Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Allan Peter Cayetano had the perfect place
and audience- the 32nd session of the United Nations General Assembly .
DFA Secretary Cayetano delivered a speech on behalf of
President Rodrigo Duterte before the 32nd session of the United Nations General
Assembly in New York last September 23.
It was there the DFA Secretary was able to explain the
policies of the Duterte administration which has been in constant attack from
criticisms from the international community or other countries. *
 |
| Philippines top diplomat, Secretary Allan Peter Cayetano addresses the United Nations General Assembly (photo credit APC) |
"It was a major policy speech. Kung wala
'yung bloggers, paano 'yung coverage namin?" Cayetano told reporters at
the sidelines of the ASEAN High Level Forum in Pasay City.
"I’m saying nga whether wala kayong budget
or wala kaming budget for everything, the reality is 'pag oposisyon ang pumunta
doon you see all the TV cameras... So anong laban namin? How do we get our
message out? It’s through you guys and through the bloggers," he added.
Cayetano also said that the Philippine
government is facing criticism from the international community.
"Sobra ang paninira sa atin around the
world and then kulang na kulang 'yung coverage," he said.
The Senate hearing weeks ago regarding the “Seven
Deadly Sens” that was published in the silentnomore.ph blog has opened the
world of blogging-bloggers which already plays an important role in our
society. Social media has become a tool in the information dissemination as
wells as black propaganda – depends how it will be used.
It was there also, pro administration (Duterte)
bloggers was for the first time was seen in the halls of the senate.
The DFA Secretary explained and defended the
presence of Mocha Uson and RJ “Thinking Pinoy” Nieto as part of his official
delegation in the United Nations assembly.
*
"Asec. Mocha is not only a blogger. She’s
assistant secretary of PCOO so that’s the real story," Cayetano said.
Nieto, on the other hand, is a consultant for
the DFA Office of Migrant Workers' Affairs.
"He was part of the DFA and actually
napansin ko when he blogs about it, mas marami rin sumusulat about it,"
the secretary said.
Cayetano revealed that many bloggers had
offered to help him, including Sass Sasot, who reportedly spent her own money
to attend a forum with OFWs in Geneva, Switzerland last May.
The secretary said that he does not see
anything wrong with the DFA or with other top officials of the government to
engage with bloggers.
"We’re not saying that everything they say
is gospel truth but it’s important for this government, which is sometimes
misunderstood, to have our own mechanisms of direct conversation,"
Cayetano said.
Report from Philstar.
0 comments