Journalists may be banned to cover Arroyo trips to poor

Journalists may be banned from covering visits made by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to urban poor communities.

The Philippine leader made this statement following an appeal made by Manila prelate Cardinal Jaime Sin last Sunday calling on political leaders not to use the poor for propaganda gimmicks.

Arroyo said starting yesterday until February 25, her visits to the urban poor in Metro Manila will no longer be open for media coverage as she expressed confidence that she will accomplish more out of the gaze of reporters and other media representatives.

"I want to give it a try and I think I might be able to solve a lot of the real problems if the people will be talking to me rather than to the media," the president said in an interview.

The president said she agreed to the advice given by Sin for her to keep the media out of her visits to the urban poor communities because, according to her, she believes in what the Cardinal was saying. "It's very easy for me to obey," she said.

The Cardinal issued the statement during the commemoration of the Edsa People Power II – the mass uprising that toppled former president Joseph Estrada last year.

According to a speech delivered by Sin during the Edsa ceremonies, the poor, which comprise majority in the country of 76 million, is being shrewdly manipulated by political leaders "for their own selfish agenda."

Arroyo has been visiting urban poor communities in Metro Manila during the past few days and each visit has been marked by fanfare that graced the front pages of local dailies the following day.

Critics have accused Arroyo of using the poor for image building and preparing for her 2004 presidential bid instead of focusing on ridding he country of the basic problem that have resulted in mass poverty in the first place.

Sin's statements was also a swipe at Estrada, who took advantage of his strong following from the poor last May 1, to launch a violent uprising to put him back in power.