UBIQUITOUS
By Katherine Greta G. Mendiola

Significant numbers have placed Philippines on map these past years. It may be as good as Manny Pacquiao winning seven world titles on seven different divisions; or as worst as 858 deaths on Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, these numbers have put the country on its extreme condition.

Recently, after Pacquiao and Efren Peñaflorida, CNN Hero of the year winner, brought glory to the Philippines, 34 civilians, including 30 journalists were brutally killed in Maguindanao last November 23.

The Center for Media Responsibility and Freedom (CMFR) said that a total of 62 journalists were murdered since President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo seated as president.

What happened in Maguindanao is just a clear indication that the so-called “leaders” of this country have forgotten the essence of democracy by sacrificing press freedom. This issue does not end with the official barbaric death of press freedom in the Philippines; it is also the beginning of primitive acts against human rights.

Media as the fourth estate should be responsible to act as guardians of public interests and watchdog of the society. They have this notion to check and balance information before it reach the public to restore the essence of democracy and what’s left to it.

But seeing today’s situation wherein the press is caught tangled on political strings, exercising press freedom is as crucial as running on battlegrounds with bullets following you.

As a future media practitioner and a student journalist, I am no exception to this existing threat.

Back in 2008 when FEU Advocate attended the National Student Press Congress and Convention in Davao, one of our colleagues from the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP)­-Visayas Chapter, Rachelle Mae Palang, was shot by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) four months after. She was accused of being an ally of the New People’s Army (NPA) when in fact she was out in the mountains of Negros to volunteer for a medical mission. She was a newly licensed nurse and former vice president of CEGP-Visayas.

This scenario is not new to CEGP, in April of 2002, former vice president of CEGP-Mindanao, Beng Hernandez, was murdered by AFP insinuating the same reason.

To date, there are a total of 112 Filipino Journalists were killed in line of duty since 1986. To think that these are all caused by extrajudicial killings and half of this massive number of deaths happened during the Arroyo Administration.

As I search the net, all media sites are tagging the Philippines as the most dangerous country for journalists, beating the records of Iraq and Columbia. Looking at any angle, this is the worst case that the country has put itself into. The Philippines is also tagged as a country with worst cases of impunity.

Before I indulged myself into the realm of mass media, I dreamt of a career and a place that would uphold freedom and democracy. But as the days unfold, this dream is turning into a nightmare creeping out in reality.
As CEGP would say, “To write is already to choose”.

I condemn these unlawful acts of political mechanisms. I condemn people who are seated in power to perform indolence in front of their countrymen. I condemn people who show apathy on these pressing issues. I condemn people who step on press freedom, for they have also stepped on democracy.

Now is not the time for apathetic discussions, or the numbers of deaths will continue to count.

Make a move at katherinegreta.mendiola@gmail.com