Campus journalists urge CHED to act on reported suppression of press freedom
Published Jul 26, 2019 12:56 am
By Merlina Hernando-Malipot
An alliance of tertiary student publications in the country urged the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to “act” on documented complaints against campus press freedom violations over the years.
Members of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) (Jansen Romero)
The College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) filed a complaint at the CHED in Quezon City for the violation of Republic Act 7079 otherwise known as the Campus Journalism Act of 1991. CEGP, which is considered as the oldest, broadest, and only-existing alliance of tertiary student publications in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia, filed the complaint in time for the celebration of the Campus Press Freedom Week and the Guild’s 88th founding anniversary which will be held from July 22 to July 27, 2019.
Represented by current CEGP national president Daryl Angelo Baybado, the complaint seeks for the “thorough investigation” of CHED in order to provide resolutions and sanctions to the campus press freedom violations committed pursuant to the provisions of the Campus Journalism Act of 1991.
“The vanguards of light and truth in various campuses are being the next targets of control by the government and school administrations,” Baybado said. However, he noted that the “incidents of intimidations among student journalists are happening” amid the presence of RA 7079 or the Campus Journalism Act of 1991.
The RA 7079, which was signed into law on July 5, 1991, aims to “uphold and protect press freedom even at the campus level.” However, CEGP noted that the “legislation proved” that in the 27 years of its existence – it has served otherwise. “For the long run, the seriously flawed law has done nothing but to put campus press freedom in jeopardy,” Baybado said.
At the Brink
CEGP, with over 750 member publications from more than 500 schools in 68 provinces and cities nationwide, said that it has consistently been monitored different campus press freedom violations in the tertiary level.
For the CEGP, the implementation of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act or the Free Higher Education Law has been an instrument to suppress press freedom in many schools. “Student publications are becoming a subject of repression and suppression, especially in the form of school administration’s manipulation,” Baybado said.
The group alleged that the Duterte administration – in its efforts to “fully silence” the press –takes “extra efforts to have control on school publications which in history held essential roles in keeping Filipinos informed and in pushing them to fight for rights and freedom.”
CEGP alleged that almost 200 student publications from different state universities and colleges, and local universities and colleges nationwide are “at the brink of being defunded” due to the law’s Implementing Rules and Guidelines that make it non-mandatory if not totally, not to collect student publication fees. “In fact, when the Free Tuition Law was implemented last fiscal year, some public higher institutions stopped collecting student publication fees from its student,” the group said.
In the past years, CEGP said that it has documented almost 1,000 campus press freedom violations. Since 2010 the group noted that the alleged press freedom violations include harassment and/or killings of student writers and editors; meddling with editorial policies; actual censorship of editorial content; withholding and looting of publication funds; non-collection or non-mandatory collection of publication fee; administrative intervention; suspension and expulsion of student editors and writers; and filing of libel charges against campus journalists.
For instance, CEGP cited that in the University of the Philippines – Cebu, the “Tug-ani” – the official student publication of the said university – has reported issues on financial restrictions and censorship. “Their members reported that publication funds are withheld by the school administration and that the release of funds is delayed,” CEGP said. “They also reported incidents where the administration cites provisions from the student manual to prevent them from publishing written pieces,” it added.
Meanwhile, the “White & Blue” – the official student publication of the Saint Louis University in Baguio City – also reported that aside from delayed release of funds, “they are experiencing financial constraints due to the school administration’s declaration that publication fees are non-mandatory.” CEGP noted that “censorship in contents was also reported by the staff” with the Office of Student Affairs interfering in the “selection of articles and that they are being prohibited from publishing written pieces concerning school and national issues.” The “Stellaris,” or the official department publication of the School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts of the same school also reported delays on the release of their funds. “Suffering from the non-mandatory collection of publication fee, they are only relying on the student council’s fund,” CEGP added.
CEGP also shared that “The SPARK” of Camarines Sur Polytechnic College (CSPC)-Nabua were also alarmed after they were informed by one of the school officials that they were part of an Armed Forces of the Philippines’ “watch list.” Included in the said watch-list are other member publications of the CEGP such as The PILLARS Publication of Ateneo de Naga University (AdNU), The Seafarers’ Gazette of Mariners Polytechnic College Foundation (MPCF) - Canaman Campus, and The Stateans Publication of Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA) - Main Campus.
For Baybado, these incidents “come along with the worsening intimidation initiated against mainstream and alternative media.” He noted that Philippine media “endures different attacks for the sake of truth and holding those in power to account.”
In the previous years, Baybado said that the “world saw a blatant threat on Philippine press freedom as the Duterte government regarded the media as critics” who want to oust him. “This mindset of a dictator wannabe resulted was followed with relentless attacks on a number of news organizations,” he added. Despite this, CEGP vowed to “stand” its ground especially “at a time when the government suppresses the truth.”
Members of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) (Jansen Romero)
The College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) filed a complaint at the CHED in Quezon City for the violation of Republic Act 7079 otherwise known as the Campus Journalism Act of 1991. CEGP, which is considered as the oldest, broadest, and only-existing alliance of tertiary student publications in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia, filed the complaint in time for the celebration of the Campus Press Freedom Week and the Guild’s 88th founding anniversary which will be held from July 22 to July 27, 2019.
Represented by current CEGP national president Daryl Angelo Baybado, the complaint seeks for the “thorough investigation” of CHED in order to provide resolutions and sanctions to the campus press freedom violations committed pursuant to the provisions of the Campus Journalism Act of 1991.
“The vanguards of light and truth in various campuses are being the next targets of control by the government and school administrations,” Baybado said. However, he noted that the “incidents of intimidations among student journalists are happening” amid the presence of RA 7079 or the Campus Journalism Act of 1991.
The RA 7079, which was signed into law on July 5, 1991, aims to “uphold and protect press freedom even at the campus level.” However, CEGP noted that the “legislation proved” that in the 27 years of its existence – it has served otherwise. “For the long run, the seriously flawed law has done nothing but to put campus press freedom in jeopardy,” Baybado said.
At the Brink
CEGP, with over 750 member publications from more than 500 schools in 68 provinces and cities nationwide, said that it has consistently been monitored different campus press freedom violations in the tertiary level.
For the CEGP, the implementation of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act or the Free Higher Education Law has been an instrument to suppress press freedom in many schools. “Student publications are becoming a subject of repression and suppression, especially in the form of school administration’s manipulation,” Baybado said.
The group alleged that the Duterte administration – in its efforts to “fully silence” the press –takes “extra efforts to have control on school publications which in history held essential roles in keeping Filipinos informed and in pushing them to fight for rights and freedom.”
CEGP alleged that almost 200 student publications from different state universities and colleges, and local universities and colleges nationwide are “at the brink of being defunded” due to the law’s Implementing Rules and Guidelines that make it non-mandatory if not totally, not to collect student publication fees. “In fact, when the Free Tuition Law was implemented last fiscal year, some public higher institutions stopped collecting student publication fees from its student,” the group said.
In the past years, CEGP said that it has documented almost 1,000 campus press freedom violations. Since 2010 the group noted that the alleged press freedom violations include harassment and/or killings of student writers and editors; meddling with editorial policies; actual censorship of editorial content; withholding and looting of publication funds; non-collection or non-mandatory collection of publication fee; administrative intervention; suspension and expulsion of student editors and writers; and filing of libel charges against campus journalists.
For instance, CEGP cited that in the University of the Philippines – Cebu, the “Tug-ani” – the official student publication of the said university – has reported issues on financial restrictions and censorship. “Their members reported that publication funds are withheld by the school administration and that the release of funds is delayed,” CEGP said. “They also reported incidents where the administration cites provisions from the student manual to prevent them from publishing written pieces,” it added.
Meanwhile, the “White & Blue” – the official student publication of the Saint Louis University in Baguio City – also reported that aside from delayed release of funds, “they are experiencing financial constraints due to the school administration’s declaration that publication fees are non-mandatory.” CEGP noted that “censorship in contents was also reported by the staff” with the Office of Student Affairs interfering in the “selection of articles and that they are being prohibited from publishing written pieces concerning school and national issues.” The “Stellaris,” or the official department publication of the School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts of the same school also reported delays on the release of their funds. “Suffering from the non-mandatory collection of publication fee, they are only relying on the student council’s fund,” CEGP added.
CEGP also shared that “The SPARK” of Camarines Sur Polytechnic College (CSPC)-Nabua were also alarmed after they were informed by one of the school officials that they were part of an Armed Forces of the Philippines’ “watch list.” Included in the said watch-list are other member publications of the CEGP such as The PILLARS Publication of Ateneo de Naga University (AdNU), The Seafarers’ Gazette of Mariners Polytechnic College Foundation (MPCF) - Canaman Campus, and The Stateans Publication of Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA) - Main Campus.
For Baybado, these incidents “come along with the worsening intimidation initiated against mainstream and alternative media.” He noted that Philippine media “endures different attacks for the sake of truth and holding those in power to account.”
In the previous years, Baybado said that the “world saw a blatant threat on Philippine press freedom as the Duterte government regarded the media as critics” who want to oust him. “This mindset of a dictator wannabe resulted was followed with relentless attacks on a number of news organizations,” he added. Despite this, CEGP vowed to “stand” its ground especially “at a time when the government suppresses the truth.”