Thought: Blurred Lines, Skewed Perspectives

From TV Patrol episode (Sept. 25, 2011): " Pangarap ni Wena na maging isang physical therapist. Pero dahil sa kakulangan ng pera nagdesisyon itong mag-training sa TESDA (sa kursong) PINAKALAMAPIT SA PT, ETO AY ANG PANGHIHILOT"- Jasmine Romero From JASMINE ROMERO, a news reporter from ABS-CBN My report featured a case study named Wena, who dreams of becoming a physical therapist, much like you and your colleagues. Because of her humble beginnings she and her family did not (and still do not) have any means of achieving her dreams. And because of that, she took a course that she feels can come close to being a PT, and that is be a manghihilot. Katulad nating lahat na nangangarap, kapag hindi ito na-aabot ay gumagawa ng paraan para mapalapit sa pangarap na ito sa abot ng kanilang makakaya. Kumwari, si Charice na nangarap na maging isang malaking singer ay nagsimula siyang sumali muna sa mga contest sa kanilang lugar. Si Wena, naging manghihilot na lang sa tulong ng Tesda. Si Charice at si Wena ay may common denominator-- humble beginnings. Ang pinagkaiba ay si Charice, naabot ang pangarap, si Wena-- hindi. O hindi pa. In this perspective, I wonder how this equated to the report discriminating the physical therapy profession. There is nothing in the report that attacks, discriminates and belittles your profession. There is even NO comparison of PT and hilot. This is SIMPLY a story of a dreamer who became successful in her hilot practice, and Pinoy hilot becoming a successful trend here and abroad. I have high regards to the profession, and I have friends who are practicing therapists. They are very intelligent, kind and caring. I wonder if this is lost in some of their colleagues. Please, throw your accusations somewhere else. And this will be the last I'll anything about it. From a concerned therapist posted this: Responsible Journalism entails thorough RESEARCH before writing the news story. Media people should always consider the amount of influence they have to the viewing public. Such irresponsible and baseless statements strengthens the already existing notion that physical therapists are equivalent to manghihilot. If only the researcher, the segment producer, the news writer and editor, did their job correctly, then most probably they wouldn't make such a degrading statement against the Physical Therapy profession. I condemn discrimination against Physical Therapists. And I stand up against this irresponsible statement. MY TWO CENTS: I can't help but notice the difference of words she used from the video i watched and the words she's using in this response. She's saying that Wena took a course that WENA FELT CAME CLOSE to being a PT. But that clearly did not transcend to her audience. When she said this - Pangarap ni Wena na maging isang physical therapist. Pero dahil sa kakulangan ng pera nagdesisyon itong mag-training sa TESDA sa kursong PINAKALAMAPIT SA PT, ETO AY ANG PANGHIHILOT - it sounded like she's saying that it is the closest to being a PT. I think it would have been better if she said "nagdesisyon itong magtraining sa TESDA sa kursong SA TINGIN NIYA ay pinakamalapit sa PT." At least, it would have been more clear that it did not come from her. And it would be a lot easier for the reacting therapists to understand where she's coming from.

This is clearly an issue of being sensitive and knowing the effect of the message that you are trying to relay to your audience. True that some reacting therapists may have said harsh words toward her and the team that came up with this story, but to say that her practicing therapist friends are very intelligent, kind and caring and follow it up with "I wonder if this is lost in some of their colleagues", is but another statement borne out of insensitivity. I don't mean to be preachy. I am just trying to analyze. Just throwing in my two cents on this matter...

See the report at http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/video/nation/metro-manila/09/25/11/%E2%80%98pinoy-hilot%E2%80%99-demand-and-outside-ph

#Thoughts #PhysicalTherapy