The social media phenomenon has not only brought people from the different parts of the world together in one virtual global community but it has also changed the way governance is delivered.
There is virtually nothing that could be hidden from netizens nowadays, what with the internet and Facebook virtually becoming a 24-hour reality show.
Early today, I engaged a netizen in a lively exchange in the comments portion of an article where Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, obviously misinformed on what the issues really are, castigated me publicly for allegedly favouring multi-national corporations over the country’s sugar farmers on the issue of the importation of High Fructose Corn Syrup used by soft drinks companies.
But I will reserve my explanation on this during the April 10 Senate Hearing which Sen. Zubiri has scheduled for the sugar industry.
The exchange of comments with a netizen who identified himself as edward lasker strayed to my use of the social media to respond to issues raised in the comments box.
When it was becoming evident that he was losing ground in our debate on the issues involving the sugar industry, he suddenly questioned me for engaging him in a discussion in a social media site.
The messages exchanged between us provides a good study on how the social media have become effective mechanisms in addressing people’s concern, especially on governance.
Unfortunately, edward lasker thought I was an office clerk working in front of a computer from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and he admonished me for posting comments in the social media during office hours.
Here are the messages and replies we both posted:
edward lasker Emmanuel Pinol • 2 hours ago
And by the way sir if you are really manny pinol isn’t it time to stay away from social sites since as a taxpayer, I am paying for your salary to be more productive. I know that it’s a free country but can you please do it after office hours?
Emmanuel Pinol edward lasker • 33 minutes ago
so answering and addressing the concerns and issues raised by people through feedback mechanisms like the social media is not part of public service? whatever happened to the concept of “responsive government?” or you just cannot carry on an intelligent discussion and debate?
edward lasker Emmanuel Pinol • 24 minutes ago
Again you have every right to express your ideas to your constituents. But I bet you have more pressing things to do right now rather than engage in debate with a lowly person like me. Things like food security, the WTO, agrarian modernization etc. The documents to sign and meetings you have to attend would be so great that minor activities such as responding to online comments would have been impossible. So this leads me to this assumption: the real manny pinol would NOT have the time and the wherewithal to waste his saliva on me.
edward lasker Emmanuel Pinol • 37 minutes ago
Again, post your comments sir after office hours. This is a case of graft, using official government hours for social media discourse. We the taxpayers are reminding you of your duty to provide us with the best service and avoid wasting our money.
Emmanuel Pinol edward lasker • 26 minutes ago
graft? where the hell did you get that idea? do you know that i am answering your comments while travelling on board a vehicle to an engagement? some people would call that multi-tasking, not graft!
edward lasker Emmanuel Pinol • 23 minutes ago
Lowly government employees get fired for accessing Facebook, twitter, etc during office hours po. If that is what a secretary of the government does these days, then so be it.
Emmanuel Pinol edward lasker • 9 minutes ago
i start working at 3 a.m. signing documents and work well into the night. i work on saturdays and sundays. on important engagements, i even travel the whole night, sleeping in the vehicle, like what i did when i travelled last thursday night from manila to ligao city, to casiguran, sorsogon, to malimono, surigao del norte, all in two days. but i find time to respond to people’s comments which is part of my job. i have a Facebook page MannyPiñol and you might want to visit it. i personally write the articles and respond to the comments and concerns. hindi ba tabo na ang gobyerno sa akin? no, i am not wasting my time and saliva on you. you are an important person, a taxpayer whose concern i should address and whose doubts i must clear up. this is pro-active governance sir, just in case you still don’t know.
Take note that the exchange ended when I pointed out to him that responding to comments and concerns posted in the social media is part of effective governance.
(Photos of me working with my laptop taken by my son, Bernrhart Immanuel in my farmhouse in Kidapawan City.)
More Stories
Practical Farming: Turn Used Plastic Containers Into Life-Time Laying Nests!
Super Bulb Onion Grown In Alamada, North Cotabato
Kapehan With Pareng Gob