Multi-awarded regional Kapampangan TV network CLTV36 convened a media forum at the Hilton Clark Sun Valley Resort to commemorate the 31st Anniversary of World Press Freedom Day, May 3, 2024.
The forum was spearheaded by CLTV36 president Sonia Soto, VP deputy general manager Virgilio San Juan, marketing head Jhoedie Bhyjay Mercado; panelists Benny Guinto, president-KBP Pampanga, Mark Allen Sison , executive vice-president-CLMA Pampanga, and Noel Tulabut, president-Pampanga Press Club; guests CLMA Pampanga chairman emeritus Caesar Bong Lacson, auditor Jaypee Manalang, iOrbitnews president Deng Pangilinan, editor Larrica Cunanan-Dinio, veteran newsman Max Sangil and other media representatives.
Guest speaker Asec. Dale De Vera, TV-Presidential Communications Office, Office of the President, addressed participants, providing insights into President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directives aimed at ensuring press freedom in the nation. The forum, titled “Conversations @ Hilton,” served as a platform for media professionals to engage with government representatives and contribute to the discourse on press freedom.
On World Press Freedom Day 2024, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reaffirmed his dedication to collaborating closely with the media to bolster press freedom. He assured media practitioners of the government’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding their rights and ensuring transparency and good governance.
The Philippines has improved its global standings in terms of safety of journalists as the country ranked 132nd among 180 countries in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index. Last year’s ranking is an improvement from the 147th ranking in 2022, ending a five-year slump in the annual list. But it continued to be among the world’s “most dangerous” countries for journalists, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said.
Key discussions revolved around strategies for the protection and promotion of press freedom. Attendees exchanged valuable perspectives and insights, enriching the dialogue on the challenges and opportunities facing the media landscape.
The CLMA Pampanga strongly urges the government to prioritize the implementation of decentralization measures in its efforts to ensure transparency and accountability at all levels of governance. This includes decentralizing information gathering from various government departments.
To enhance communication and access to timely, accurate data, implementing decentralization measures is crucial for media practitioners, the public, and netizens. This facilitates informed reporting and public discourse, in order not to influence public perceptions that would undermine the transparency and accountability reforms of the current administration.
The Constitution under Article 11 of the Bill of Rights Section 4 provides that “No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances”.
Moving forward, we urge the government to take tangible steps to uphold press freedom, ensure the safety of media practitioners, and create an environment conducive to open discourse and accountability. This includes implementing effective measures to investigate and prosecute cases of violence against journalists, validate intel reports from intelligence agents who pretend to be intelligent, promoting media literacy through initiatives such as the CLMA Campus Journalism Workshop Caravan, and fostering partnerships between media organizations and government agencies to address common challenges.
In conclusion, by working together, we can strengthen press freedom and uphold the principles of transparency and good governance in our society—it should be in our DNA.
King panimunan na ning CLMA Pampanga, ing Katutwan ing Santungan Ning Timawang Pamamasiag. Katotohanan ang Sandigan ng Malayang Pamamahayag. Truth is the Foundation of Press Freedom.
Maraming salamat at mabuhay ang malayang pamamahayag!