Press freedom

I attended an event at the British Embassy residence last week marking World Press Freedom Day.

- BOO CHANCO

They had this presentation about how Filipino women journalists are suffering from gender-based harassment in the course of their work.

I am sure that is happening but I am not sure that it is something that overshadows the dangers Filipino journalists, male and female, face these days. Filipino journalists have always operated in a complex environment where legal protections coexist with persistent threats to press freedom.

The Duterte years had been hostile to journalists but it wasn't as deadly as the martial law years under the first Marcos administration.

Journalists in NCR working for the mainstream media have largely enjoyed legal protection but those elsewhere in the country where local political warlords rule have always lived dangerously.

Our press freedom rankings through the years have reflected the reality that as a whole, Filipino journalists have always been challenged with legal harassment, economic pressures and physical safety concerns. This is a reality that has also limited press freedom because self-censorship has become a necessity for personal survival.

The Philippines recently improved its position in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index, rising to 116th place from 134th last year. This marks the country's highest ranking since 2004.

Our ranking is nothing to be proud of. The Philippines is classified among the most dangerous countries for journalists in the Asia-Pacific region, according to RSF. Since 1986, nearly 200 journalists have been killed, with only 50 convictions secured. Under BBM's administration, six journalists have been killed, including one in 2024.