President Aquino appears amused as he mulls the most appropriate hashtags to describe current issues and personal questions thrown at him by Inquirer editors and reporters in the game #hashtags during Tuesday’s Meet the Inquirer Multimedia Forum. REM ZAMORA
So many questions, so little time.
But that didn’t deter the #MeetInquirer multimedia forum with President Aquino from landing among the nation’s Top 10 trending topics on Tuesday afternoon, with netizens posting over 2,000 tweets in just one hour.
The one hour 40 minutes forum gave netizens enough time to lash at the forum guest for giving ‘stupid’ answers, and to post snarky comments at the Inquirer for asking pabebe (contrivedly cute) questions to a “simpletonic” guest.
“I doubt if reporters can come up with meaty stories from that #MeetInquirer thing. All for trends, sad,” tweeted netizen @jcmaningat.
To which netizen @Leon_SnT4P replied: “@jcmaningat I tend to agree. I wonder though if this is what happens when you have a simpletonic, pabebe prexy as #MeetInquirer interviewee.”
“My Sentiments about this #MeetInquirer: People will see & Hear what they want, Read what they want & “BELIEVE” what they want… #Thoughts,” said netizen @TheCarlosaurus.
Wide range of topics
@philippinebeat also questioned the range of questions asked by Inquirer reporters and editors: “What is it with media Qs that put show biz and governance in one forum?”
But the free-wheeling Q & A from editors, reporters and netizens thru the social media accounts, Viber and Line chat apps also covered a wide range of topics—from the popular kalyeserye plight of split-screen loveteam “AlDub” on the noontime show “Eat Bulaga,” to the contentious claims on the West Philippine Sea, to the national elections in 2016.
There were a lot of hard questions: “How do you respond to critics calling your administration an empire of nepotism, impunity, lawlessness and discord?” netizen @AldrinContact asked President Aquino.
“Mr. President, a gossip is being spread regarding the current leader of Malaysia paying you to have the BBL be passed expeditiously; will you be issuing a statement to clear this out?” asked netizen @WolfPack.
“What will we do now after the arbitration case against China on the West Philippine Sea territorial dispute? How do we follow-up?” netizen @wittygiddy wanted to know.
From Godfrey A. Acelajado @AMedofcr3 @Team_Inquirer #MeetInquirer: “At this point, what is his priority? A Roxas win or solutions to the growing number of problems during his term?”
Why RH and not FOI?
“Why did pnoy certify rh as urgent but not foi?” asked netizen @xpeanutgalleryx.
But the tweets were not all critical. Some asked about possibilities arising from the President’s anticorruption platform.
“Kailan ka po magkakaanak, Mr. President, para naman may magpatuloy balang araw ng mga adhikain mo (when are you going to have a child who can continue your advocacy?),” said netizen @LarryJunior.
“Which Cabinet department are you most satisfied with in terms of performance? Which department leaves a lot to be desired?” asked @JJJadedJane.
“Papayag po bang magkaroon ng Interfaith prayer gathering and Peaceful assembly, upang maisulong ang kapayapaan ng Pilipinas? (Will you agree to an interfaith prayer gathering to push for peace in the Philippines?)” tweeted @ IamOnewithALDUB.
Netizen @hindtrades also asked: “Have you considered any plans to run as vice president for Mar Roxas?”
Naturally, tweets about the President’s love life were to be expected. When the President said #LOL—for Lots of Love—was an appropriate hashtag for his name, netizen @edsMNL countered. “Hindi ba Lack of Love?”—Reports from Ramon Royandoyan and Karl Angelica Ocampo, Inquirer Social Media; JV Rufino and Clarisse Inao, Inquirer Mobile; Dan Paurom, Anthony Esguerra and Dennis Maliwanag, Inquirer.net