EDITORIAL - Important ingredient

It is undeniable that an important part of a working democracy is a functioning free press. In a democratic country, a freewheeling media is very vital to the people's quest for uncensored information.

If a country that boasts having a solid fundamental freedom but is failing in the area of nurturing a free flow of information, then such democratic practice is certainly an embarrassment.

The Philippines, for one, has been bragging about its solid democratic foundations. For decades, it has been able to carry the lamp of democracy, surviving through the dark days of Martial Law.

However, there is one area that the country really needs to improve. And that is the area of protecting press freedom. It's sad that the country remains one of those that have been marked for unabated killings in the media.

Since the restoration of the country's democracy following the ouster of a dictatorial regime, protection of the media freedom remains largely a failure. And since the administration of Corazon Aquino to this present government under her son, attacks on journalists are common.   

No wonder the Philippines remains on top of the list of deadly countries for journalists. In fact, the country hardly improves its rankings on global press freedom in the Freedom House report.

In its latest survey of 197 countries, the Freedom House regards the Philippines as 'partly free' in the global press freedom rankings. At 87th, the country only managed to move one notch ahead of its previous place.

This latest report is no longer news. Because the present government remains helpless in abating attacks on press freedom, we can only expect this serious problem to continue well into the succeeding administrations.

Press freedom is an important ingredient for a free country. Failure to defend it is equal to losing a very democratic foundation.