I am a Camera

By: Jan Angelo Raroque

I am a camera. With my shutter

widely open, quite passive,
recording –not thinking. With every
shot I capture, I fill my films with
daunting images.
I had seen a tapestry of people
with the photographs I took. I used
my flash to capture Manila’s “haute
monde”, otherwise known as the
elite, stylishly clad in designer
clothes as they flourish their plastic
smiles towards me. I also zoomed
into Payatas. There, I saw goofy
faces. They are not clothed in velvet
or lace, but rather, half naked with
their sun-kissed skin. These children
posed in front of me with wacky
emotions. I had never seen
something so true, so innocent.
Every day, I am a witness to the
verities of life. I can boast about my
purposes. My photos are on the
pages of the newspaper you read
every breakfast, and my video
coverage is shown on the primetime
news you watch every dinner.
However, there comes a point
where I feel worthless, and my
existence, insignificant. In my world,
the concept of truth and lies is an
oxymoron. Two forces that are
juxtaposing.
 My photos are used sometimes in
order to harbor lies and to start
gossips. And to my worst
disappointments, I captured dead
media men, lying on a vacant lot,
bathing in their own blood, because
of the principles they courageously
fight for.
A total of 139 journalists and
media workers have been killed
since 1986, according to the
National Union of Journalists of the
Philippines. The most recent is the
murder of a news anchor
broadcaster Marlina ‘Len’ Flores-
Sumera, who was shot dead near
her home in Malabon City. The
“Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng
Pilipinas” has condemned the
killings as a KPB official stated,
“killing or intimidating media now is
easier because they (perpetrators)
see the Maguindanao massacre as
an example that it’s simple to do it
and justice is hard to get.” Certainly,
it is the merciless death of 58
people, which includes journalists
made the impression that it is easy
to kill media men.
Journalism in The Third World
may seem to be a flame that is
dangerous when dealt with, a fire
that brings harm and worse, death.
But it must be remembered that
there is also one thing that a blaze
brings and that is—Light.
“Freedom of expression –in
particular, freedom of the press
guarantees popular participation in
the decisions and actions of
government, and popular
participation is the essence of our
democracy.” said former president
Corazon Aquino. True enough,
journalism is an influence to the
people.
Freedom of the press, in fact, is
articulated into the constitution. It is
a right to have journalism; it is a
right to be informed about the
realities that are happening.
However, it is the responsibility of
the journalists to give the people,
credible, and fair news.
Freedom of expression is not
limited to the press people, but
rather, it is for everyone. Everyone
has the right to fight for what they
believe in and the truth. The
challenge is to remain reliable
despite the underlying
consequences it may bring. Fear
shall be vanished, for the power is in
the people’s hands. Threats should
not stop the truth.
The pendulum of choice would
continue its dance. However, we
must always choose to seek the
truth, no matter what consequence
that may be dealt with.
I had seen a tapestry of people
with the photographs I took. I
captured deceit, mendacity and lies
in our socialites. However, the best
photograph I took is from these
children. I had never seen truth, that
is so tangible.
Let us all be cameras. Open wide
our shutters, let us be vigilant in
recording all the verities we see, fill
our films with daunting images.
….. And one day, all of these shall be
developed, turned into photos. So it
could be shared with the world.