‘Pay It Forward’ in the Context of Media Profession

            The movie Pay It Forward (2000) is about a young kid who tries to fulfil his assignment in his 7^th-grade Social Studies class. The assignment is for the students to give an idea on how they can change the world and the additional challenge is for them to put it into action. Upon knowing this, and also knowing the title of the film, it gave me already a clue on how the story will revolve but I just kept it myself. I think this idea of their professor is, and I agree to the students, weird. You cannot blame me on this argument- knowing the people in the United States who are very individualistic, and putting it into the Philippine context- knowing the Filipinos who are not far with the Americans on that particular trait, it is impossible to think of an idea that will have a domino effect in the society.

            The film made me realized how important it is to be positive and be faithful in your philosophy or on the movement you want to start. With Trevor’s determination to not only have an assignment but also to really put that assignment into action has created a domino effect- as seen in the society which is presented in the film- and the goodness of people within them has emphasized. My expectation with the film turned out to be untrue. I did not expect that the main character who served as the main catalyst for the movement will die in the end of the film. It only shows that a sacrifice is needed to have more impact on the society which can be likened to a wakeup call for the people.

            As a broadcast communication major and as someone who sees himself in the field of public affairs and public relations industry, I think that it is really hard to be optimistic on creating societal change, but I think and hope that it is still possible. The film moved me in such a way that it made me think that I can use the available resources such as the media which I am into for me to reflect the goodness of people, too and to encourage them to continue the movement of paying it forward.

            I remember some of the insights of my professors here in the College of Mass Communication on their opinions on how to be of service to the Filipino people while being in the profession of media. Journalism professor Luis Teodoro emphasizes that maintaining the ethics in the practice of journalism is a simple move yet it can go way beyond the pages of newspapers and the ink of pens. Broadcast journalist and professor Mae Ann Los Baňos emphasizes that we should always maintain the objectivity of the news we are reporting. Although the official publication of the U.P. Diliman which is the Philippine Collegian, believes that biases are made to unmask the issues faced by U.P. students.

            The U.P. Broadcast Department believes that the Philippine media particularly the television and the radio need an overhaul when it comes to the programming and content. This is what motivates me and inspires me in my course, and that is to changing the system in the current flow of media in the country from within and hopefully reflecting the outcome to the audiences and for them to also continue the crusade; and I see this as my contribution ‘pay-it-forward’ movement to the Filipino people who have in any way funded my education here in the University of the Philippines. 

This is a class requirement in BC 196 under Prof. Angelo Palmones, 1st Sem 2011-2012. This entry has been revised for this blog. No self plagiarism intended.