Pagtuki Tackles Press Freedom

Last week, media personalities, journalists, and organizations gathered together for the 19th Cebu Press Freedom Week.

Cebu Press Freedom Week is the only week-long celebration of the freedom of the press in the Philippines. It features activities related to media and journalism. It was first celebrated in 1984.

“This is organized because every year, there is a need to remind the government leaders and the public that there must be press freedom,” Elias Baquero, president of the Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists (CFBJ), said during the Sept. 14 episode of Pagtuki, the official  radio program of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI).

“The reporters are the center of the Press Freedom, they are in the frontline. If this were a battle, the reporters are the soldiers,” Baquero added.

The CFBJ was organized by publishers and editors and was founded in 2000. The purpose is to provide distinction on who are working for the media and the co-media. It is concerned on the welfare of the reporters and members and future plans for improvement.

“There are about 11 media organizations in Cebu federated into CFBJ. There is an association for reporters assigned in the capitol, city hall, military, police, regional government agencies, sports, business, and entertainment,” Baquero explained.

The Press Freedom Week is done in the third week of September because it was when the Martial Law was declared.

During the Martial Law, the media not only kept Filipinos informed but also became instrumental in stirring mass action against the oppressive Marcos regime.

In the Philippines, it is only in Cebu that the celebration coincided with the commemoration of the Martial Law declaration on Sept. 21 1972.

“It was during these times that the barring of the press freedom was evidently seen. Such that when a reporter reports something against the government, even if it was right, there is a possibility that the station or the organization that the reporter belongs to will be destroyed,” Baquero shared.

The Philippines press is enjoying freedom of expression but not in its absolute form because limits are still observed. The press is still guided and bounded by the rules and policies of broadcasting as stated in the Broadcast Code of the Philippines.

A lot of media organizations established in the past became prestigious while others faded away. And the credibility of others was eroded because they were involved in questionable cases.

“If your leader is strong, then the organization is also strong. But if your leader is weak, then the organization also weakens,” Baquero commented on the issue of sustainability of media practice.

Pagtuki is aired over dyLA 909 AM every Saturday at 10-11am. The program, which is one of the Knowledge Sharing & Advocacy capabilities of RAFI, tackles timely and relevant issues on community development, politics and governance, micro-financing, education, environment, early childhood care and development, and culture and heritage that affect the Cebuano community.

For more information about RAFI’s radio program, please contact Roxanne Catalan at 418-7234 loc. 542, or visit www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph, or follow @rafiorgph on Twitter. (by Jessa Zabala/RAFI intern)