An Enduring Advocacy to Find the Truth

Volume 4, Issue No. 1

OPINION/COMMENTARY

/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /

. . . . . A community service of The Filipino Web Channel (TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail. com) and the Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . . . . .

 

 Our latest as of Tuesday, July 5, 2022 

~ Three years and thousands of readers later, this blog continues to plod on its fourth year this month, committed as it has been to serve the community through informed and well-researched articles in hopes of creating awareness and insights into issues in the community. Our journey of a thousand miles is bearing fruit, thanks so much to readers, subscribers, and supporters who believe in the truth. 

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FILIPINO WEB MAGAZINE'S 4TH YEAR

The Single Step That Preceded Our Journey

Unearthing wrongdoing remains the objective

By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ 

Editor, The Filipino Web Channel

"A man with little learning is like the frog who thinks its puddle a great sea". - Burmese proverb

TORONTO - A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, says a Chinese proverb.

And what a remarkable journey it has been since this blog began in July 2019, in fact, a rewarding three years now, after the unsurprising bickerings that had been seething for months over the flimsiest issues and personal insults resulted in the creation of this alternative media. (Related story at: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2019/07/the-inevitable-conflict-between-editors.html).

That first step was not without hurdles. Along the way, one is met with cynicism and the usual brickbats. What would have been my professional redoubt also became a stage to strengthen the unbridled exercise of free speech, journalism basically, without fear or favor.

I've written 185 articles for my online media site Filipino Web Magazine (https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/) and since then has amassed thousands of readers, to my amazement, of course, not having experienced the swell while writing for a local tabloid. In a sense, that would be the equivalent of a thousand miles, only longer.

The numbers compiled by Google are a big slap on the face of a so-called sportswriter nicknamed Mondee, who is actually the promdi-speaking podcaster who goes by Mon Datol, a business partner by the moon-faced Cecille Araneta of the purported not-for-profit International Entertainment Company. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdTnX700_a8).

Just for background, this duo formed a venture with Rolly Mangante alias "Kabise", the driver-turned-"founder" of the Taste of Manila (ToM), and Dannasol Luna aka Lovely (?), the bogus "international journalist", in an attempt to reprise the street festival in August. (Related story at: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2020/01/3-in-1-who-is-amba-congen-consul-of.html).

As uncomprehending as his teammates are, Mondee has questioned whether people still read me since the time I was let go (which was a blessing in disguise) by the publisher and "editor" of a tabloid for the offense of standing up against repeated rumor-mongering and countless insinuations of romantic liaisons. (Related story at: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2019/12/defending-truth-has-its-downside.html).

"Dito sa Toronto, tanungin mo ang maraming tao diyan," he says. "Akala mo ba marami pang nagbabasa sa yo?"

I need not answer that. If Mondee just had a fraction of the mind of a turtle, he would not have said that. The Google numbers - tallied daily, weekly, monthly, and annually - speak for themselves, and on my behalf. 

There are at least a million reasons to challenge Mondee's facetious remarks. However, given his woeful ignorance, it would be merciful to just let him soak in his childish innocence. Ignorance is bliss, isn't it? (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd02DO503DU).

That much I can give with the prayer that he would stop faking things and admit his shortcomings. The same goes for the impostors in his fold, such as Kabise Mangante, Lovely (?) Luna, and Cecille Araneta. They have foot soldiers - a squad of uniformed cheerleaders  - who are blinded by the prospect of an instant windfall if ToM should materialize.

Mondee has claimed in his usual trash-laden talk that, in his own words, and I quote: "Eh tinakbuhan mo nga yung publisher mo, yung Atin Ito, ay, yung Balita. Yung Balita doon ka nagsusulat for so many years, nagkahabla-habla tuloy yung publisher nuon because of ginawa mo". 

Understanding the story of why Balita, its publisher, and I had figured in lawsuits - four, actually, for libel - is beyond Mondee's grasp. Like a turtle, he moves slowly and withdraws into its shell whenever it senses danger. Mondee takes cover in his podcast now that his junk of a rag sheet has vanished.

He continues: "Tatakbuhan mo lang pala pagka nahabla na. O, natalo, almost a million ang binayaran ng publisher x x x kaya walang diario tumanggap sa yo rito eh". (Related story at: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2020/10/contempt-of-court-leads-to-21-day-jail.html).

That is the most egregious statement he could make. "Tatakbuhan . . . " keeps ringing in my ear. "Walang diario tumanggap sa yo . . . " is bothersome too. (Related story at: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2020/08/balitas-non-story-to-avenge-hurt.html).

In my five decades in journalism, never have I run away from any fight, physical, legal, or anything. "Tatakbuhan" is cowardice. Mondee should know that very well because he practices it like a sprinter. Unlike the turtle in him, I face my adversaries without shrinking in fear of what might happen.

I am tempted to explain all these things in Tagalog knowing Mondee is linguistically challenged. His assertion that "walang diario tumanggap sa yo . . . "  shows the mindset of a turtle. He presupposes that I'm looking for a job and rejected because, he says "Lahat ng panunulat mo may bira, bira bira". 

Here's my answer in Tagalog: Maski na natatawa ako sa sinasabi niya, naawa pa rin ako kay Mondee. Yung liit niya, kino-compensate niya ng ingay para hindi mahalata na pandak siya ha ha ha. Gusto lang niya ang dumaldal kasi hindi niya kaya ang mag-isip. Kawawang Mondee, para bang pagong ang gunggong, lulubog, lilitaw. 

For the benefit of thousands of readers, I mean to say Mondee is incapable of critical thinking. He tries to compensate for that incapacity by talking senselessly. That's why he cannot be a journalist. But to give credit where it is due, he excels in rumor-mongering, and in (I'd say again) putting lipstick on pigs.

I have not thought of joining any Filipino newspaper in Toronto because I knew my stand on being a community watchdog - that's my enduring advocacy  - would not be welcomed. The tabloids here are entertainment-oriented, whereas my goal in journalism is to unearth wrongdoing in the community perpetrated by unscrupulous individuals and organizations.

The threat of a lawsuit is ever-present when investigative journalism I practice comes knocking at the doors of potential criminals. The turtle that he is, Mondee would surely cringe at the thought of being bullied, persecuted, and threatened. Well, to tell you Mondee, I have long steeled myself to those possibilities.

Is Mondee engaged in wrongdoing? Is Cecille Araneta defrauding the community? Is Kabise deceiving individuals and businesses with his stolen ToM? Is Lovely (?) Luna deep into deception with her claim of being a "journalist"? If indeed they are, watch out! (Copyright 2022. All Rights Reserved).