Journalists also hailed as heroes

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines –  Considered as frontliners in the fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), journalists and media professionals were hailed by the Philippine government as “heroes.”

“As the whole world wages war against an invisible enemy, Filipinos have come to realize the importance of the role that journalists and media workers play in this time of crisis,” the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) said in a statement released on the eve of World Press Freedom Day today.

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed May 3 as World Press Freedom Day to raise awareness on the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Filipino journalists have braved the frontlines and risked their lives to showcase to the world the Filipino’s brand of truth-telling, PTFoMS added.

The PTFoMS gave premium to the media’s indispensable role in the fight against COVID-19 “by bringing truthful information to millions of Filipinos regarding the virus, including ways to protect oneself pursuant to the guidelines and advisories issued by the government.”

“The government has found an ally (in media) in the fight against the virus,” it added.

The PTFoMS also noted how media practitioners, in the spirit of bayanihan, even took time to help their comrades through various relief operations conducted nationwide for the benefit of media workers and their families, made possible through the cooperation of the National Press Club and other media organizations with the government.

“Indeed, the Philippine media has become united with the government,” the task force stressed.

Ensuring press freedom

According to PTFoMS co-chairman Sec. Martin Andanar, “much has been done by the present administration to ensure every Filipinos’ right to freedom of expression, of opinion and of the press.”

“The government firmly believes that a free press and media that provide accurate, fair and relevant information to the Filipino people is vital to our democracy, especially during this time of crisis,” he added.

Andanar cited how President Duterte, from the beginning of his administration, has made a commitment to protect these freedoms.

President Duterte created the PTFoMS through his very first Administrative Order (AO No. 1) in order to protect the welfare of Filipino journalists and media workers, Andanar stressed, adding, “Upon assumption to office in 2016, President Duterte has declared as a matter of national policy to identify and prevent any form of threat, violence or abuse of authority against the so-called Fourth Estate.”

Andanar claimed that PTFoMS is “unique in the world,” by establishing “a government-wide program to ensure a safe environment for all media workers.”

For his part, PTFoMS executive director Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco expressed seriousness in government’s promise to uphold press freedom by ensuring the security of media practitioners, as he cited the successful prosecution and conviction of several prominent government officials and police officers who were complicit in the infamous Maguindanao Massacre.

“Nothing, not even a pandemic, can stop the administration from fulfilling its mandate in protecting the lives, liberty and security of media workers,” Egco declared.

“No amount of destructive narrative against President Duterte and the government can deny the fact that we have proven effective in addressing threats against the media,” he said.

Egco also said that through the continuing efforts of the task force, the government has identified and suppressed most threats against Filipino journalists and media professionals.

According to Egco, press freedom has been strengthened since Duterte assumed office in 2016. This is why since 2018, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has excluded the Philippines from the list of “Most Dangerous Countries in the World for Journalists.”

Egco also cited a Committee to Protect Journalist (CPJ) database, noting that no journalist in the Philippines has remained in prison. “This is largely due to the government’s commitment to respect the sacred right of every individual to due process of law.”

Meanwhile, PTFoMS is actively pushing House Bill (HB) 2476, otherwise known as the Media Workers’ Welfare Act (MWWA), to become a law. Egco believes if the proposal is enacted, it “will recognize the invaluable contribution of media workers to society.”

ACT-CIS party-list lawmaker Rowena Taduran, who authored the proposal, explained that the bill seeks to provide better wages, benefits and conditions of work to all Filipino journalists and other media professionals. President Duterte has endorsed HB 2476 as a priority bill. – Christina Mendez