Revolutionary journalism, according to Manong Tony Zumel
Antonio Zumel, one of the most outstanding revolutionary journalists, is better known as "Manong" to tens of thousands of activists and revolutionaries. On August 10, his 72nd birth anniversary, his comrades, family and various friends of the revolutionary movement inaugurated the Antonio Zumel Foundation and a collection of his most important writings since the 1960s.
Highlighting the commemoration of Manong's life were recollections of his contributions to revolutionary journalism and revolutionary propaganda work in general.
Manong highly valued the importance of "facts" or the concrete conditions and concrete experiences of the people. This was also what he constantly reminded writers of, and anyone conducting revolutionary propaganda work. According to Prof. Carolina "Bobbie" Malay of the UP College of Mass Communications who was formerly in the same collective as Manong in Ang Bayan, facts are important for revolutionary propaganda to become effective. As editor of the Communist Party of the Philippines' official publication, Manong always stressed their importance to AB writers because, he said, we were fighting for the people�s hearts and minds.
We must always bear in mind that the masses are awash in all sorts of enemy propaganda, he said. Manong always emphasized that revolutionary publications, such as Ang Bayan, Liberation (and back then, the Balita ng Malayang Pilipinas), must be better and sharper than reactionary publications.
Manong's writing style was simple and direct. It had no fancy phrases or circuitous prose so that it could easily be understood by the broad masses, especially the toiling masses, who are the principal targets of revolutionary statements and publications.
Even before he became a revolutionary propagandist, Manong learned the importance of facts when he started to work for a newspaper, first as a copy boy who, among others, prepared coffee and ran other errands; then, as a janitor; and then, as a reporter in the early 1950s. Among the positive qualities that Manong brought with him to revolutionary journalism was the degree of respect and importance he attached to deadlines.
Revolutionary journalism means collective writing. Manong learned this when in 1971, he, together with Rep. Satur Ocampo of Bayan Muna, put out Tingga ("lead"), a publication for newspaper workers. Manong was then the president of the National Press Club while Ka Satur was the vice president. This spirit of collective writing was deepened and developed further when Manong joined the revolutionary underground movement after martial law was declared in September 1972.
Manong's life did not end with his death from a serious illness on August 13, 2001. His influence lives on in various fields of struggle within the revolutionary movement. Likewise, his spirit lives on in every journalist who loves truth, freedom and democracy.
As he always liked to stress, writing about the struggle of the Filipino people and the toiling masses has not ended. It goes on as history marches further on the road to victory.
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