I did not see this coming. The day when chismis becomes the norm on social media platforms much like the way it was before when you either did this at the friendly neighborhood sari-sari store, barber shop or beauty parlor. These were the days when communities were tightly-knit and most everything could be had nearby. There were no malls yet then and for children, the weekly trip to the supermarket would be the highlight of their weekend.
The trend began with the introduction of audio-only social media platforms. Clubhouse pioneered this audio chat rooms where people can converge and engage in discussions about any subject. Clubhouse was the rage in the US as it became a convenient app for people to get together at the height of the pandemic lockdowns all over the world.
What has become more popular in the Philippines now is Twitter’s version of Clubhouse which is called Spaces. Spaces is an integrated feature of Twitter unlike Clubhouse which is a standalone app. Social audio is popular for users who prefer to remain anonymous unlike going live on Facebook or YouTube which combines audio and video. It is also lighter on the bandwidth requirements. It is also more conducive to interaction as unlike Facebook or YouTube where audiences can only interact through live chat, there is real-time interaction on Spaces similar to a town hall meeting format.
I began using Spaces November last year as a way of interacting live with Twitter followers. It is in pursuit of the advocacy to get the truth out to those who belong to the younger set in society who have no idea of what went on before they were born about the Aquino-Marcos narrative which continues to be the focus of politics in the country.
I have to admit that what I have discovered has been a surprise. There is less initiative for research and reading and more demand for spoon-feeding. It has been a challenge because you cannot just condense a life’s worth of knowledge in one or several sessions. It does not help also that there are some who have the tendency to monopolize the conversation instead of giving others the chance to ask their questions.
Truth be told, the advocacy also has a limited reach. It is not an activity which is scaleable unless you are really popular. The app allows up to a thousand listeners but you are lucky if you hit a hundred each time you go live.
Moderation is also a challenge because you have to be the traffic enforcer with regard to the topic and who gets to speak. There is no such thing as a natural order with Pinoys. But once they get the hang of things, sessions become more productive and you do not even notice time passing. The typical Space now runs for an average of three hours. Much of that is spent laying the historical background for listeners to better appreciate the issues being discussed.
I began noticing the information gap with individuals ten years my junior around 2015. Clearly they did not have the same attention span and interest in reading about current events. This is what is now the 18 – 45 demographic, the largest bloc of voters composed of about 40M. This is the same voter base that the opposition has been counting on to deliver them the victory on May 9.
Unfortunately, this is the same demographic which grew up facing the problems which lack of a focused development plan brought. This is why whatever the topic is about, it all goes back to the root of the problem which is the political structure. Two four-year terms under the 1935 Constitution was not enough to make the Philippines competitive. It did not help that economic policies which favored the local elite and the Americans served to further stymie growth.
There is also the lingering question of when will the divisiveness end? Will it be put to a rest with a majority win by Marcos on May 9? Or will the opposition still claim they are the silent minority? They definitely cannot go back to the argument after the 2016 election when Duterte won with only 40% of the vote and they laid claim to still being the majority. The surveys have made it clear that Duterte won over the majority of Fiipinos after the 2019 midterms.
The looming majority win by Marcos will make it easier for his administration to push for structural reforms in the political strucutre. He can build on what Duterte laid as the foundation for the same. Hopefully the Philippines can move on from the Aquino-Marcos narrative once and for all. Our ASEAN neighbors have gone through more social and political tumult but have managed to get on track to progressive economic development. It is time for us to finally get on that path.
These digital platforms make it easier for Filipinos here and abroad to discuss about the issues which concern them in the present and the future. There should be an open exchange of ideas and opinions and the government might do well to listen in as well. After all, it is the public they are supposed to serve and technology has now made it easier for them to determine public sentiment.
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