Jumping to conclusions

The letter of Angeli O. Marconi (“Rubbish talk,” 4/17/18) shows she excels in the exercise of jumping to conclusions.

Taking a cue from the ranting of Celeste Cruz (“Chinese ‘media trainers,’” 4/16/18), she too, vented her ire on Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar over his announcement that the government media will be “trained” by China.

Immediately, Marconi raised the specter that the Philippine government media may become nothing but a mere propaganda arm, totally controlled by the state.

Just to put things in proper perspective, the PCOO announcement was based on the RMB17 million (P141 million) aid China extended to the Philippines to improve the country’s media, secured during President Duterte’s recent visit to China.

In connection with this aid, the PCOO and China’s Ministry of Commerce exchanged letters for broadcasting equipment.

As for the training of our government media personnel by China, Andanar said: “In terms of management, in terms of the technology that they are using, we, in the Philippine government media, have so much to learn from them.”

He even clarified that there are “different ideologies and different paradigms in reporting” of the two nations.

From the foregoing, it is clear that the training from China has nothing to do at all with content and manner of reporting.

With only her suspicions and apparent bias against China and the Duterte administration as the sole basis, Marconi went on to unfairly accuse Andanar of duplicity.

She should be reminded that jumping to conclusions is a dangerous exercise. If you do, you usually land flat on your face.

RENALYN SAPLAS, telee12@mofa.go.kr