As the 15th anniversary of the Ampatuan massacre draws near, journalists from across the Visayas region paid tribute to the 58 victims of one of the deadliest attacks against journalists that left including 32 media workers killed. Veteran journalist and MindaNews...
“The whole concept of freedom of expression is to be able to say what you want even if it offends the other side. The government should encourage a greater culture of tolerance.” -- Special Rapporteur on Free Expression and Opinion Irene Khan
“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...
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...
“It’s a bad call by the PDI management, a setback for press freedom and a sad day for Philippine journalism.”
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.
“Never since the late unlamented Marcos dictatorship has a president ever deigned to shut down the independent media and stifle criticism and dissent.”
"At 'yun ang sinasabi ko palaging dapat panghawakan 'yung aral ng kasaysayan. Dumaan na tayo dito at tayo'y nagwagi. Wala akong dahilan para maniwalang hindi natin mauulit 'yan. Lakas ng tao 'yan, lakas ng bayan 'yan. Lakas ng sambayanan."
“It is clear that the goal of this administration is not only to shut down ABS-CBN but to send a message throughout the media industry.”
Various groups assailed today yet another attack against press freedom in the country, with a Manila court handing down a guilty verdict against Rappler’s CEO Maria Ressa and their former researcher Reynaldo Santos Jr.
While we all agree that the fight against terrorism is important and needs the participation and cooperation of everyone, we maintain that the proposed law is open to abuse by despotic governments to visit terror against critics and the people in general.
Habang pinagninilayan ko ang mga pangyayaring ito, marahil ay bahagyang natalo ang mga Lopez ngunit mas malaki ang pinsala nito sa mga sambayanang Pilipino kasama kaming ilang libong empleyado. Ito ay dahil sa pinagdamutan na sila ng estado na makakuha ng libangan at impormasyon sa panahon na may kinakaharap na krisis ang ating bansa, lalo na sa mga komunidad na tanging ABS-CBN lang ang napapanood nila sa pamamagitan ng analog broadcast.
Local government executives should keep in mind that that the current national emergency does not empower officials to silence dissent and curtail press freedom, both of which are essential to a functional democracy in which elected officials are duty-bound to defend the Constitution.
A community of readers and supporters that help us sustain our operations through microdonations for as low as $1.