MANILA, Philippines – Nangako si Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. nitong Biyernes, Setyembre 20, na patuloy na magsisikap ang kanyang administrasyon na magbigay ng ligtas na kapaligiran para sa mga mamamahayag sa bansa.
“Be assured that we are doubling down on our commitment to protect our journalists and uphold press freedom,” anang Pangulo sa kanyang speech kasabay ng ika-50 anibersaryo ng Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc.
“We stand with you, hand in hand in this fight.”
Idinagdag pa ni Marcos na ginagawa rin ng administrasyon ang makakaya nito para mabigyan ng hustisya ang mga napatay na mga brodkaster na sina Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa, [Juan] “DJ Johnny Walker” Jumalon at Cresenciano Bundoquin.
“They are not just names in a report; they are faces with families, colleagues, and communities that grieve their loss,” anang Pangulo.
“All our efforts to bring them justice is a testament to the belief that no story, however dangerous, is too small or too insignificant to be told.”
Bilang pagpapatuloy, nanawagan si Marcos sa publiko na ugaliing suriin ang impormasyon kasabay ng pag-usbong ng teknolohiya at sinabing nakakaapekto rin sa trabaho sa newsroom ang mga online trolls.
“From the anonymous troll farms to the deliberate spread of conspiracy theories, this fight has evolved far beyond the newsroom; it is now in the palm of every hand that scrolls through social media,” ani Marcos.
“So I call on every Filipino: do not just fight; lead the change. Verify, question, [and] hold the line. We have a duty to protect the sanctity of facts, not just as citizens, but as guardians of our shared reality.”
Kamakailan ay iniulat ng Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility at National Union of Journalists of the Philippines na mayroon nang 135 insidente ng pag-atake at pagbabanta laban sa mga media worker mula nang manungkulan si Marcos noong Hulyo 1, 2022. RNT/JGC
