Advocacy

I express my full support in the creation of a law, providing strict guidelines for media coverage in the Philippines, especially in matters regarding national security and other similar sensitive matters. Similar to what happened in the August 23 hostage crisis in the Quirino grandstand. It is a fact that the irresponsible coverage of the hostage crisis by some irresponsible media entity contributed to the outcome of the hostage crisis, this as well became the ignition for a proposition in the creation of such law. Although this proposition is still on the process of reviewing, I highly encourage the formal execution of such law.

I know you are thinking, in the creation of such bill will violate the people’s right to information and the freedom of the press. But you cannot hide your face to the facts and to the 8 people who died in the massacre due to the undiscerning press who covered the event. I said undiscerning, yes because it is obvious that if only the press’s coverage was carefully planned and well coordinated with the police authority, which is obviously not executed, there will be a more positive outcome. I believe that the media should exercise self-censorship all the time. This is called “RESPONSIBLE JOURNALISM. I understand that the media has to do its task of covering and delivering news, it cannot be helped, but I believe the Media compromised itself because of its own power. Regarding the hostage incident, they were thinking to get the raw news; where it was happening; at the fastest possible time. They did not think, the situation was dangerous; people’s lives were in danger; and there was an armed crazy Policeman on the loose. These were the most important factors that were not considered, or may I say deliberately ignored, by the media, hypothetically, to outwit competition.

I am not advocating for a media blackout in times similar to this. I understand the importance of the media coverage in times like this. But what I propose is a set of guidelines, a set of universal guidelines that will set clear the limitations and boundaries of any media network in covering such sensitive news. Guidelines that will prioritize the right to life than public ratings, guidelines that will prioritize the safety of the people who are playing dice with death rather any form of personal gain or protecting the company’s interest. Lastly, guidelines that will that will emphasize discipline and ethics rather than money or fame. Let us not ignore the errors that happened in the hostage taking, let us not take risks of repeating mistakes at the cost of lives of innocent people. We need to learn from this devastation, and the approval of this law will be a public declaration that we learned from the mistakes of the past, and now we have moved forward.

If given the chance to contribute in the making of this law, I would propose that when crisis like the August 23 hostage taking happens again, which I hope never again, all media personnel, both reporters and cameraman will first have to coordinate with the police authority. All media personnel must wait for the permission of the police before any action is to be done. And if the presence of any media personnel is demanded, he or she is required to participate to the concerns of the hostage-taker.

The approval of this law may antagonize the whole concept of the “freedom of press”. But you cannot separate responsibility from freedom. And no one is an exception to this.