“These attacks not only jeopardize their personal safety but also undermine the vital role of a free press in fostering transparency, accountability, democracy and legitimacy of media as the 4th estate.”
“We will continue to report, and we will continue to insist on being free.”
Six media groups from five Southeast Asian countries formed a regional collaboration to strengthen their fight against the deteriorating state of press freedom in the region.
Engracia, Carvajal and I might not have gotten our wish for a full-blown trial and ruling on the merits. But we’ve sent across our message: Fearless journalists who won’t be silenced are alive and well. They will fight for what’s true and right in defense of press freedom.
As Filipinos return to the polling precinct next month, Bulatlat, the Philippines’ longest-running online alternative news and authority in human rights reporting, has revisited the stand of those running for president and vice president on issues confronting the marginalized and the oppressed. This is part of Bulatlat’s commitment to truth-telling, defending press freedom, and resisting…
“It’s a bad call by the PDI management, a setback for press freedom and a sad day for Philippine journalism.”
President Rodrigo Duterte has made it to the gallery of heads of government in 37 countries that the international press freedom watch organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF, Reporters Sans Frontières) regards as enemies of press freedom. Mr. Duterte’s inclusion puts him in the company of Russia’s Vladimir Putin, China’s Xi Jinping, Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro, Saudi…
According to Paris-based media watchdog, Duterte has used several weapons to wage “total war” against independent media.
In 2019, the country ranked 134th out of 180 countries, and fell two places in 2020 at 136th. This year, the Philippines’ ranked 138th and was classified by the RSF as one of the world’s deadliest countries for journalists and bloggers.
The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 has been widely criticised for curtailing press freedom and the freedom of expression. It has granted authorities the power to detain activists and journalists, and to allege them at the very least of committing terrorism as the law so vaguely defined.
Bulatlat pays tribute to the press freedom heroes who courageously defied the Marcos dictatorship through their brave journalism and, for some, through their active involvement in the underground movement that helped topple Marcos.