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EDITORIAL| In Igniting the Flame of Press Freedom Weakened by Propagandic Neglect
In Igniting the Flame of Press Freedom Weakened by Propagandic Neglect
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-Steve Biko, Anti-Apartheid activist
The Campus Journalism Act of 1991 is the declared policy of the State to uphold and protect the freedom of the press even at the campus level and to promote the development and growth of campus journalism as a means of strengthening ethical values, encouraging critical and creative thinking, and developing moral character and personal discipline of the Filipino youth. In furtherance of this policy, the State shall undertake various programs and projects aimed at improving the journalistic skills of students concerned and promoting responsible and free journalism.
Press freedom is exercised early in our schools, especially the universities. It is evident what just happened for the last 5 years and from what people feared to happen after the issuance of this editorial - the repetition of a traumatic history. Years ago, when a certain leader was criticized for the compliance of exercising press freedom, there are only two things that happened; filing for libel, cyber libel or slander, or the creation of a fact-controlled media network company. As also provided in the Bill of Rights Section 4. No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances. Yes, what’s happening is wrong, but resiliency still rules this country.
Just like how the freedom of the press is practiced on the campus, the resiliency is also experienced in our respective schools and universities. Since the pandemic, the student publication around Pangasinan became inactive due to the lack of dedication of the students, and the motherly support of the school.
How will we defend our press freedom to a dictatorial and populist government, if we are to be resilient to our campus press freedom?
Illustrated by: Jasmine Bernadette R. Bembo
With the transcript of Chancellor Clement Camposano’s presentation that was delivered last Monday, February 22, 2021, on Day 1 of 'The 3rd National Conference on Democracy and Disinformation' with the theme: New Normal, New Media: Emerging Challenges of Disinformation in the Philippines, "To keep democracy from breathing its last, we need to keep our campuses alive. Alive with ideas, with disputations, with political dreams of all sorts."
It is the job of the student journalists to recognize through the instrument of print and digital tabloids to be the ground-representation of the students by any means necessary. The students must be well aware of the existence of their newspaper not as a recognition of an extracurricular activity of a university, but as their instrument when there is a need for a call - call for suggestions, uncertainties, unrecognized projects of the campus or the student leaders, everything for the betterment of the academic environment.
However, the use of social media can sometimes be abusive. Everything can be written and posted, without the validation of the facts and evidence presented. Over the past months, the publication itself faced battles with regards to holding the statements of all the articles written, proofread, and reviewed during the months of preparing the digital tabloid to be readable not only for the students of PHIN- MA - UPang but also for those students whose flames can be ignited by the publication. The digital and print media hold the same principles that facts should be valid and reviewed, and their evidence is not just a story to tell.
Despite people telling how the media should work, it is not only about the principles of journalism a journalist upholds. The representation of one's character will always be alongside what is thought by the book and by their morals. Silencing the media will never happen. Just like what happened during the 80s, it will never shut.
Campus journalism can help galvanize opposition within the academic community and keep the campuses free from external interference. Let the local papers from your schools and communities start the intellectual controversy for a climactic debate and intellectual contestation, to keep alive the restless spirit that makes universities what they are. This publication needs more campus journalists who are not only good at reporting what they think is going on but also the ones who will be generous with their opinion and who will not be hiding in their closets when it's time to be louder.
For the students of this beloved university, now is not the time to stop reading papers. When the subject of criticism chooses to dismantle the very purpose of the piece, discredit the media, and ask the public for sympathy, think twice, observe, and read more.
