CATBALOGAN, Samar –
House Representative Catalino "Cata" Figueroa of the second district
of Samar urged young journalists to tell the truth and live by the
ideals of the youth.
Figueroa was the Guest
of Honor on the grand opening of the 2006 Regional Secondary Schools
Press Conference at the
Samar National School,
Catbalogan, Samar.
Addressing the close
to a thousand student-writers from all over
Eastern Visayas, Figueroa assailed most mainstream journalists whom he
accused of exposing, attacking and collecting. He reminded the
students not to be like them.
The solon told the
writers that it is their responsibility to tell the truth to their
communities. He was so passionate about this truth seeking behavior
that he challenged them all to criticize him, if necessary. He said he
welcomes criticisms if they are true.
The solon even
mentioned the controversial death of one Janine Paulin who was
discovered in the burnt grocery store Lester Lace that some people
have asked them to help the parents ‘find the truth’. He said he would
help them and will never spare any person from the liability or
penalty.
Catbaloganons have
time and again urged the authorities and the media to unearth the
mystery behind the death of the 14-year old girl.
He dared them to
expose the truth and offered: "I will take the cudgels for you!"
As he reminded them to
be truthful, he also asked them to be responsible saying, "responsible
storytelling is the order of the day."
The lawmaker also
asked his listeners to carve a future of hope, to wake up and be
vigilant.
While he urged them to
criticize, he also appealed to them to appreciate the better things
that any government official does.
Finally, he advised
them to criticize, fiscalize and best of all: to side with the truth!
