It’s a show from ANC. At first, it seems like a letdown since the title feels so uninspired. Seeing the host try to position himself correctly on the screen and the display behind him doesn’t help. But if you hold on to your patience just long enough for him to start presenting the issue at hand, you’ll quickly find out how well the show’s title describes the essence of the show.
“The Explainer” discusses various issues involving the Philippines, commonly political or economic issues that commonly is the “hot topic of the month”. As a TV host, Manolo Quezon (“The Explainer” himself) appears somewhat ill-at-ease with the camera recording his every word. It’s visually quite awkward. The things coming out of his mouth, however, at top notch. Skipping the visual aspects, you’ll notice that the issues are typically very relevant to the times, the facts are well presented, and as many sides and complexities of the issue is explored. If ever there are guests, the guests (the ones I’ve seen, at least) are highly knowledgeable with the issue and are typically willing to present all sides as they are, regardless of their personal position on the topic. This, plus the fact that Manolo knows how to keep things in track and to ask proper questions to dig deeper or clarify the discussion, makes for a very intelligent show.
Yesterday, the topic was about the “strengthening” of the Philippine peso. Most Filipinos know that currently, we’re experiencing an economic boom, stocks are at a record high, and the peso hasn’t performed this well against the US dollar in years. How does this affect exports, OCW remittances, and alleviating poverty? Is a good Philippine peso versus the US dollar a straightforward indicator of progress as many Filipinos believe (or are made to believe)? The show manages to give a good introduction on this, looks beyond the Philippines and how we fare compared to other countries in the region (is the phonomenon unique to the Philippines? how does our growth compare to the others?), and the guest is very careful with her answers (she even qualifies which of what she says are opinions). Manolo also manages to bring up typical questions the layman may want answered , which makes the whole discussion actually quite accessible to laymen (assuming a certain level of English proficiency).
The show’s title feels uninspired. The host gets occasionally gets awkward, particularly when beside the blue screen. But, by god, it’s a helluvan informative show. Anybody who actually cares or wants to know the different sides, aspects, and complexities of various issues the Philippines is going through would greatly benefit from watching The Explainer do what he does best… explaining.
The Explainer is aired every Tuesday, 18:00 (6pm GMT +8) at ANC (Philippines) with replays on Tuesdays, 23:00 and Saturdays, 10:00.
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Until Manolo speaks with the real Filipino people, the explainer wilol aloways be irrelevant. He is on television, yet when he explain, his language is only for the cosumption of the literate, of the intelligensia, not his mother. He speaks to a few lterarate studo audience and students. Sayang, Manolo is only one of the few hosts with the choicest English vocabulary and eloquence, His delivery is well paced, mellow yet projected. He is a typical Atenean who could even be my high school student . Televisio0n is a form of mass commuication and being such it should reach out to as many listeners as possible. The Explainer alieanates the masses who most need enlightenment on social issues that affect their lives. I am proud of Manolo as a brilliant speaker of English. I will be prouder if he speaks Tagalog or Taglish to the public/
new airing schedule:
The Explainer airs every Mondays 6PM and 10:30PM
P.
While we appreciate the need for an ANC to reach out Fil-ams abroad, there ought to be an exception to its English-only policy. Example: why must Hardball be broadcast in English, when its sports content is close to Pinoys worldwide. Besides, the Hardball trio are “second-rate, trying-hard, ESPN sportscasters copycats”. Hardball is a duplicity and a redundancy simply because Fil-ams are already having a good time watching ESPN, SportsCenter, and major US TV networks’ sportscast. So why bore themselves with ape men who think they have raised the quality to TV broadcast just because they can speak English. Actually, what they are broadcasting worldwide is not their ability to speak English but our colonial mentality and subservience to anything American.