The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has reiterated its call for the protection of broadcasters and all media practitioners as the country commemorates this month of April the “Broadcasters’ Month.”
The CHR said that broadcasters play a crucial role during the election period because they help ensure a well-informed citizenry. With the information they provide, Filipinos are able to make better decisions and defend their democracy, it said.
But the CHR lamented that media practitioners have faced unrelenting intimidation, threats, and even violence or killings over the past few years.
It said that the Philippines, for four consecutive years, has seen a continuous drop in the Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) World Press Freedom Index, while a separate report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) ranked the country as the seventh most dangerous country for journalists.
"Security is crucial in enabling media workers to perform their duty of upholding the truth, speaking truth to power, and holding the line, without fear of reprisal and retribution," the CHR posted on social media.
It added that the media also deserve access to information on matters of public concern because this information is vital in empowering citizens to participate more effectively in socio-political affairs.
“Broadcasters’ Month” is celebrated by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 557 issued in 1995, and it aims to recognize the significant role of communication and information in nation-building.