and social status.

“The effect on the Filipino audience,” Dr. Flores explained, “Is that when they view
urban scenes of Seoul, there is a dream, an aspiration to go to Korea.”

Korean soap operas “are an expression of the expansion of the lower middle class,”
she said.

Better storytelling

“The primary reason why Filipinos are so enamored with Korean dramas is the
storytelling. It’s not as much about the plot as about the way stories are told,” noted
Florinda Mateo, another professor from UP.

Mateo explained that many Filipino viewers are amazed at “how fast a story could be
told, how fast a plot can develop and the kind of acting — which is quite different
from the brand of acting that we know from Filipino actors.”

“They find it refreshing and appealing that these (Korean) actors can do dramas but at
the same time infuse some sense of humor.”

According to Mateo, the influence of “Hallyu” in today’s Filipino soap operas is in

the stories now told.

The plots “tend to develop faster and the pace is quicker compared to dramas in the
past that could run for as long as two years and create a lot of subplots.
Now, they are more straightforward.”
K-Pop also on the rise

But “Hallyu” is not just about telenovelas.

K-Pop is also becoming more and more popular among the Filipino youth, thanks to
the Internet and crowdsourcing, according to marketing consultant Katherine Choy.

Choy, who works for music events organizing company Astroplus, said that
crowdsourcing enables the fans to feel closer to their idols in a way that Western
music cannot give them.

“The fans are able to (share) their fan art, (get) info about their idols, and the idols
themselves are able to communicate with their fans in a personal way through online.”

Choy stressed that Korean cultural products in general are “not a fad anymore” and K-
Pop in particular should now be considered a musical genre on its own, especially
now that it is “infiltrating the global scene” beyond Asia.

Influence in Pinoy films

The Korean Wave has also influenced recent Filipino movies such as “Kimmy Dora,”
a huge box office success followed by a sequel shot in South Korea and based on a
Korean-inspired plot.

“Filipinos like Korean films because they are fresher, less formulated and with a
degree of violence and eroticism that appeals to the local audience, who are just being
bombarded by teenybopper and romantic comedies in their local cinemas,” said
“Kimmy Dora” writer Chris Martinez.

Martinez noted that Koreans “do their movies very well. They are very technically
polished, the cinematography is always great, (as well as) the production design.”

“They invest a lot of money in their films, so hopefully Filipinos can learn to do the
same.” – Rappler.com

Rappler.com. Philippines has 3rd highest number of K-Pop fans in the world-Twitter.
Rappler Entertainment. Accessed on https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/philippines-
third-highest-k-pop-fans-world-twitter/. Published January 26, 2022, 9:07pm.
K-POP
Philippines has 3rd highest number of K-pop
fans in the world – Twitter
JAN 26, 2022 9:07 PM PHT
RAPPLER.COM

INFO
FacebookTwitterCopy URL
The country counts even more K-pop fans than South Korea
PLAY VIDEO

MANILA, Philippines – In not-so-surprising news, the Philippines came in third in a

list of countries with the most K-pop fans – ranking even higher than South Korea.

Based on Twitter’s K-pop data from 2021, the Philippines trailed behind Indonesia in
the top spot, and Japan in the second spot. South Korea came in the fourth spot, and
the United States ranked fifth.

Rounding out the top 10 were Thailand, Brazil, Mexico, India, and Malaysia.

Also unsurprising: Filipino stans turned out to be among the most active tweeters. In
Twitter’s list of countries tweeting most about K-pop, the Philippines came in second,
following Indonesia.

Curiously, South Korea trailed behind the Philippines again, taking the third spot,
while Thailand and the United States ranked fourth and fifth.

Mexico, Malayasia, Brazil, India, and Japan rounded out the top 10.
Twitter also named the top 10 K-pop artists on the rise globally, with Enhypen taking
the top spot, followed by Tomorrow X Together, Treasure, aespa, ITZY, IVE,
CRAVITY, WEi, ONEUS, and CIX.

K-pop trailblazers BTS turned out to be the most tweeted about K-pop artists globally,
followed by NCT, Enhypen, EXO, and BLACKPINK rounding out the top five.

K-pop is clearly a hot topic on Twitter, and they confirmed this, saying that 7.8 billion
K-pop-related tweets appeared on the platform in 2021, breaking their 2020 record of
6.7 billion. – Rappler.com

Arayata, Ma. Cristina. Korean pop culture continues to capture Filipinos’ hearts.
Accessed on https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1054208. Published November 18, 2018,
7:00 pm.

MANILA -- Many people, especially in the Philippines, are big fans of K-dramas and K-pop. Despite not
understanding the lyrics, many can still sing along with K-pop songs and claim these are among their
favorites.

Filipinos have apparently caught the Korean pop culture fever that it is now just common to see people
flashing the Korean finger heart.

In an exclusive interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) over the weekend, Korean Cultural Center
in the Philippines (KCC) Director Lee Jincheol said what is distinct about Korean culture is its candidness,
which can be seen in K-dramas.

He emphasized that K-dramas do not just feature the region or tourist attractions.
"They (K-dramas) don't exaggerate. They are not exclusive or patriotic," he remarked.

Lee said K-dramas always deal with the everyday lives of ordinary people, so the viewers could relate.

With regards to K-pop, Lee said this is very hard to define, since "it is a collection of other cultures."

What makes K-pop unique, as for Lee, is its non-exclusiveness, since it embraces other culture. "There is
open-mindedness," he said.

"(K-pop) songs reflect the agonies, the scar, the concerns of other people," he pointed out. "(K-pop singers)
need to be very brave to describe these (factors) and put these in their songs."

Lee surmised this could be the reason many people could relate to K-pop.

Lee admitted that he's a huge fan of BTS, (a.k.a. Bangtan Boys), a South Korean boy band. "I'm a fan, even if
I'm their father's age already," he said. The director also candidly admitted that he sometimes does not
understand the lyrics of K-pop songs, since these are usually fast.

Cultural exchanges

Meanwhile, Lee said that 2019 will be a mutual exchange year between the Philippines and Korea.

KCC is preparing for various cultural exchange activities. There will be workshops, performances, and a
Korean actor will visit. Lee, however, said, he could not disclose the name of the actor yet.

"It's very important to showcase both (the Filipino and Korean) cultures. We are very proud of our culture," he
said.

Every year, KCC holds the Philippines-Korea Cultural Festival in Manila, and conducts the Korean cultural
caravan in selected schools that hold Korean classes and those that offer Korean language classes.

This caravan aims to inspire Filipinos, while also encouraging them to love their own.

Lee told the PNA he is considering bringing the Korean Culture Caravan also to government offices, such as
the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Immigration, and others.

KCC, however, would need more manpower to extend the caravan to government offices, he said. (PNA)

Philippine Pop Culture

Abigail Sabido

August 2, 2019

Arayata, Ma. Cristina. Korean pop culture continues to capture Filipinos’ hearts.
Accessed on https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1054208. Published November 18, 2018,
7:00 pm.
Sabido, Abigail. Philippine Pop Culture. Accessed on
https://www.xiliumvirtual.com/blog/philippine-pop-culture. Published August 2, 2019.

Popular culture reveals the characteristics of modern society. Filipino pop culture is
superficial in most cases, casting only the people’s inclinations that spring from their
fun-loving nature. Anyone can see most (if not all) of these elements on social media.
This comes as no surprise as Filipino are the world’s top social media users, according
to creative agencies We Are Social and Hootsuite. While there are a lot of things
going on in the country, here are a few trends that dominate Philippine pop culture.
Hugot is Life
Hugot is basically the deep lingering emotions brought about by a person’s
circumstance and experiences, usually from heartbreaks and adulting. The term
evolved into the practice of coming up with the saddest lines out of the mundane that
evokes a particular experience.
Memes, or humorous online content like images and videos, spurred the trend with
which added context and illustration to achieve the intended effect. Tagalog (major
language in the capital) is often used but also comes with a mix of English or other
dialects.
Bundok: Minsan lugar. Madalas…
Translation: A mountain: Sometimes a place. Usually… (a beer belly)
COMMITMENT ang costume ko sa Halloween. Dun ka takot, di ba?
Translation: I’ll dress up as COMMITMENT on Halloween. Everyone’s afraid of
that, right?
Pagsisid: Minsan parang pag-ibig. Kung kailan lumalalim, saka lumalamig.
Translation: Diving is like love. The deeper you get, the colder it gets.
Think of puns and cringe-cheesy pick-up lines; many consider them as precursors.
Famous lines from popular Filipino movies also helped lay the foundation of this
widespread practice. As to how the hugot began, it’s unclear (like some relationships).
But one thing is for sure, it’s here to stay (unlike some relationships).
Milk Tea is the New Coffee
Businesses utilize social media to attract more customers by enticing them with
aesthetic pictures of their place or location, menus, drinks, services, or products.
Followers are then converted into customers. Customers then post their experiences
with the food or products. Chances are their followers become the next set of
customers.
The milk tea fad, for instance, became widespread thanks to social media. Plenty of
shops have been operating but it’s only recently that they gained so much popularity.
Revamping their brands and the hype brought by social media posts account for their
new-found popularity. Milk tea entrepreneurs also come up with the catchiest names
to stand out. In Iloilo City (where our VMAs are based) alone, shops
like MLKT, OMT (Oh My Tea), and Humanitea established their social media
presence thanks to their wit.
Daily Dose of Teleserye
Teleseryes or primetime TV series are often criticized for their seemingly endless
storylines. Take Ang Probinsyano for instance (titled Brothers on Netflix). First
premiered in 2015, Brothers has aired 970 episodes throughout their weekday night
timeslot. Add to that is the invincible main character whose specialty is to cheat death
after countless near-death experiences. Ironically, the same people continue watching
it. Perhaps anticipating to take part in its historic ending.
Just recently, memes of an afternoon drama scene joined the ranks of the most iconic
in Philippine TV history. While all glammed up in a red dress, chic bag, heels, and
matching red luggage, the antagonist-turned-show favorite of the top-rated series
walks along an impoverished neighborhood alley looking for a place to stay. While
the where is yet to be revealed in the next season, Filipinos have taken her around the
world.
Popular culture comes and goes along with the shifting beliefs and activities. They’re
technically inessential but they give color to the ordinary and add flavor to the
humdrum bustle of life.
https://business.inquirer.net/236089/cultural-trends-changing-filipinos-behave

Cultural trends changing

how Filipinos behave
By: Chiqui Escareal-Go, Josiah Go - @inquirerdotnet
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:10 AM September 01, 2017

It’s the season for planning in the marketing industry once again and it is
good to remind stakeholders that contrary to popular belief, when
consumers make a choice, they do not decide based on just the product,
place, promo and price.

There are other factors that affect buying behavior: Cultural (culture, sub-
culture, social class), social (reference groups, roles and status, family),
personal (age and lifecycle, occupation, economic situation, lifestyle,
personality and self-concept) and psychological (motivation, perception,
learning, belief and attitudes).
 ADVERTISEMENT

Below is a list of cultural, social, personal and psychological factors

observed in the Philippines that may change the course of your
marketing plans in 2018. They are included in our forthcoming book
“Principles and Practices in Marketing,” which is set for release before
the end of 2017.

Home

The absence of parents in a third of homes and the increasing role of

schools in instilling values.

The social disorders associated with the increasing absence of parents in

the lives of their children (drugs, child sex abuse, teen pregnancy, among
others).

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The change in the boundaries and sequence of love, marriage, sex and
family.

The rise in the number of single parents.

The trend towards late marriages and smaller families.

The upgraded role of music as surrogate companion.

The rise of “adultescents” (a play of the words adult and adolescent). They
are also called the Peter Pan generation, or the 30-something adults who
are still single and without kids, mortgages and responsibilities.
ADVERTISEMENT

The rise of stay-at-home “housebands” looking after children and house

needs.

More men becoming purchase decision-makers of grocery products (the

mansumers).

The increasing ratio of people 40 years old and above wanting to take
control of their health.

Work

The desire to migrate and the rise of middle class among overseas
Filipino workers (OFW).

The expanding number of call center workers and their odd working
hours to conform to working time abroad.

The vanishing breed known as househelps.

The desire of senior citizens to have second careers.

Women

The increasing role of women in the workforce due to better education

and social equality.
The increasing number of millennial women who do not know how to
cook nor cook as well as their moms.

Women have become more liberal when it comes to their sexual and
relationship behaviors (including promiscuity).
Communication

The emergence of cheap smartphones.

People relying more and more on free texting via apps such as Line and
Messenger.

The reemergence of voice calls, thanks to features from apps like

Whatsapp and Viber.

The continuing shift of advertising from traditional to digital.

Owning multiple mobile phones.

We have become more accepting of foreign cultures (American music,

Korean pop and television shows, Indian yoga, Chinese feng shui,
Japanese anime).

The swelling number of netizens and their reliance on online tools to

keep in touch.
Opinions are shaped not just by watchdogs, but also by strangers in social
media.

The openness to talk to strangers and fellow customers.

The emerging consciousness of people to self-organize and help others in

times of natural disasters.

Technology

The increasing reliance on tech-based solutions to manage personal life

and work.

The rise of omnichannel.

More online activists are creating noise.

The rise of virtual reality and augmented reality.

Shopping

The increasing influence of online celebrities like bloggers.

The middle and upper class condemning non-environment friendly
products and practices.

“Tingi” (small portions), sachets, “lista” (credit) and “four-gives”

installment style of payment will always be popular.

Value brands and private labels are becoming patronized. These include
SM Bonus, National Book Store’s Best Buy, HBC’s personal care products.

The openness to try new brands, including generic drugs or alternative

health remedies.

The continued growth of microfinancing options.

Channel

Relying more on deliveries (for food, medicine, car batteries, LPG, etc).

The increasing preference for smaller store formats.

Convenience stores as go-to for fast food.

The growing popularity of multilevel marketing.

Lifestyle

The demanding lifestyle of the working class leading to stress and lack of
sleep.

The growing consciousness for planning discretionary time.

The desire to buy new gadgets and spend on travel.

The frequent visit to malls as instant escape.

The increasing dominance of point-of-purchase activities (packaging,
display, sampling, etc).

Expansive food knowledge, instead of owning expensive cars, as a sign of

sophistication.

The use of visual communication like emojis and memes.

Buying preferences

Shifting priorities—from ownership to access (like car sharing).

Knowing the importance of skin care, not just owning good cosmetics.

For the complete trend list, please visit www.josiahgo.com.

We hope the list above (which will keep growing) can help trigger new
insights and allow you to spot and exploit the next big opportunities in
the marketplace.—CONTRIBUTED

Read more: https://business.inquirer.net/236089/cultural-trends-changing-filipinos-

behave#ixzz7exyy6DoT
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Pop.inquirer.net. Here’s why vlogging is this generation’s newest career path. Accessed on
https://pop.inquirer.net/76643/heres-why-vlogging-is-this-generations-newest-career-path. Published
July 2, 2019.

Here’s why vlogging is

this generation’s newest
career path
Catching up with this generation’s trends, social media platforms have provided us
great convenience to staying updated. Today, social media has again done it by
devising a whole new avenue for different careers such as brand ambassadors, and
bloggers, to name a few. But among these directions, vlogging has surfaced to be the
most achievable for its towering dependence on one’s self.
 P
hoto courtesy of Randy Jacob via Unsplash
The word vlog came from the term “video log”, which was defined as “a personal
website or social media account where a person regularly posts short videos.” It
was coined in the 1980s, where Nelson Sullivan had created a recorded video around
New York City and South Carolina.
Later on, it transpired globally and was also introduced in the Philippines.
A lot of social media platforms paved the way for vlogging to popularize in the
Philippines. However, the most utilized is YouTube, a video-sharing website established
by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim back in 2005. Vlogging
mobilized YouTube since it provided a free platform for aspiring vloggers to share their
own content. Although it was made available to audiences worldwide, only those who
owned a personal computer with an internet connection are able to use it.
After years of innovation, YouTube became handier–thanks to the invention of
smartphones that granted easier access to audience’s reach. Thus, boosting vloggers
into a wider sphere. In addition to this, the advent of smartphones also made it possible
for vloggers to extend their content outside of their homes.
With this in mind, does the current state of vlogging make it a sustainable
career?
There are several vlog categories patronized by the audience today. Examples are
review and unboxing products, comedy vlogs, travel vlogs, beauty, fashion or fitness
vlogs, how-to vlogs, gamer, lifestyle vlogs, and a lot more. Therefore, there are
numerous unique contents a vlogger may opt to create.
 Ph
oto courtesy of William Bayreuther via Unsplash
Aside from content making, the equipment needed for production is quite attainable.
Most vloggers make use of high-quality cameras–but again, the birth of smartphones
has made video making easier and possible.
Of course, microphones are also necessary for audio quality. The cheapest microphone
for vlogging is sold in the market at around P800 (around $16). Lastly, the post-
production or the editing and uploading essentials. Even if you don’t have your own
laptop and internet connection, computer shops are scattered all over the metro.
Rental ranges from P10-50 per hour, which makes it manageable for aspiring Filipino
vloggers to pursue their dreams!
In an article by INQUIRER.net, Filipino vloggers such as Michelle Dy, Wil Dasovich, Ranz
and Niana, AC Bonifacio, Pamela Swing, and Erwan Heusaff have risen and made names
for themselves.
Moving onto the other side of the topic, how much can a YouTube creator earn from
vlogging?
There are two ways in order for a vlogger to earn money from YouTube,
through Youtube Red subscriptions and through advertisements.
Youtube Red subscriptions, also known as YouTube premium, is where viewers can get
special benefits of watching videos without ads, however with a monthly recurring fee.
YouTube calculates the amount a YouTube vlogger earns based on the length of time
the viewers watch his/her content compared to other contents.
Vloggers also profit from advertisements. Large companies invest tons of money in
advertisements since this informs the market of their available product. A YouTube
vlogger can be paid directly to mention a certain product, or do a review about it.
Aside from that, there’s also a program called Google AdSense that allows YouTube
vloggers to profit from their very own channel. A vlogger has to be under the YouTube
Partner Program (YPP) for his or her content be monetized through Google AdSense.
Having a minimum of 1,000 subscribers and at least 4,000 worth of watch hours, or the
total calculated amount of time spent by viewers on one’s videos, in the last 12 months,
are some of the requirements to monetize through ads. Google AdSense will then serve
as a platform to match advertisements to a YouTube channel.
To elaborate on how Google AdSense works, companies pay Google to flash an ad on a
corresponding YouTube video. A YouTube vlogger earns a specific amount of money
whenever one of the videos on the YouTube channel is clicked by a viewer. According
to Techglimpse.ph, for every 1,000 views on YouTube, a vlogger can earn a rate of
P12.82 (est. $0.25) to as much as P200 (est. $4).
Filipino YouTube vlogger Cathy “Alex” Gonzaga, mentioned in an interview about
“Google-prefered” channels or a list of channels prioritized on the social media
platform. This list is mostly composed of foreign vloggers. She also added that the CPM
(cost per mile) depends on the country’s audience a vlogger caters to.
These content creators are generalized based on their subscribers, likers, and viewers.
The more they have of these, the more companies that invest in them. The more videos
they post, the more income they earn!
There are no signs of hitting the breaks in the world of vlogging. Anyone can achieve
the dream of being a vlogger since as mentioned before, this is dependent mostly on
how you want to brand yourself. An aspiring person must always keep in mind a quote
by Israelmore Ayivor, “Success is not obtained overnight. It comes in installments; you
get a little bit today, a little bit tomorrow until the whole package is given out. The day
you procrastinate, you lose that day’s success.” No one is able to achieve overnight
fame, therefore everyone must work hard, be patient and be persistent if they want to
achieve their desired goals.
InqPOP! Creator Community/Willanicole Alexa Ngo
____

Read more: https://pop.inquirer.net/76643/heres-why-vlogging-is-this-generations-

newest-career-path#ixzz7ey0ZAgRi
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Gonzalez, Darryl Thomas. A Look at some of the OG Filipino Youtubers who made it big on the platform
early on. Pop.inquirer.net. Accessed on https://pop.inquirer.net/332836/a-look-at-some-of-the-og-
filipino-youtubers-who-made-it-big-on-the-platform-in-the-early-2000s. Published September 9, 2022.

Before the prominence of today’s YouTube vloggers, influencers, content creators, or

simply “YouTubers,” there were a handful of Filipino personalities who made it big on
the said video platform. In retrospect, it can also be said that these people were also
the ones who first introduced this platform to Filipino internet users during the early
naughts.
Here’s a look back at some of the OG Filipino YouTubers who made it big early on (some
of them still continue to create stuff on the platform) through their exceptionally
entertaining and well-produced video skits and parodies, and their acting chops of
course.

HappySlip
Do you ever wonder how we came up with the single-person skits that are now a staple
on various social platforms these days? Filipino-American YouTuber Christine Gambito,
who is among the notable Filipino YouTube pioneers of the early 2000s, may have
started it all. She began sharing her entertaining videos in 2006 and is known for her
“one-woman show”, where she acted as multiple characters for her skits.
Here’s a video from 15 years ago that was loved by many for its Filipino humor.
Today, this powerful woman continues to create content similar to the ones she
created when she was still starting. Only this time, she now prefers doing it live for her
online viewers.
Mikey Bustos
Mikey Bustos may be remembered as that guy who was dubbed as the “Ambassador of
Filipinos on the internet”? This Canadian-born Filipino YouTuber has been known for
his comedic, witty, and sometimes serious Filipino-themed videos and musicals.
Here’s one of his hit video tutorials on Filipino culture that generated a lot of
viewership.

Currently, he is based in Manila and has a career in singing, performing, acting, and
event hosting.

JamichTV
This real-life couple, Jamvhille and Paolinne Michelle, known to many as “JaMich”,
attained popularity on YouTube through their romantic short films.
Here’s one titled “Unsweetened Love Story”, which made their fans felt all sorts of
emotions.
Unfortunately, the half of JaMich, Jam Sebastian, passed away in 2015 after battling
stage 4 lung cancer. It also marked the end of their YouTube career. Meanwhile, the
other half of the duo, Mich Liggayu, continued her vlogging journey through her own
channel, MichLiggayuTV.

Lloyd Cafe Cadena

Cadena was a vlogger who created content and skits around student life, youth,
mundane experiences, and everything fun. His most popular series was LC Learns. It
featured various topics like tutorials, tips, reflections, observations, and many others
that fall under “learnings” he felt were worthy of sharing with his viewers.
Here’s an episode from the said series, which featured college students and their usual
campus scenarios. This was received well by his subscribers.

This well-loved Filipino vlogger shocked the whole country when he passed away in
2020 at the young age of 26.
EmmanNimedezTV
And, of course, we can’t forget the OG Pambansang Oppa, Emman Nimedez–the
vlogger who literally grew up and matured as a person and an artist on YouTube.
His most notable videos were his K-Drama parody videos, which touched many hearts
for their quality and impact.

His content creation journey sadly came to an abrupt end when he passed away in
2020. Emman has had a significant impact on the YouTube vlogging community,
especially in raising the bar high in terms of quality of content.

Read more: https://pop.inquirer.net/332836/a-look-at-some-of-the-og-filipino-

youtubers-who-made-it-big-on-the-platform-in-the-early-2000s#ixzz7ey15O6J8
Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook

Goodfellow, Jessica. The Philippines has the highest population of vlog watchers and influencers
followers: Report. Campaign Asia. Accessed on https://www.campaignasia.com/article/the-philippines-
has-the-highest-population-of-vlog-watchers-and-influencer-follow/475734. Published February 10,
2022.
Asia houses more than half of the world's internet users and the heaviest mobile users,
but it lags when it comes to concerns about misuse of personal data, according to stats
pulled from We Are Social and Hootsuite's annual Digital 2022 report. The report
consolidates data from multiple sources to paint a picture of how users are spending
their time on the internet across the world. Southern Asia contains 18.1% of the
world's internet users, yet it has among the lowest internet adoption at less than half
(46%) of the total population—which explains why it has become a key target for tech
companies looking for new growth. Internet adoption is highest in Europe and North
America and lowest in Middle and Eastern Africa. Eastern Asia has the highest
proportion of global internet users, housing 24.7%, while Southeast Asia houses 9.8%.
By comparison, the proportion of global internet users in Europe and North America
is 13.6% and 7%, respectively. It is a similar picture for social-media users, with
Eastern Asia accounting for 27.6% of global users, followed by Southern Asia at
15.7% and Southeast Asia at 11.6%. There were 192 million new internet users in the
past year, representing a 4% annual increase, and 424 million new social-media users,
up by 10%. The growth for both is plateauing over time. Mobile now accounts for
53.5% of global daily internet usage, an increase of 1.3% compared to 2020. Internet
users in the Philippines and Thailand spend the longest time on mobile in the world, at
5 hours 47 minutes and 5 hours 28 minutes per day, respectively, compared to the 3
hour 43 minute worldwide average. Japanese have the lowest mobile internet usage at
1 hour 39 minutes per day. The Philippines has by far the biggest percentage of
internet users that watch vlogs each week, at 60.4% of total internet users aged 16 to
64, compared to a 26.7% global average, and a strong influencer culture, with more
than half (51.4%) of users following influencers on social media, more than double
the global average. It also has the highest proportion of internet users who use a
streaming service each month, at 98.3%, compared to a 93.5% global average.
Streaming TV's share of total TV watch time increased by 4.4% to 44% between 2020
and 2021. Indonesia has the second highest proportion of internet users who listen to
podcasts, at 35.6% of internet users per week, compared to a 20.4% global average.
Brazil has the highest at 37%. Asian markets have the most internet users that play
video games, at more than 90% of the total internet population in the Philippines,
Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, India and Taiwan. Thailand has the highest proportion
of cryptocurrency owners worldwide, with 20.1% of the internet population owning
digital currency compared to a 10.2% global average. Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and
China all fall below the global average. In China just 5.7% of the internet population
owns some form of cryptocurrency. Asia lags when it comes to concerns about misuse
of personal data. While more than half the internet population in Greece, Spain, Brazil
and Portugal are worried about how companies use their personal data online, just
over a quarter of users share these concerns in China (26.8%) and Thailand (26.1%).
Singapore users have the highest level of concern of any Asian markets at 38.6% of
online users. This is despite Asia being home to the heaviest VPN users. Nearly half
(42%) of internet users in India say they use a VPN for at least some of their online
activities, compared to a 28.3% global average. Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam,
Singapore and China are all above the global average for VPN usage as well. Source:
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https://www.bworldonline.com/editors-picks/2019/03/20/220618/popular-culture-and-political-
theater/

By Maria Jovita Zarate

Theater Review
Charot!
Presented by the Philippine
Educational Theater Association (PETA)
Written by Michelle Ngu and J-mee Katanyag
Directed by Maribel Legarda
PETA Theater Center, #5 Eymard Drive,
New Manila, Quezon City
“CHAROT” is gay slang, one of the many fluid terms generated by popular lingo, often
used as an interjection to express the flimsy nature of a statement and to which the
appropriate response should be… charot, or char, its abbreviated expression. The word
has permeated popular culture such that in television, radio, and social media, the term
is used with impunity.
PETA’s season-ender derives its title and spirit from this piece of gay slang. In this one-
hour and 45-minute play, charot stands for “charter of change,” an obvious reference to
the efforts of the lower house and the President to engineer a fundamental change in
the constitution toward a shift from the presidential system of government to a federal
form. In this play, PETA takes an unequivocally political position, one that exposes how
the President undermines the constitution.
The year is 2020 and there is a plebiscite, the country is referred to as PI, the President
is Papsy, and Choinah is encroaching on the nation’s economy. The play takes place on
plebiscite day, and opens with a ragtag group of musicians calling on voters to exercise
their right and make the entire electoral exercise a display of people power.
A motley group of voters are travelling to the polling precinct in Ernesto Mangamot
Elementary School. An afternoon downpour has triggered a horrendous traffic jam. The
polls close at five o’clock but there aren’t any signs the traffic will clear.
Gathered in the chaos of the standstill are a millennial couple with opposing views on
charter change, the owner of a small store who is also a pregnant mother, a friendly
street vendor, an overbearing traffic cop, a casual employee of a department store, a
gay Grab driver who was once an OFW, and a woman club performer with robust
breasts now aspiring to get a gig abroad.
As the play progresses, another set of characters intervene to break the impasse: an
affluent, philantropic woman stands in for the middle class, the mayor’s aide represents
the links to powers-that-be, and a nun stands for the politically enlightened sector.
They try to extricate themselves from what is now referred to as “carmaggedon.” They
need to go to the polling precinct. As they exchange barbs, their characters unravel:
the millennial couple stand by their two separate political positions, the mall saleslady
displays a militant side as she bewails the oppressive employment policies of a mall
tycoon, the small-time businesswoman is the classic wheeler dealer who curries favor
with local politicians, and the silicone-enhanced woman wanting to go abroad makes up
for the body fakery with her genuine character.
Close to the deadline, the mayor sends his aide with a helicopter, and picks up those
who will vote in support of charter change. Those opposed refuse to climb the
helicopter’s ladder as it hovers above them. They are already settled on the thought
that they may have to walk to get to the polling precint — until an inflatable rescue
boat appears out of nowhere, steered by a politically enlightened nun who goes by the
name of Sister Mary Joy.
While the helicopter is safely cruising the skies, and the inflatable boat floats its wobbly
way through the flood waters (hey PETA, we haven’t forgotten — it’s a flash flood, it
ain’t that deep, and it should subside soon, di ba? ), Charot! throws all need for
theatrical élan to the wind, and turns unapologetically instructional: up in the skies, the
helicopter pilot pulls out a brochure arguing for charter change while in the muddy
waters the nun does the same, but arguing against it. The scene has the unlikely mix of
pompousness and tedium. It could be said that the pompous are consigned to be
tedious. And dull. The scene is the most insufferable moment of the play.
They reach the polling precinct as it is about to close. And as the plot buckles down to
its denouement, the pregnant tindera screams as her water bursts, and the silicone-
enhanced woman comes to her aid in a moment of I-am-more-than-my-fake-boobs
redemptive act. The newborn is raised above their heads, like the biblical child lifted
from the manger to symbolize hope, and they gather around the child as they utter
their desire for a better country and a brighter future for the next generation.
PETA productions always pulsate with an ensemble energy that is a theatrical
experience in itself. From productions traversing the lines of popular culture such
as Rak of Aegis to the masterly Brechtian oeuvre Galileo, it is an acting ensemble that
moves as one in moments of breathless momentum. In Galileo, Joel Lamangan in the
title role was the heart, pumping blood through the arterial valves of his supporting
actors so each scene gave you a well-nourished theatrical body politic moving in the
space and time of the Enlightenment. In Rak of Aegis, they gyrated and hit the highest
notes to keep up with the tradition of “birit singing” with loads of chutzpah. The sense
of oneness you see onstage is forged beyond the rehearsal halls and the stage. The
acting ensemble goes to a deeper well — a belief that something urgent must be
conveyed to the theater-going public, and a conviction that theater is a tool for change
and concerted action.
PANDERING WITH POPULAR CULTURE
Charot!, with the immense energy of its ensemble and clarion call to protect
democracy, is problematic on many levels. PETA misses that a play is first and foremost
a written text, and its finest attributes will only come alive on stage if its formal and
most fundamental elements are developed in the writing.
Charot! is all physical plot, bare as a herringbone, its playwrights made busy by the
need to ferry one plot point to the next, and in the end piling on one incredible event
after another. Splattered in the narrative are many details that test the more mindful
viewers’ capacity to exercise “willing suspension of disbelief.” The scenes are
unarguably hilarious, verging on slapstick, but still getting the laughs that made for
strong audience rapport. However, the banter easily slid into one-upsmanship, where
shaming, subtle and outright, became the norm.
Like its other political plays in the recent past, Charot! deployed familiar stock
characters as if drawn from social media news feeds. Its use may be understandable —
it makes the material accessible to a wide audience, which is a primary consideration
for plays that seek to translate understanding of a political situation to political action.
However, these characters bear simplified and reductive traits, and are devoid of fresh
insights.
Charot! is vapid because it panders too much to popular culture, particularly its
expressions found in traditional and social media. Theater audiences are also the
passive consumers of these forms as they are conveyed in television, cinema, radio,
and Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Unless the dramatist can consciously ferret out
the liberating aspects of popular culture, there will be an inherent problem in relying on
popular culture’s use of stereotypes, its predisposition to shame, and the paltry insights
that can be derived from the spectacle of repeated peals of laughter. And the audiences
of such plays, now able to wangle a good number of hundred peso bills to get to the
theater, are once again the passive consumers as they laugh, growl, and chuckle in
amusement.
It might be well for PETA to ask itself: What are the political advantages that popular
culture can give to political theater, especially the kind that seeks to educate about
positive, proactive, and concerted action for social change? How can political theater
balance the distinct advantages of stock, easily recognizable characters without
reproducing the prejudices and discrimination — in short, the shaming — that is so
germane to popular culture?
Throughout PETA’s 50-year history it has pursued socially relevant theater, even at the
height of the martial law regime. Surely it can turn to other sources of inspiration aside
from popular culture’s paltry forms? Through the past five decades, its theater
repertoire has been rich and storied, drawn from sources and influences that are
moored in local, national, and global theater traditions. A thorough stocktaking will
enable the company to steer its socially relevant theater through wiser and more
uplifting dramaturgy. After all, in the metropolis’ mainstream theater scene, it is only
PETA that takes on political issues and acts in defense of democracy. We need that now
and quite urgently.
MARIA JOVITA ZARATE is a member of the jury of Gawad Buhay, the awards body for
the performing arts. She teaches at the University of the Philippines Open University.

Gita-Carlos, Ruth Abbey. Vlogging continues to raise public awareness: BBM. PNA. Accessed on
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1175898. Published June 5, 2022.

ANILA – President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has vowed to continue vlogging during his
presidency to keep the public posted, as well as solicit advice from them through various social media
platforms.

In his latest vlog uploaded on his official Youtube account on Saturday, Marcos said he has decided to
continue posting videos on social media so as not to limit the dissemination of government information to
mainstream media.

"Kaya ipagpapatuloy talaga namin ang vlog na ito. Every so often nang mayroon tayong paliwanag doon sa
ating mga ginagawa para hindi lamang sa pahayagan ang inyong nagiging balita kundi pati na from the
horse's mouth, ika nga (We will really continue vlogging. Every so often, we will explain the things that we
are doing so that you will hear the news not just to media outlets but straight from the horse's mouth, as they
say)," he said.

Marcos also expressed gratitude to netizens who keep visiting his official account on social media sites such as
Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, Twitter, and Tiktok.

Responding to netizens' comments, Marcos said the simple liking and sharing of posts on his social media
accounts are already a "big help" for him.
"Mula sa aming mga vlog, sa mga album at sa mga mensahe na pino-post namin, lahat po iyan ay hindi
magiging matagumpay kung wala ang inyong suporta (We will not be successful, without your support,
starting from our vlogs to the albums and messages we are posting)," he said.

As of posting time, Marcos has 2.59 million followers on Youtube.

Marcos said vlogging will serve as a bridge between his administration and the Filipino people.

"Ipagpatuloy natin iyang lahat at lalo pang pagagandahin para hindi mapatid at hindi masayang itong nabuo
na nating ugnayan at samahan (We will continue what we have started and make a room for improvement to
maintain our good relations with you)," Marcos told his followers online.

Marcos also assured his fellow Filipinos that he would give his best to exceed their expectations.

He said he would exhaust all efforts to give them a comfortable life.

"Kayo po ang naglagay dito sa amin. Talaga naman, gagawin namin ang lahat nang hindi naman mabigo at
masabi na nasawi kami doon sa aming naipangako at nais gawin dito sa pamahalaan (You have brought us
here. We will really do everything so as not to fail you and make you feel that we are unable to fulfill our
promises)," Marcos said.

Raise public awareness

Press Secretary-designate Rose Beatrix "Trixie" Angeles earlier said giving social media personalities access
to Palace coverage is one of the administration's priorities to raise public awareness of the policies and
programs of the incoming Marcos administration.

"Kailangan din nating i-acknowledge na nagbabago 'yung mundo (We have to acknowledge that the world is
changing). The technology is there. Hindi natin kayang i-ignore. Merong mga vlogger (We could not ignore
that. We have vloggers) who have millions in their following. Hindi ba natin sila puwedeng isama, makilahok
sila sa governance? So, 'yun ang una nating tinitignan. Binabalanse natin (Can't we allow their participation
in governance? That is what we're looking into. We're balancing it)," she said in an interview with UNTV's Get
it Straight on Friday.

Cruz-Angeles reiterated that her communications team would assess if it is the "right time" to give social
media influencers access to Malacañang and if they need to learn a "certain language" in delivering
information to the public.

She said stakeholders, including media practitioners, will be consulted about her plan to implement the existing
policy of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) that allows vloggers to cover
Malacañang events.

"Merong mga tao, tutol at (There are people who are opposed to) the very idea. Importante, mahalaga ang
kanilang mga opinyon (It's important to hear their opinions)," Cruz-Angeles said.

Cruz-Angeles said she wants social media personalities to cover events that will be attended by President-elect
Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and other Palace officials to counter opinions against the incoming
administration that will be based on "wrong information."
"There will be opinions that are very loud that are based on the wrong information. So nagkaroon, ngayon
ng vloggers who would say wait no, that is not true kasi may ganito, ganito (So now, there are vloggers who
would counter that based on facts)," she said.

Acknowledging that vloggers are not part of mainstream media, Cruz-Angeles said she would make sure that
the information that will be picked up by the online personalities will not be taken out of context.

"It will be a priority kasi our job is to deliver the information. We want to make sure that there are people who
will help us deliver it, people who we are assured we already have an audience," Cruz-Angeles said.

On August 8, 2017, Andanar issued Department Order (DO) 15, establishing a provisional social media
practitioner accreditation system handled by the PCOO's Social Media Office.

Under DO 15, accreditation can only be issued to Filipino social media practitioners who are at least 18 years
old and who have at least 5,000 followers on any social media platform. (PNA)

https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/for-malacanang-access-marcos-vloggers-going-
professional/

MANILA, Philippines – Pro-Marcos vloggers have formed a group to lobby for their
access to Malacañang, a privilege that media observers have warned could jeopardize
independent coverage of the country’s most powerful institution.

Vloggers formed the United Vloggers and Influencers of the Philippines (UVIP), their
version of a press corps. This comes as incoming press secretary Trixie Cruz Angeles
was still evaluating the rules of accreditation for influencers, which were crafted
under the Duterte administration.
Rappler learned that UVIP is already seeking accreditation with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. It is in the process of formalizing its constitution, by-laws,
and code of ethics – documents that would bolster its chances of government
accreditation. SEC accreditation and organizational principles are among the
requirements of news outlets to be considered for Malacañang Press Corps
membership.

VICTORIOUS. Vloggers supporting Marcos Jr. interview fellow supporters. Photo by Alecs Ongcal/Rappler

Rappler on Friday, June 17, sought to clarify with UVIP officers, vloggers Jarret
Pulido and John Anthony Jaboya, what kind of SEC accreditation they were pursuing.
Both were shown to have read our message but have not replied as of posting.

As of Monday, June 20, the UVIP consisted of around 30 vloggers and influencers
with a combined subscriber base of at least 2.3 million. This is a figure that trumps the
subscriber count of most individual Philippine media outlets.

UVIP’s immediate goal is government accreditation, with Malacañang being the

prized institution. They find an ally in incoming president Ferdinand “Bongbong”
Marcos Jr., whose only visible occupation before he was elected was being a
YouTube vlogger.
In the long term, the group aims to obtain recognition and legitimacy. Many of its
members describe the effort as a rejection of the supposed elitism and snobbery of
traditional and mainstream media. Operationally, UVIP aims to have vloggers
regulate themselves.

“We are pro-government. We are not anti-government…. We will be a partner of the

government,” said John Anthony Jaboya, the man behind the YouTube channel
“Sangkay Janjan,” in his live broadcast on Saturday, June 11.

Organizing UVIP, according to Jaboya, was not an idea from its leaders and members
but from the incoming press secretary, their fellow vlogger and lawyer Trixie Cruz
Angeles.

“It’s Attorney Trixie really who gave us the idea to form this organization so that we
vloggers wouldn’t be belittled anymore,” Jaboya said in Filipino.

Welcome to the club

LEADER. Jarret Pulido, who runs the Coach Jarret YouTube channel, presents the group's name to its
members. Screenshot from Old School Pinoy.

UVIP is led by pro-Marcos vloggers Jaboya and Pulido. They respectively stand as
the internal vice president and the president of the group.
Pulido runs the YouTube channel Coach Jarret, which has around 180,000
subscribers, while Jaboya is the face of the Sangkay Janjan channel, the biggest pro-
Marcos vlog by subscriber count at over 970,000.

Together with over a dozen members of UVIP, Jaboya and Pulido rented a resort in
Amadeo, Cavite, from June 8 to 10. Each attendee paid P3,500 for the lodging.

To piece together what transpired, Rappler spoke with at least two vloggers present in
the seminar and scoured through videos posted by members from their gathering.

Many of the attendees met for the first time. On the first day, the vloggers conducted
what Filipinos typically call “team-building” activities, where they divided themselves
into groups and played games to build camaraderie. They called themselves Team
Gwapo, Team Norte, Team Loyalista, and Team Nutribun. Each group came up with
a chant accompanied by dance moves.

LEGAL ADVICE. Lawyer Darwin Cañete at the UVIP seminar. Screenshot from Old School Pinoy

With trust fortified, the members thought of their collective mission, vision, and core
values.

Among the values they aimed to uphold: “Winning the voice of the masses,” wrote
Team Gwapo.

“Wala kaming boss (We have no boss),” wrote Team Norte.

“Continue what we do and become an inspirational leader,” wrote Team Nutribun.

On the second day, they were asked to study their code of ethics and the laws
surrounding freedom of speech.

One of the sessions was led by lawyer Darwin Cañete, the controversial prosecutor
who doubted the innocence of teenager Kian delos Santos, who was slain by cops in a
supposed anti-drug raid. He warned the vloggers of their legal “limitations” and
briefed them about libel.

Cañete told Rappler that he told the vloggers "not to post news or facts that lack basis"
and "not to abuse their followings."

On the last day, the program was capped by an “awarding” ceremony, complete with
certificates bearing the names of the attendees. Pulido handed them out himself to the
joy of his colleagues.

The UVIP members then continued to play games and swim in the resort before
coming home and vlogging about the experience.

Vlogging ethics

CLICKBAIT GALLERY. A screenshot of some videos produced by John Anthony Jaboya, who runs the
Youtube channel Sangkay Janjan. YouTube screenshot
One of the values included in UVIP's draft code of ethics is the rejection of bias.

“Of course, we are biased because we are pro-BBM, but it is in our code of ethics that
we will not be biased,” said a vlogger who requested anonymity.

Theirs will be patterned after the code of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng
Pilipinas (KBP), which sets ethical standards for over 50 member news organizations.

“If the Marcoses make a mistake, we will release it,” another vlogger said.

Among the values the KBP requires in its code of ethics are fairness and objectivity,
corroboration of information, and the rejection of personal attacks – values that the
members of the UVIP have not been observing in their incendiary pro-Marcos videos.

UVIP’s members, most notably their officials Jaboya and Pulido, gained YouTube
prominence by promoting Marcos propaganda and by using their platforms to
lambaste critics of Marcos and the outgoing Duterte government.

UVIP members have also consistently used their channels to attack the very people
with whom they hope to cover in government events: members of the press.

In criticizing the press, many vloggers have attributed malice to standard newsroom
editorial practices. To them, a reporter’s story undergoing multiple levels of fact-
checking and corrections before publication is supposed to be proof of attempts to
distort the story in pursuit of an “agenda.”

Many UVIP members have also used derogatory remarks, such as “fakestream media”
and “bias media (sic),” to discredit reporters. They urge watchers to listen only to
them and to controversial media outlets SMNI and NET25 –networks which publicly
endorsed Marcos and running mate Sara Duterte in the last presidential and vice-
presidential elections.

If they sign onto their code of ethics, the UVIP members would vow to be
professional – a trait that could not characterize their casual, unfiltered, and Marcos-
serving broadcasts.

“Bawal na lahat. Government projects na lang (All is forbidden. We’re only allowed
to show government projects),” one vlogger said.
Different set of standards?

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT. Malacañang reporters interview President Rodrigo Duterte. Malacañang

photo

New rules as to how and who will accredit vloggers in Malacañang were still under
review by the administration, as of June 16. The administration, according to Angeles,
was considering follower count and engagement as criteria for accreditation.

University of the Philippines associate professor Danilo Arao said the planned
standards lacked "qualitative analysis", which would include how the vloggers act and
report, not just how much attention they commanded.

The accreditation of vloggers started under the administration of President Rodrigo

Duterte with the rise of bloggers and influencers, who experts partly credited for
the popularity of the tough-talking president.

These influencers joined Duterte's foreign trips, and over a dozen were even
accredited to cover the ASEAN Summit in August 2017. Rappler reported on the
accreditation despite the lack of policy from the Duterte administration. Two days
later, on August 9, 2017, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary
Martin Andanar issued Department Order No. 15, with the subject “Interim Social
Media Practitioner Accreditation.”
The guidelines required little from influencers for one-time access accrediations:

 Filipino citizenship
 At least 18 years old
 At least 5,000 followers on any social media platform

The accreditation was only valid per event or activity, which meant they had to
request accreditation for each event they sought to cover.

What the vloggers want now is a long-term accreditation policy that matches what is
afforded to professional journalists. Arao found this to be "dangerous," explaining that
accreditation was deliberately selective for traditional, logistical, and accountability
reasons.

The tradition referred to journalism as a profession recognized as important by the

Constitution: only a select number of people have the experience and training to
watch over government institutions, and these people passed down the best practices
to cover people in power. The logistical concern, meanwhile, is that Malacañang
could only grant so much seats for a select number of people to cover the Office of the
President.

Journalists, Arao explained, are also subjected to a process that held them
accountable. The work of journalists go through multiple layers of verification and
scrutiny, from editors to media watchdogs, and they can be taken to court for their
work.

This also explains the strict rules for getting admitted to the Malacañang Press Corps.

The Malacañang Press Corps (MPC) accredits per news organization, not per
individual. It requires that outlets be in operation for at least one year and that they be
registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. New applicants even
undergo a six-month probationary period.

According to MPC’s by-laws, members are expected to follow Palace rules and
“observe the highest form of ethical standard of journalism.” At the same time, they
are also explicitly discouraged from lobbying, doing public relations, and
partisanship.

"The MPC vets applicants to ensure that only legitimate media outlets will be part of
its roster," MPC president Evelyn Quiroz told Rappler in a text message.
Quiroz said, "MPC has no say if Malacañang or PCOO accredits, subject to protocols
and guidelines, vloggers to cover the Palace beat, but the MPC will continue to adhere
to its by-laws with regard to its membership."

VLOGGER AS OFFICIAL. Vlogger Trixie Cruz-Angeles speaks to the media after her nomination as Press
Secretary to the Marcos administration. Rappler photo

During their seminar, the vloggers gathered and made a list on a whiteboard:
“comparison of vloggers and reporters.”

They admitted that they lacked “skills and training,” still needed a code of ethics, and
acknowledged their “bias to BBM.” UVIP was envisioned to answer these problems.

University of the Philippines assistant professor of communication Fatima Gaw saw

the group's goal as to “professionalize” vloggers. But she argued that a group with
written standards would not be enough for vloggers to change their ways.

Pro-Marcos vloggers continue to have more incentives to remain the same, Gaw
pointed out. If vloggers stopped churning out disinformation-laced inflammatory
videos in exchange for access, it could mean the loss of views, subscribers, and,
ultimately, income.
One vlogger Rappler spoke with said smaller vloggers would suffer the most with
UVIP because they still did not have a loyal audience that would continue watching
them if they suddenly cooled down. The star vloggers, meanwhile, already enjoyed a
sizeable and loyal following.

“There must be incentives in place for them to do so, and what we are seeing now is
that they are incentivized for not having those same expectations of accountability to
the public to do fair and objective reporting," Gaw told Rappler in a text message.

Arao painted a picture: "Imagine a reporter asking a question in a press conference

about an urgent national issue and then a vlogger comes next, asking that the official
give a birthday greeting to one of their followers," Arao said.

He added: "We are not defining them as not having any right to report on what is
happening in our society, but they have to do it responsibly." – Rappler.com
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