MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said the government is committed to improving efforts to provide a safe environment for journalists.
The Chief Executive said in a speech that his administration are doubling their effort in protecting the media men and to uphold press freedom.
“Be assured that we are doubling down on our commitment to protect our journalists,” President Marcos said. “We stand with you, hand in hand in this fight.”
President Marcos also said that they are doing their best to bring justice to the murders of radio broadcasters Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa, [Juan] “DJ Johnny Walker” Jumalon and Cresenciano Bundoquin.
“They are not just names in a report; they are faces with families, colleagues, and communities that grieve their loss,” the President further said in his speech.
“All our efforts to bring them justice is a testament to the belief that no story, however dangerous, is too small or too insignificant to be told,” he added.
The Chief Executive also called on the public to always verify information amid the rise of technology, emphasizing how online trolls affected work in the newsroom.
“From the anonymous troll farms to the deliberate spread of conspiracy theories, this fight has evolved far beyond the newsroom; it is now in the palm of every hand that scrolls through social media,” he said.
“So I call on every Filipino: do not just fight; lead the change. Verify, question, [and] hold the line. We have a duty to protect the sanctity of facts, not just as citizens, but as guardians of our shared reality,” he added./PN