by Aurora J. Casimpan

Tacloban City (November 28) -- The Philippines is indeed a newsmaker.

Some of her people are stirring recognition worldwide, albeit some of it negative.

A week ago, Manny Pacquiao came home with the world's cheer at his feet. He earned a lot of accolades ranging with the title of "pound for pound king," the highest "pay per view earner" capped with the "best fighter of the world" sobriquet. The Pacman earned the world's homage by his unprecedented feat by winning seven different titles over various weight levels.

Barely had the dust of triumphed settled when the world sat up and noticed another Filipino. This time a Filipino street educator named Efren Peñaflorida was named 2009 CNN Hero of the Year for starting a "pushcart classroom" in the Philippines to educate street children and thus take them away from gang wars.

And then came the mayhem in Maguindanao.

The good news of the great boxing icon and the CNN Hero of the Year was suddenly thrusted aside by the ingloriousness of the massacre.

For a while the boxing hero and the educator hero took centerstage and the country basked in the adolation of the world.

But apparently good deeds and positive news are difficult to sustain. But does it have to be followed by a heineous act of inhumanity?

The country was in a festive mood even if it was recovering from the onslaught of typhoons which visited the country. Couldn't such moments and said deeds be revered and savored by a people hungry for positive moments in its everyday existence?

The government could only do so much. It cannot be at all places when mayhem erupts. But the government will always be at the center of the world's eyes whether the news is positive or destructive. It will always do the task of answering for its people.

Being a newsmaker will always have an effect in the beholders.

And it does not always follow that "even bad news is better than no news at all."