The tradition continues

In an editorial titled “The brats,” we explained why we invited Communications Secretary Martin Andanar to write a column (Opinion, 11/18/16).

We argued that it was “part of an Inquirer tradition to host diverse, even adverse, points of view in the Opinion section. For many years, this section hosted Adrian Cristobal, who was part of Marcos’ influential martial-law-era think tank. For some time, it ran a column by Jerry Barican, who used to serve as spokesperson for Joseph Estrada, the president who called for an advertising boycott of the newspaper. In 2005, at a time when Gloria Arroyo was deep in a legitimacy crisis, and the very relationship between the Palace and the press seemed to be poisoned, it started a column called ‘View from the Pasig,’ written (on rotation basis) by Cabinet secretaries Bobi Tiglao and Ric Saludo.”

We invited Secretary Andanar for two reasons: “to demonstrate yet again that this newspaper is in fact open to hearing the administration’s point of view, and to have a policymaker interpret the President’s position for our readers.”

It was always a temporary arrangement, and four months later we took the arrangement to a new level of usefulness to our readers and to public discourse: We relaunched the column last Monday as “View from the Palace,” a weekly space for a rotating group of Cabinet secretaries or key Executive officials starting with Jesus Melchor V. Quitain, undersecretary, Office of the President (not, as earlier stated, assistant executive secretary).

The same two objectives remain: to provide a hearing for the administration’s point of view, and to explain the President’s position. “View from the Palace” will also focus on policy and governance, offering insights into policy debate and strategic decision-making that drive administration initiatives. Beyond announcements or notices, it will sift through assumptions, present analyses, marshal arguments. We believe our readers will be even better served, and public discourse deepened, through these new emphases.

And speaking of launchings, today we launch a new weekly column, “Second Opinion,” by a longtime contributor to Inquirer Opinion, physician and medical anthropologist Gideon Lasco. A graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine as part of the Intarmed program, he is completing his PhD in anthropology at the University of Amsterdam. His research interests have included youth studies, drugs and pharmaceuticals, traditional medicine and health policy.

Lasco is also a health and environment advocate. He served as the coordinator of the Universal Health Care Study Group of the National Institutes of Health (UP) in 2011 and 2013, and authored the Tagalog-language health information website Kalusugan.PH. He is currently an ambassador for WWF Philippines and Climate Reality Project Philippines, and a trustee of the Palawan-based Center for Sustainability.

An avid hiker and traveler who hails from Los Baños, Laguna, Lasco has authored a guidebook for day hikes around Manila and maintains the mountain climbing website Pinoy Mountaineer.