April 2, 2006
The Philippines' mobile politics
More than a third of Filipinos have mobile phones.The difficulty and expense of getting a landline in the country explains why there are so many mobile users. In a country where many live in poverty, they are often seen as a cheap way to stay in touch. But for some the mobile is also being used as a political and social tool, explains a BBC news correspondent.
Text messages in the Philippines can warn of coup attempts or bombing campaigns. Usually, they are completely false. Some are political jokes, others are spiritual. Many seek support for protests, sow wild rumours or propose a scam.
And because text messages are so cheap, at least 200 million are sent here every day. No wonder the country has a reputation as the world's text capital. Texting is so prevalent that even the central bank governor and other senior officials answer media enquiries by tapping out a reply on their mobiles.
But it is also become a headache for many recipients. Most mobile users are anonymous because they use pre-paid phone cards, which can be bought without giving a name and address. With the origin unknown, malicious messages can create unease in a fragile democracy.
Texting in the Philippines is such a rumour mill that it can turn a shred of disinformation into a national talking point, sometimes one that forces the government to comment. When a message went around recently that the head of the armed forces had resigned, the rumour grew so large that he felt compelled to deny it.
The greater the political tensions, the more the wild rumours circulate and the more the messages flood in
The power of text messaging reached its peak in 2001 when a lightning campaign rallied hundreds of thousands of people to the streets of Manila for a popular uprising that forced President Joseph Estrada from office.
Mrs Arroyo, his successor as president, is now the target. She is accused of corruption and rigging the election in 2004, which she denies. The accusations are based on wiretaps of phone calls in which Mrs Arroyo is allegedly speaking to an election official about ensuring her victory by one million votes.
One message I got told me how the president had won an Oscar for her televised apology to the nation for talking to the election official, whose nickname is Garci. Even the snippet of the alleged discussion was set to a techno beat and turned into a hugely popular mobile ring-tone known as "Hello Garci".
Mrs Arroyo survived an impeachment attempt last year but the messages calling for her removal keep on coming.
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