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Finally, I saw a complete episode of The Explainer last Tuesday. The topic was “Separation of Powers/Checks and Balances“.

When she saw the show, my mom said that there should be a Filipino version of the show and should be shown on ABS-CBN Channel 2. Normally my mom doesn’t watch shows like this; in fact, she skipped Calla Lily just to know something about presidential vs. parliamentary system. People need to know this, specially since Sigaw ng Malacañang insists on the change of system of government.

(Ironically, in a break, a Sigaw advertisement was shown. More later.)

I find the host moving from a plasma screen to a blue wall (was it blue?) rather distracting; my mom said it was irritating at the very least. Since the cameras couldn’t really catch up with the host’s movement, the transitions were jarring. Can’t they design the set so that the two walls are at 45 degrees? That way, all the host has to do is to make a small turn, making transitions more smooth.

Also, I feel that the explainee was just a token, with her questions obviously scripted. Which is not bad, per se, but the delivery was so dry. And the interview portion was rather sad. You have an articulate host, and you have a guest who is almost tight-lipped (I am exaggerating); my father thought that the interviewer was more knowledgeable than the interviewee. Too bad I missed Teddy Boy Locsin; he is so articulate and talkative, you will be sorry if you missed one word.

The content was great, and with sources being cited, the viewer can always verify and see for himself. That is, for me, the beauty of this show.

I find one hour to be too short for a good topic, thus the frantic pacing of the show. And also, the timing of the replay remains to be desired. It will probably take a while before I see another episode, since the time slot guarantees that I will be on the way home by that time, and by the time of the replay I will be sleeping already.

Overall, the show was great (minus the glitches stated above) and informative. This is clearly the kind of show that the people should watch.

I found the Sigaw ng Malacañang advertisement to be tacky and foolish. In the said ad, a girl was shown giving her grandmother a mug, then the grandmother looked at the mug given by her dead husband back when they were still you. The old mug was shown to be broken, with pieces joined together by glue. Then, the grandmother was shown placing the old mug besides her husband’s picture at a display cabinet, and showing gladness with new mug. When asked by the granddaughter if she liked the mug, the grandmother said yes.

Then cue in the Sigaw catch-phrase: Pagbabago! Ngayon na! Yes to Charter Change!

Now, more than ever, I feel that the so-called people’s initiative being led by Sigaw should not be heeded.

By comparing the Constitution to a mug, the Sigaw group is showing the simplistic thinking of its leaders. A broken mug is not the same with a Constitution that some see as faulty. Charter change is not as easy as buying a new mug. The comparison was ridiculous.

The so-called Sigaw was questioning One Voice’s source of funding. Now we - the people - should begin to question Sigaw’s funding.

If there’s something that needs to be changed, it is to change the brains of people like Raul Lambino. If I was his law professor, I would be appearing in all talk shows, beat my chest, and shout Mea maxima culpa for allowing such a character to see the light of the law. In fact, Lambino is the same as any politician that holds office in the Bastusang Pambansa - balimbing to the core.

We really need to change our selves. And our leaders.

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