While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the extra free time, it’s still important to take a look at what exactly we’re celebrating and what our country had to go through to get here.

This Independence Day, let’s take the time to refresh ourselves on the history of Philippine Independence and the journey it took us to get here. Here are some of the foundational facts and a few lesser-known ones you may not have heard about.

The Basics of Philippine Independence

1. The Treaty of Manila

The US formally recognized the independence of the Philippine Republic on July 4, 1946, through the Treaty of Manila.

2. Spanish Colonization

Before the Philippines declared independence, Spain ruled the archipelago for over 333 years, leaving deep influences on our culture. These ties can still be felt today, from the words we use on a daily basis, to our local delicacies, religious beliefs and practices, and other traditions.

3. Philippine Revolution

Another well-known fact is that Filipinos sparked a revolution against Spain in 1896. This was spearheaded by the Katipunan, a secret society founded by Andrés Bonifacio.

4. The Role of José Rizal

National hero Dr. José Rizal ignited the fight for independence through his writings. He was executed by the Spanish in 1896.

5. Philippine-American War

Despite the Declaration of Independence on June 12, 1898, a new war broke out with the US, which gained control of the Philippines after the Spanish-American War.

6. Emilio Aguinaldo and the Declaration of Independence

Emilio Aguinaldo declared Philippine Independence from Spanish rule on June 12, 1898, in Kawit, Cavite, also introducing the national flag and the national anthem.

Lesser-known Facts About Philippine Independence

1. Cryptographic Society

The Katipunan used cryptographic scripts and secret codes for their plans against Spanish rule. While they were planning and organizing the revolution, these ciphers became integral to their communications with one another.

2. July 4th vs. June 12th

Philippine Independence Day was celebrated on July 4th until 1962. Former President Diosdado Macapagal moved it to June 12 to commemorate the original 1898 declaration.

3. Longest Flag-Raising Ceremony

The longest time spent raising the flag was recorded in the Philippines during the centennial celebrations of Independence Day in 1998. The event lasted for exactly 2 hours, 35 minutes, and 22 seconds.

4. Freemasonry Influence

Many leaders of the Propaganda Movement and Philippine Revolution, like José Rizal and Andrés Bonifacio, were members of the Freemasons. The principles of Freemasonry significantly influenced their fight for liberty and equality.

5. Criticism of American Annexation

A political cartoon titled “School Begins” published in a US newspaper in 1899 showed Uncle Sam teaching new students representing annexed territories such as the Philippines, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and others. This caricature visualized the imperialist approach of the US at the time.

6. First Republic in Asia

Established in 1898, the Philippine Republic, also known as the Malolos Republic, was the first constitutional republic in Asia. However, it was short-lived due to the subsequent American occupation.

There’s always more to holidays than you might think. Philippine Independence may sound like a long, worn-out song for many, but it comes from a rich and storied history that we should be proud to call our own.

M2.0 Communications is a PR agency in the Philippines that has been helping brands tell meaningful, data-driven narratives.

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With a long and fascinating history that goes back to the Spanish colonial era, the Philippine press has played a significant role in the cultural and societal advancement of the nation. Nine broadsheet newspapers stand out among the many sources of information because of their distinct contribution that has shaped and influenced national consciousness.

The Top Broadsheets in the Philippines

1. Philippine Daily Inquirer

Founded in 1985, the Philippine Daily Inquirer is renowned for its gutsy reporting and thorough coverage of national events. Its distinctive emphasis on democracy and human rights—a legacy of its creation during the People Power Revolution—reverberates across its pages as a reflection of the country’s pursuit of social justice.

2. Philippine Star

The Philippine Star,  established in the same significant year as Inquirer, personifies the adage “Truth Shall Prevail.” Its fair-minded, impartial reporting provides readers with a variety of viewpoints on current affairs to promote informed ideas. A wide range of readers, including corporate executives and policymakers who value balanced news coverage, have been enthralled by the publication’s approach.

3. Manila Bulletin

The Manila Bulletin is the nation’s longest-running daily with more than a century of experience and is known for its inspirational articles. Readers looking for a positive viewpoint on national issues have taken a liking to this publication because of its distinctive focus on projecting the Philippines’ positive image.

4. The Manila Times

Because of its distinctive focus on investigative journalism, The Manila Times attracts decision-makers who respect thoroughness and accuracy by tackling complicated topics and exposing hidden realities.

5. BusinessWorld

As Southeast Asia’s first business newspaper, BusinessWorld provides updates on corporate, employment, and economy-focused stories. Along with this, they also provide insights on the shifting trends of the stock market, making it a valuable news source for anyone keeping up to date with finance. 

6. Business Mirror

Another business-focused newspaper; Business Mirror looks into the broader scope of business in the Philippines. Along with the economy and current trends in the market, this news source also gives focus on influential people who shift the dynamic of the country’s leading industries. 

7. SunStar

SunStar offers regional news coverage for readers who prefer hyperlocal journalism. Because of its emphasis on regional issues, SunStar is able to meet particular needs and interests across the nation.

8. Malaya Business Insight

Founded in 1981, Malaya Business Insight is a broadsheet well-known for its in-depth coverage of business and economic issues. Malaya began as a Filipino tabloid that shifted to an English-language broadsheet with a focus on economic topics. It set itself apart, especially during the Martial Law years of the Marcos dictatorship, by providing unbiased news. True to its name, “Malaya,” which means “free” in Filipino to indicate its commitment to unbiased reporting, this publication provides a thorough study of the Philippine economy, including banking, finance, and industry developments. Malaya now serves as a vital resource for business professionals needing reliable, up-to-date economic data.

9. Manila Standard

The Manila Standard is a widely read broadsheet dedicated to excellence, fairness, and accuracy. It has built a reputation for exceptional journalism since its inception, presenting a mix of national and regional news, business updates, and smart opinion pieces. With its commitment to balanced reporting and high-quality journalism, Manila Standard has earned a devoted following as it strives to embody the soul of the Philippine press.

The diversified offerings of the top nine Philippine broadsheets exemplify the dynamic and developing landscape of the Philippine press. Their mutual dedication to truth and informed conversation has positioned them as critical pillars in the formation of society. Readers can appreciate the Philippines’ rich story tapestry by exploring what each broadsheet can offer. As the media landscape evolves, these broadsheets in the Philippines will continue to serve as live histories, encapsulating the essence of the country itself.

M2.0 Communications is a PR agency in the Philippines that has been helping brands tell compelling and meaningful stories. Visit our case studies page to learn more about what we do.

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Having a variety of lifestyle blogs to read from is crucial in understanding current trends. Many lifestyle blogs with a large following also cater to niche markets, with specialized topics for specific interests.

With that, here is a list of 49 must-read lifestyle blogs in the Philippines to get you caught up on what people are talking about. 

1. Philippine Primer: Explore the World of Japanese Cuisine with Chef Takashi Kawasaki

An article on a Japanese Lifestyle workshop being run by Chef Takashi Kawasaki. The article highlights the freshness of Japanese cooking, as well as the uniqueness of their overall culture.

2. The Lifestyle Avenue: Three Things I Love About My Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro

A blog reviewing the recently released Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro. Articles like these help readers make crucial decisions about what to spend on.

3. YugaTech: Top 10 Best Mid-Range Phones of All Time

Rather than focusing on the priciest phones, this article delves into the best phones that can do what they can at a lower price. It’s the perfect read for those looking for a new phone on a budget.

4. Lifestyle Bucket: Barkada trips in under-the-radar local destinations: Sizzling this summer on Airbnb

Perfect for those itching to go on a vacation, this blog talks about a few locations you and your travel buddies might want to check out. It also features some lesser-known spots–a perfect read for those who want lower prices and less crowded beaches.

5. Blog-PH: ‘Kokuryo’ wins Best Film at Piling Obrang Vidyo (POV) 2023

This article is all about the recent film Kokuryo, and how it recently won an award for Best Film at Piling Obrang Vidyo. The article contains more information about the movie itself, as well as the award it won. 

6. Mix of Everything: We Inspire, Innovate and Connect Xiaomi Celebrates Women in Tech

An article that highlights various women in tech working at Xiaomi. 

7. Greta’s Junkyard: Smart Home Ideas for a Modern Lifestyle

This particular blog touches on some practical design ideas for anyone who wants to adopt a more modern lifestyle. The suggestions range from smart lights and entertainment systems to green energy alternatives.

8. Living Beyond Style: Summer Staycation: Fun things to do at home

A listicle on all the exciting things you can do during your staycation at home.

9. Iconic MNL: Feel At Home In The Heart Of Makati At The Citizen Hotel

This article recommends a certain hotel in the middle of Makati for anyone hoping to enjoy a staycation soon.

10. Annalyn.net: How to Plan the Perfect Dinner Party at Home

This blog gives readers a step-by-step rundown to ensure the perfect dinner party for those who have anything to celebrate at home. 

11. K Figuracion: Shakey’s and Potato Corner Team Up to Create Flavored Mojos: Try Them Now!

An article that features a recent collaboration between Shakey’s and Potato Corner. It urges readers to try the product out while it lasts.

12. Will Explore Philippines: Explore Hong Kong with Cebu Pacific Air via Clark International Airport 

This blog offers a glimpse into a certain airport and airline service.

13. Drowning Equilibriums: Familiar With Any Of These Schemes? Here’s What You Should Do! 

With cashless transactions now more popular than ever, this blog acknowledges the fact that scams have become more dangerous than ever, too. To equip readers with valuable knowledge to protect themselves, this blog talks about what to do in the event of receiving a text message scam.

14. Crown Asia: The Best Must Try Restaurants in Alabang

A listicle of some of the best, must-try restaurants in Alabang for anyone who is in the area, or is planning a trip to it. 

15. Kryz Uy: Afternoon Walks, Swimming with the Kids, What I’m Getting Done at Belo

This blog delves into Kryz’s experience with some challenges in her life and how she got through them.

16. Sugbo.ph: 6 spots in Balamban to visit this summer

This is a listicle that showcases some of the best spots in Balamban, Cebu, for readers to consider visiting on their next holiday.

17. Mad Cherry: How to Stay Productive When You Work From Home

Considering how difficult it may be for some to stay motivated while working from home, this blog shares helpful tips on how to keep yourself focused amidst distractions.

18. Grit PH: Best Courier Services in the Philippines

An extensive guide on some of the best courier services in the Philippines.

19. Corner Magazine PH: Google reveals key trends shaping the future of education

With how quickly the landscape of education is shifting, educational institutions may get left behind if they don’t keep up. This article delves into certain insights to keep in mind for the future of education in the next few years. 

20. Eccentric Yet Happy: How to deal with bad credit when you’re on a budget

This article confronts some of the difficult realities of having a bad credit score. To help any readers that might be struggling with the same situation, the blog lists tips on how to cope with it when on a budget.

21. GIST: See You at the Cinemas: Comic Book Movies to Watch in 2023

Given how the line-up of movies for 2023 includes numerous film adaptations of popular comic books, this listicle gives a rundown of must-watch comic book movies of the year.

22. Snapped and Scribbled: Practice these 4 money-managing tips to improve your finances with Maya

An article sharing helpful tips on how to improve your finances this year.

23. Buzzsetter: Bern Baguio: Experience Bliss, Live in Style

This blog recommends Bern, a new spot in Baguio that offers style, bliss, and luxury to anyone who hopes to visit. 

24. Blogger Manila: 4 Anti Online Scam Tips for You & Your Digital Wallet

A blog that aims to equip readers with knowledge on how to ward off scams. 

25. Earthlingorgeous: OFW New Year’s Resolution: Welcome 2023 with Better Money Habits!

Amid all of the tips populating the internet on how to spend less and save more, this article offers a unique angle by speaking specifically to Overseas Filipino Workers.

26. The Pop Blog: Netflix Releases New and Diverse Anime Slate 

Given how many Filipinos are passionate and up to date with the latest trends in anime, this blog talks about some of the recent announcements that Netflix has made for additions to the genre.

27. Nognog in the City: Elevate the Sandals Season with Crocs’ Sandals Staples

This blog offers tips on how to show off your unique style in warmer weather.

28. Philippine Concerts: TWICE ‘READY TO BE’ with Filipino ONCEs at the Philippine Arena

With a more music-focused slant, this blog discusses how TWICE will be returning to the Philippines to perform soon. 

29. The Tummy Train: The Marketplace’s Pure Imagineocean Eco-bag is here!

Though this blog mostly focuses on recipes, it also posts products and brand recommendations for its readers. This is one such article, which encourages readers to get the new eco-bag for a greener lifestyle.

30. eLifestyle Manila: PICK.A.ROO launches first kiddie shopper summer program

An article on Pick.A.Roo’s first-ever kiddie shopper program launched in April 2023. 

31. Get Real Philippines: Why is there no P- or F-pop? Filipinos still in denial that theirs is a country of low standards!

In a slight change of tone from the usual lifestyle blog, this one talks about why Filipinos may not take pride in the local music scene.

32. Manila Concert Scene: Legends Only: AIA PHILIPPINES ‘ROAR AS ONE‘ as it Celebrates Big Wins with Gary Valenciano, Chito Miranda, and OPM’s Most Influential In Epic Concert on May 16

This site has a strong focus on Manila’s music and gig scene. As such, the blog itself talks about a concert featuring some renowned musicians in the industry, urging readers to attend. 

33. When In Manila: PSA: Don’t Know What to Do With Old Clothes? Exchange Them for Vouchers at H&M

A little-known tip for those looking to declutter their closets: old clothes can be exchanged for vouchers at H&M. This article goes into detail and describes the steps to take to make it worth your time.

34. The Rest is Noise: ASEAN-India Music Festival Recap: Celebrating 30 Years Of Diplomacy Through Music

This article carefully breaks down how music festivals can showcase the ways music crosses cultural boundaries. 

35. Cup Community: Here Are The Top Alternative Toppings To Tapioca Pearls

Cup Community is a lifestyle blog all about drinks and the best cafes in the Philippines. Along with recommendations on places and orders to try out, it also suggests alternatives when customizing your drink.

36. Where’s RR: grentperez Releases New Single “When The Day Is Done”

This blog features new music from a local Filipino artist, grentperez. 

37. 8List: Tales from the Other Side: 8 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Became a Lawyer

While most lifestyle blogs focus on fashion and beauty, 8List takes a chance on discussing career choices. This blog offers insight to those who might be looking into law school.

38. Spot.ph: It’s Now Easier Than Ever to Reach the White-Sand Beaches of Camotes Islands

This article features the new direct route you can take from Cebu City to the Camotes Islands. It opens on May 4 for those planning their next trip.

39. The City Roamer: Beat the Heat at Discovery Resorts this Easterific Summer

A blog that lists down resort recommendations to check out on your next holiday. 

40. For Urban Women: How to Be a Successful Blogger: 5 Skills and Tools You Need

This article outlines certain steps you’ll have to take if you want to have any success in being a blogger.

41. Starmometer: ‘The Voice Kids’ Unveils Top Nine Young Artists

With this blog, in particular, being updated on everything with regard to entertainment, this article focuses on the new season of The Voice: Kids, and who was recently unveiled as the top nine young artists. 

42. Pretty Me: 5 Makeup Courses for Beginners

This extensive blog post details a few make-up courses that beginners can take to deepen their skills when it comes to putting on make-up. 

43. HappeningPH: Here’s Your Summer Skin Care Product Guide For A Safe And Fun Sunny Season

This article lists several product recommendations to help keep your skin healthy and moisturized. 

44. Manila Shopper: New Stuffed Baked Rolls Now Available at Corner Pizza

This blog prides itself on being updated on every sale, promo, and feature that it can in the Manila area. For instance, this article in particular talks about a new product that Corner Pizza is offering to its customers.

45. Tatler Asia: These are 5 skincare ingredients to look out for in a product

Rather than recommending specific products or brands, this blog offers tips on what to look out for when buying skin care products. 

46. Swirling Over Coffee: Love to Travel? The New Explorer Card by BDO and American Express Has You Covered

This article talks about the new card BDO has to offer, with a special focus on those who love traveling.

47. Manila Shaker: Top Mouse Pads With Wrist Support

A simple article on the best mouse pads for wrist support. 

48. Take Off Philippines: Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel comes to Manila this July 2023

It’s not uncommon for lifestyle blogs to feature current events, too. In particular, this article talks about an exhibit opening in July 2023 with murals inspired by the Sistine Chapel. 

49. Wazzup.ph: Enhance Your Financial Health With Maya’s Money-Management Tips

Like others on this list, this article offers tips on how to save money this year. 

Lifestyle blogs can offer fresh perspectives on life and living in the Philippines. Check them out for a great way to understand how people authentically think and feel about a certain issue, product, or brand. 

M2.0 Communications is a PR firm specializing in business, technology, and lifestyle communication. Learn more about our work on our case studies page.

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Here’s a list of 10 of the worst typhoons to hit the Philippines from 2009 to 2021:

1. Typhoon Ondoy (2009)

Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo described Ondoy as a “once-in-a-lifetime typhoon” when it hit the Philippines. With data recording 464 dead, 529 injured, and 37 missing due to the inclement weather, Ondoy’s rainfall lasted a full month and affected nearly a million families, or close to five million people, in 2,018 barangays in 172 municipalities and 16 cities of 12 regions.

Damages amounted to P23 billion, accounting for destroyed crops and infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, and daycare centers around the Philippines. 

2. Typhoon Glenda (2014)

When Glenda hit in 2014, it sustained wind speeds of up to 140 kilometers per hour and ended up affecting Regions I, III, IV-A, IV-B, V, VIII, and the National Capital Region. Glenda left 38 people dead, 10 injured, and 8 missing. Along with this, it damaged two grounded, commercial airplanes.

3. Typhoon Pedring (2011)

With wind speeds up to 213 kilometers per hour, Pedring ended up being the worst typhoon since Ondoy in 2009. Even if the harsh rains only lasted a week, data still found 66 dead, 65 injured, and 28 missings, mostly from Metro Manila. It was estimated that Pedring’s damages added up to a total of P3.45 billion.

4. Typhoon Pablo (2012)

In 2012, Pablo devastated Mindanao, triggering landslides that killed more than 1,000 people in affected southern provinces. Pablo ended up destroying entire villages, causing several floods, and flattening whole banana plantations, among other things. 

5. Typhoon Ompong (2018)

The NDRRMC reported over 800,000 people to have been affected by Ompong, particularly those in the Cordillera region. It caused landslides, storm surges, and flash floods—amounting to P1.65 billion in agricultural losses and P52 million in damages to infrastructure. 

6. Typhoon Lando (2015)

Lando severely hit Aurora, Quezon when it made landfall almost a decade ago. The NDRRMC reported 48 dead, 83 injured, and 4 missing during the time. As it was the 12th storm to hit the country that year, it also ended up being the most destructive one. It wrecked houses and schools and brought up to P5.9 billion worth of damage to 277 thousand hectares of agricultural land.

7. Typhoon Rolly (2020)

With wind speeds of 225 kilometers per hour, Typhoon Rolly resulted in 25 dead, 399 injured, and 6 missing people. The NDRRMC reported that the cost of the damage went up to P11 billion.

Due to the typhoon arriving at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of COVID-19 cases also rose dramatically due to overcrowding and poor health and sanitation in evacuation centers.

8. Typhoon Ulysses (2020)

Ulysses was the 21st storm to hit the country this year, bringing more devastation just a few months after Rolly. The compounded effects of the previous typhoon and the ongoing pandemic notably sparked a mass student strike, with students all over Luzon clamoring for an academic break. 

9. Typhoon Odette (2021)

Odette was the 15th storm to hit the Philippines in 2021. Ranked globally as the second deadliest natural disaster of the year, the NDRRMC reported up to 408 fatalities and damages that amounted to P33 billion.

10. Super Typhoon Yolanda (2013)

Yolanda is often referred to as the strongest typhoon to ever hit the Philippines. When it hit in 2013, it killed more than 6,000 people and displaced 600,000 more. Coconut and rice farmers were notably the most affected sector. They reported up to P21 billion lost in combined agricultural goods, on top of a total cost of P95.5 billion in recorded damages.

Months after the typhoon, many families and workers were still left struggling without homes and livelihood. As late as January this year, nearly a decade after Yolanda, over 8,000 families still live in poor conditions due to the permanent housing crisis it caused.

As individuals, being aware of the actual damage caused by these typhoons yearly can make a significant difference when preparing for disasters at home. While there may be no way to predict or fully prepare for what the next calamity may bring, keeping ourselves informed of these past disasters is a good way to know what may come next and how it may shape our future. 

At a larger scale, monitoring and fully understanding these trends, along with other relevant data is vital for key stakeholders. In turn, this can inform more founded and data-based risk mitigation and management decisions which are sustainable and impactful on a local and national level. These measures are especially important in empowering citizens who are disaster-ready and resilient for years to come.

ALSO READ: Creative Solutions for the World Bank’s Capacity Building Training Programs

M2.0 Communications is a PR company in the Philippines that has been helping brands tell compelling and meaningful stories. M2.0 provides public relations and digital services, including social media management, influencer relations, and video production. Visit our case studies page to learn more about the brands we’ve worked with.

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The global rise of populism since 2016 provides clear evidence of the transformative power of narratives and the need to understand, measure, and compare them in a thorough, scientific manner. With both the Democratic and Republican parties having concluded their national conventions in late August, the narratives that are transmitted and shared between parties and their constituents will again play a decisive role in who comes to power.

This series of articles is an attempt to better understand popular sentiments on key issues affecting the US presidential elections in November, as identified by recent surveys by Pew Research Center. These include racial inequality, economic inequality, health care, foreign policy, the coronavirus pandemic, Supreme Court appointments, and climate change. Our goal is to analyze the messages being conveyed by both Democratic and Republican parties in relation to these issues and compare how these overlap with or differ from sentiments being expressed by the American voting public in social media.

By doing so, we hope to shed light on the communications gaps and opportunities that exist between the candidates and their constituents. We will later apply similar techniques to understanding narrative congruence in the context of other topics. This article looks at how issues related to racism were characterized in both the Democratic National Convention, the Republican National Convention, and the most recent tweets mentioning either Democratic candidate Joe Biden or Republican candidate President Donald Trump.

Our Methodology

To help you better understand the concept of narrative mining and the process behind it, we formed a glossary covering most of the technical terms you will be encountering in this series of articles.

We started by creating corpora of the speeches from the Democratic National Convention (DNC) and the Republican National Convention (RNC), datasets of which were downloaded from Kaggle. We also used NodeXL Pro to gather the most recent 60,000 tweets that mentioned either Joe Biden or Donald Trump, for whom their respective conventions served as a national campaign launchpad (for brevity, this dataset will be referred to as “political tweets”).

 These corpora were compiled and processed using Sketch Engine for keyword, concordance, and parts of speech analysis. They were then individually run through Cowo to identify conceptual associations at the sentence level, i.e. pairs of concepts that most frequently appeared in the same sentence were identified and mapped out. This gave us separate network files for the DNC and RNC speeches, as well as for the political tweets, which we are using to represent the sentiments of the general public.

We then used Gephi to calculate network centralities (to help determine the most important concepts in the network) and modularity class (to cluster the concepts with the strongest associations with one another, with each cluster representing a sub-theme of the overall narrative network), and to visualize the networks using the Circle Pack algorithm.

These bar charts show the total number of significant concepts (nodes) used in these three datasets (RNC speeches, DNC speeches, and political tweets), as well as the total number of conceptual pairs for each.

The Venn diagram below shows the intersection of our three narrative networks in terms of edges (conceptual pairs), as well as the exclusive edges of each. This was constructed using the web app NetSets which allows visual comparison of multiple networks. Here we can see that there were 326 concepts that were significant for all three datasets: the DNC, RNC, and political tweets.

We can further quantify the intersection of these networks using CompNet, which calculates the Jaccard coefficient of both nodes and edges across the three networks, a measure of the degree of overlap (and therefore also of exclusiveness) of the DNC and RNC speeches, and the political tweets.

After calculating the Jaccard Similarity Coefficient for nodes (concepts) and edges (conceptual pairs) and CNSI (similarity coefficient for the neighborhood architecture of the nodes and edges), we can determine the overall narrative congruence of two networks (DNC and RNC, DNC and political tweets, and RNC and political tweets) using our formula:

DNC ꓴ RNC
Concept Similarity (how much overlap exists in the concepts used?): 0.13 (a score of 1.0 is a perfect match)
Concept Pair Similarity (how much overlap exists in the pairs of concepts used?): 0.02 (a score of 1.0 is a perfect match)
CNSI (how similar is the context in which these concepts were used?): 0.14 (a score of 1.0 is a perfect match)
NCS of DNC ꓴ RNC (what is the overall narrative congruence of these two networks?): 9.6 (out of 100)

DNC ꓴ Political Tweets
Concept Similarity (how much overlap exists in the concepts used?): 0.09
Concept Pair Similarity (how much overlap exists in the pairs of concepts used?): 0.03
CNSI (how similar is the context in which these concepts were used?): 0.12
NCS of DNC ꓴ RNC (what is the overall narrative congruence of these two networks?): 8.0 (out of 100)

RNC ꓴ Political Tweets
Concept Similarity (how much overlap exists in the concepts used?): 0.09
Concept Pair Similarity (how much overlap exists in the pairs of concepts used?): 0.01
CNSI (how similar is the context in which these concepts were used?): 0.06
NCS of DNC ꓴ RNC (what is the overall narrative congruence of these two networks?): 5.3 (out of 100)

Here we can see that there was greater overlap between the speeches at the DNC and the dataset of political tweets, with an overall narrative congruence of 8.0 compared to the narrative congruence of 5.3 between the RNC speeches and the political tweets. The overlap in concepts used was the same when comparing both the DNC and the RNC with the political tweets, but there was significantly greater overlap in the surrounding context for these concepts between the DNC and the political tweets, than the RNC and the political tweets.

What does this tell us?

This greater narrative congruence score means that the DNC and the political tweets dataset talked about the same things to a greater degree than did the RNC and the political tweets, i.e. more of the same concepts were used and the other important words surrounding these concepts were also more similar. This could be because certain important topics like race might have been downplayed in the RNC speeches relative to the DNC speeches and the political tweets, but to get to the details, it will be necessary to do topic clustering and text analysis.

Mapping the intersections between the narrative networks

The next step in our analysis is to map out the intersections of these networks as well as their exclusive edges, so we can begin to synthesize the specific overlaps and differences between each. During this process, we can identify the conceptual pairs that are exclusive to the individual narrative networks (most importantly the Twitter network), as this is where the communications gaps will reside.

This is the network of conceptual pairs common only to DNC speeches and the political tweets:

 

This is the network of conceptual pairs common only to RNC speeches and the political tweets:

 

How did these different actors talk about race issues?

Like-colored clusters are groups of concepts that co-occur most frequently with one another at the sentence level. These represent sub-themes from which we can mine the various narratives at play. The more important the concept, the larger the node used to represent it in the network graph.

Here we can see that race issues were prominent for all three datasets, but the concepts used to characterize race issues were vastly different. The DNC speeches made specific reference to white supremacy and racism as a systemic issue, which the RNC did not while the tweets mentioning Biden and Trump did. Furthermore, the RNC speeches described the recent protests in the United States as riots – a sentiment that was echoed in the political tweets.

That said, these graphs by themselves do not provide the whole picture, and this is where a text analysis of the specific context in which these conceptual pairs appear is required. The job of the analyst here is to review the actual content, using the above graphs to more quickly and efficiently examine the most significant conceptual associations within the sub-themes in which they were used.

To make the synthesizing of these sub-themes even more efficient, we next perform keyword, parts of speech, and concordance analysis on the individual narrative networks, specifically focusing on race-related concepts.

What did we find?

Text analysis of the RNC and DNC speeches, and of the political tweets, yielded the following key insights:

 

• Race issues were downplayed at the RNC, to the extent that they were virtually treated as a non-issue. In the RNC speeches, race-driven protests were described as the work of a “radical left” represented by the Biden camp.
• The DNC speeches made racial injustice a central issue, with “systemic racism” being the top keyword.
• Over half of the 60,000 tweets mentioning either Biden or Trump within the context of race range were pro-Trump, with 25,690 denying the existence of systemic racism (Rochester City was used as a talking point) and 5,418 applauding the recent defunding of critical race theory in US universities. Many of these were re-tweets or quote tweets, typical of herd behavior commonly observed online.
• This indicates that for the given date range, discussions on race by the Trump camp was largely devolved to social media, where many supporters (over half of the dataset) echoed the party position that racial injustice and systemic racism were not key issues.
• This comes despite Pew Research findings that more US voters on Twitter identify as Democrats rather than Republicans.

 

Race issues were downplayed as a non-issue at the RNC

Our analysis revealed a clear downplaying (perhaps even a flat-out denial) of the existence of systemic racism in the United States in the RNC speeches. A keyword analysis of the text showed that while race concerns were brought up, these were far less prominent in comparison to the DNC speeches and to the political tweets corpus. Instead, criminal justice and prison reform was presented as a key component of President Donald Trump’s African-American program. At the same time, the recent race-driven protests in the United States were described by the GOP as “riots”, the work of the “radical left”, and “mob rule.”

 

 

Racial injustice and systemic racism were at the heart of the DNC speeches

On the other hand, the DNC speeches put the issue of systemic racism at the center of the conversation, with “systemic racism” and “racial injustice” among the top keywords. In this dataset, race was treated as the top issue to be confronted by the next president of the United States.

 

 

Pro-Trump messages dominated the political tweets when race issues were mentioned

With studies showing a small liberal-democratic bias among US Twitter users (with close to 30 percent identifying as Democrats and about 22 percent identifying as Republicans), one could reasonably expect the political tweets dataset to adhere more closely to the DNC speeches than the RNC speeches. This is partially correct, as we already have seen that there was greater overlap in the choice of concepts and the concept pairs between the DNC and Twitter than between the RNC and Twitter. A reading of the content however shows us important differences, which sheds light on the communications approach being adopted by the Trump camp.

 

 

We see that in the Twitter dataset, “racist city” was the top keyword by a wide margin, with references to “critical race theory” immediately following. However, the vast majority of tweets that contained these keywords were in fact pro-Trump messages, with 25,690 tweets denying that Rochester, NY was a “racist city” because it had a Black mayor and a Black police chief, and calling on people to “stop the insanity” and “vote Trump.”

Meanwhile, 5,418 tweets that referenced “critical race theory” praised President Trump’s recent defunding of critical race theory programs in American universities receiving federal funding, calling such programs a “Democrat hoax” and the work of “far left radicals.”

 

This makes it clear that while the race-related concepts used in the political tweets were the same as in the DNC speeches, the narrative was completely different. It is important to note that practically all of these tweets had the exact same message. with pro-Trump tweets drowning out race-related pro-Biden tweets in the analysis period. This points to what might be an extension of the wildly successful social media strategy used by Trump and other populists since 2016, where discussions on polarizing issues are effectively swarmed by an army of supporters with a shared script designed to be as inflammatory as possible.

 

These two tables show the concordance analysis results for “racist city” and “critical race theory,” as explained above. It shows the specific context in which the keywords were used in these posts.

 

 

A fork in the road: official party rhetoric vs social media

While the Twitter dataset looked at here is limited to only the most recent 60,000 tweets mentioning either Biden or Trump, our findings here are an indication of what could very well be a carefully planned strategy of farming out specific race-related pro-Trump messages to be echoed across social media while the official RNC rhetoric gave very little play to race issues. It will be interesting to see whether this holds true as the November elections approach and whether the same approach is applied in discussions on other issues such as health care, economic inequality, or climate change. These are things we’ll be taking a look at as we continue this series of articles each week. 

ALSO READ: The US Healthcare Narrative: Democrats vs Republicans

About M2

M2.0 Communications is a PR company and digital marketing agency that has been helping brands strategically send their message and creatively engage their target audience. We specialize in media analytics, digital PR, crisis communications, stakeholder management, reputation management, and media training.

As one of the top PR agencies in the Philippines, M2 ensures that our storytelling strategies adopt an evidence-based approach.

Learn more about what our communications agency does by heading over to our case studies page.

Send us a message today

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Few are as badly hit by the pandemic as the education sector. The crisis affects 23 million enrolled Filipino children. To make matters worse, only 40 percent of the 800,000 public school teachers in the country were prepared for distance learning only a couple of months prior to the new school year. There was a 27.3 percent decline in national enrollments, as well, which could be attributed to the economic effects of the crisis. 

 

Nevertheless, classes had to continue somehow. To address the issue, the Philippine government proposed a “blended learning” curriculum, a system that mixes studying from home and learning from printed materials. However, we analyzed 8,208 recent tweets from Filipinos and discovered that many of them are opposed to this proposition as not everyone has the tools or infrastructure needed for this setup. Why does the public think this way? What are the surrounding discussions taking place in traditional and social media? Let’s take a closer look at the dominant narratives currently driving this issue. 

A Lack of Trust  

Right now, there’s a clear contrast in what’s happening on traditional media vs social media. The dominant narrative from DepEd in the traditional media channels pushes for online learning and the resumption of schooling; the agency had 314 published news about online learning and the continuation of classes. However, it’s a completely different story on social media where strong opposition to the continuation of classes echoes across platforms. In fact, there were 13,029 tweets for #AcademicFreeze on Twitter within just eight days (September 14-21). A change.org petition pushing for #AcademicFreeze was posted 50 times, emerging as a top domain on Twitter. Clearly, netizens want to stop schooling, and their voices are overshadowing the government’s proposed initiatives.

 

Taking Sides

The discussions on the blended learning proposal reveal politically polarized positions to the extent that troll-like accounts–users that post or share the same content repeatedly–red-tag people who question the government’s proposed policies on academics.

For instance, 555 tweets from 11 Twitter profiles with the same content and the following hashtags, #SaraElagoNPA #JunkNPA, and #JunkTerrorist, mentioned how Sarah Elago, a party-list representative who advocates for education rights, recruits students from universities to be a part of the New People’s Army (NPA). We also noticed that the majority of these Twitter profiles have “DDS” and the fist emoji in their Twitter bios.

A Lack of Local Infrastructure

The call for an academic freeze could be justified by students’ lack of access to a good internet connection. The issue of ISP service during the pandemic is evident in social media and is proven by the number of posts complaining about local telcos: tweets mentioning Globe (20), PLDT (95), and an Internet connection (300) got the highest number of retweets (10,862) and engagements (29,565).

                                       

Why Are We Doing This?

The resumption of classes isn’t just an education issue, it’s a communication issue, as well. As a school or educational institution in the new normal, it’s become even more important to understand and become part of conversations like these. But how should you decide which storylines to take part in? Learning how to identify and analyze constructed narratives provides you with a deeper, multi-layered understanding of your audience, and gives you an edge.

Our Methodology

Through a process called Narrative Mining, we are able to identify distinct themes, narratives, and storylines from a large mass of information such as news articles and social media posts. Essentially, it uncovers the three elements of a narrative:

                                     

Narrative mining is a process we’ve developed. It’s about identifying what stories need to be told and making sure those stories connect to a larger narrative. It includes strategizing, executing, measuring success, and improving your approach.

To surface these storylines and generate insights, we created a data set of 8,208 recent tweets on education in the Philippines posted from June 1 to September 22, 2020, and 2,237 news articles on education published in the same date range. We then compiled and processed these via speech and network analysis tools. The resulting information was contextualized and synthesized by our team of in-house analysts.

Take Action Now

The contrast in e-learning news and the need for better internet service are only a few of the storylines the team was able to pick up. To get an idea of other emerging narratives, you can send us a message to check out a preview of the team’s preliminary report.

ALSO READ: The Emerging Narratives on the COVID-19 Vaccine

M2.0 Communications is a PR and communications agency that offers media analytics, digital PR, online reputation management, and video production services. As one of the top PR agencies in the Philippines , we ensure that our narratives are data-driven and our storytelling strategies adopt an evidence-based approach. Visit our case studies page to see how we have helped our partners achieve their goals.

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The post What Do The Emerging Narratives Say About Blended Learning? first appeared on M2.0 Communications Inc..

As the race for the COVID-19 vaccine continues, it is essential to understand the sentiments of the people. Is the public willing to take a shot? Read on to find valuable insights we have gathered through narrative mining.

A Lack of Trust

Vaccine hesitancy is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a top ten global threat. According to anthropologist Heidi Larson, this issue is not a misinformation problem, but a relationship one. The individual’s refusal of vaccines despite their availability comes from a lack of trust in the processes, policies, and stakeholders involved in vaccine development. 

In line with this, we conducted a survey of recent news articles using natural language processing and network analysis. We found that out of the 2,961 vaccine-related stories published between July 1 – August 19, safety concerns were discussed in 739 (24.96 percent) articles, while trust was discussed in 169 (5.71 percent). These stories revealed growing public distrust in the efforts of governments around the world to rapidly produce COVID-19 vaccines, directly impacting the overarching goal of rescuing a stagnating global economy while containing the spread of the virus.

Skepticism about vaccinations was already on the rise before the pandemic due to the Dengvaxia controversy in 2017, with this growing vaccine hesitancy being directly linked to the recent re-emergence of polio in the country. Without understanding and addressing the pressing issue of eroding trust in vaccines, building the public’s confidence in COVID-19 vaccine candidates will be a stern challenge.

Fear and Confusion

Vaccine hesitancy also poses a serious issue: the reigniting of potential health threats. Polio has resurfaced after the Philippines has been declared polio-free by WHO for 19 years, prompting the national government to include polio in their immunization initiatives. In spite of WHO’s emphasis on immunization, the number of unvaccinated individuals continues to grow. More and more people are thinking twice about availing of vaccinations out of fear of contracting the virus. Other health concerns like cancer screening, treatment, and vaccination programs have taken a backseat, not only due to financial issues but because of this apprehension. Around 19 percent or 58,583 children in the province of Laguna, for example, failed to receive their first dose of the polio vaccine. 

 

The government’s efforts to combat vaccine-preventable diseases are becoming a losing battle, as any interruption in vaccination could cause a secondary health or economic crisis to emerge.

 

Vaccine hesitancy isn’t just a health issue, it’s a communication issue, as well. As a brand in the new normal, it’s become even more important to understand and become part of conversations like these. But how should you decide which storylines to take part in? Learning how to identify and analyze constructed narratives provides you with a deeper, multi-layered understanding of your audience, and gives you an edge.

Narrative Mining: Forming Insights Through Narratives

Through a process called Narrative Mining, we are able to identify distinct themes, narratives, and storylines from a large mass of information such as news articles and social media posts. Essentially, it uncovers the three elements of a narrative:

                                 

Narrative mining is a process we’ve developed. It’s about identifying what stories need to be told and making sure those stories connect to a larger narrative. It includes strategizing, executing, measuring success, and improving your approach. Vaccine hesitancy and the re-emergence of other diseases are only a few of the storylines the team was able to pick up. To get an idea of other emerging narratives, you can contact us to check out a preview of the team’s preliminary report.

About M2

M2.0 Communications, one of the top PR companies in the Philippines, offers data and analytics services including brand performance analysis, media monitoring, and social listening. Click here to see how our communications agency helped our partners achieve their goals.

Send us a message today

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Getting an ad in the middle of whatever content you’re consuming is equivalent to a virtual slap in the face. It’s annoying, and intrusive, and don’t tell me you like being slapped in the face.

That’s just weird.

Imagine trying to relax or fall asleep to some soothing tunes or ASMR even, and when you’re just about to finally start snoring… BAM! Do YOU want to know what makes Grammarly great?!

The main character in the TV show that’s been running for longer than it has any right to be is about to die for the 32nd time and you’re just sitting there hoping they finally put him out of his misery after almost 1,500 episodes and suddenly let’s talk about why this detergent bar eliminates 99.99% of germs.

What choice do we have?

Digital advertisements aren’t necessarily all that bad. It’s a growing industry that helps grow other industries. It’s an essential part of our economy. But you can’t deny just how disruptive it can be.

They’re everywhere.

Consumer studies in 2018show that 91% of people believe that ads are now more disruptive than they have ever been with the ones that pop up being the most popular on the “thanks, I hate it” list. Who would’ve thought that something that forces itself onto the majority of the user’s screen would earn a 73% disapproval rating? Shocking right?

Even the ones that are supposedly designed to be more subtle in their appearance, banner ads, are being viewed as untrustworthy. I don’t know about you but when I see boxes at the side of my screen that says “click me!”, I immediately think it’s a virus.

Peace is for the privileged

It’s not a secret that people find ads intrusive. Even the big corporations who do it know that they’re annoying.

People are now willing to pay to be left alone.

42.7% of internet users around the world use an adblockeras of 2021. Imagine paying someone to stop talking because their voice was getting too much.

When people mess with the system, the system fights back. There are websites that rely on ad revenue to make a buck and once they detect some form of an adblocking program, they restrict content from the user. 74% of these adblock users would rather leave the siterather than put up with it.

Not everyone has the luxury to do so.

It’s a little ironic that in a world where almost everything is monetized, companies still earn from people who don’t want any part of it. When you have the money to pay for an adblock subscription or a premium version that eliminates pop-ups, why not right? No one likes to be disturbed.

Companies who earn from ad engagement still earn because you pay them to leave you alone.

But for those who can’t afford to spend on something that isn’t necessarily a primary need, they’re left to deal with the disruption. The rich stay focused, while the poor remain disturbed.

M2.0 Communications is a PR firm and social media marketing agency helping brands tell meaningful stories through data-driven narratives. Our services include media analytics, PR advisory, digital marketing, influencer strategy, stakeholder management, reputation management, and media training. Visit our case studies page to learn more about our work.

The post Disruptive Advertising: Excuse Me While I Disturb Your Experience first appeared on M2.0 Communications Inc..