Kung wala ka nang maintindihan, kung wala ka nang malapitan, kapit ka sa akin … hindi kita bibitawan: a critical discourse analysis of the online news coverage of typhoons Yolanda and Lawin toward understanding the dependency of Filipinos on (foreign) humanitarian aid during typhoon aftermaths.

Abstract

This study is a critical discourse analysis (CDA) of the online news coverage of the influx of and the need for (foreign) humanitarian aid during the aftermaths of Typhoons Yolanda and Lawin in the Philippines. Through an in-depth linguistic analysis of verbal texts, the research argues that these online news sites‘ linguistic manipulation of content produced specific ideological impacts that could reinforce (foreign) humanitarian aid dependency among Filipinos, especially among those who read their respective contents. Such ideological impacts include the properties to evoke emotions directed towards post-typhoon actors, to form an image of post-typhoon actors, and to portray (foreign) humanitarian aid as wielding positive impacts that will benefit its recipients. The study also proves that the consequences of these ideological impacts to the readers could gain more strength and momentum if the online news sites and their respective content possess the two fundamental components of any journalistic endeavour — credibility and objectivity. The study also reveals that, based on the results of the survey, (foreign) humanitarian aid dependency in an individual level already exists among Filipinos; and the results of reading exercise shows that such dependency is being reinforced by online news sites — a type of channel of discourse — through the media‘s innate power to manipulate public opinion. Therefore, this study asserts that online news sites are exploited as tools of oppression by global hegemons — the center of the news spotlight — to foster dependency that will aid in their quest to promote and reinforce disaster capitalism in the affected regions; thus, institutionalising and legimitising their neoliberal economic agenda in the country.